Jump to recipe

I love taking leftovers and giving them a makeover for their second appearance at our table. These Crispy Cheesy Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes are one of my favorite ways to use up leftover mashed potatoes.A nice crispy crust with a soft mashed potato pillow in the center. Yum!

BUT, you need to start with good mashed potatoes. My Creamy Mashed Potatoes recipe was perfect for this use. I used green onions because I liked the color, but feel free to use a finely chopped or grated white onion if you prefer those.

Ingredients:

3 cups chilled leftover mashed potatoes

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or mozzarella cheese)

2 Tbsp. chopped scallions, green and white parts

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup bread crumbs or all-purpose flour for dredging

Pinch of salt and black pepper

Vegetable or Canola oil- for pan-frying

Sour cream- for serving

 

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the mashed potatoes, cheese, scallions, egg and flour until combined.

To make equal size pancakes, use an ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup. Gently flatten the ball into a thick pancake with your hands.

Place bread crumbs in a bowl. Take one potato cake and dredge in bread crumbs; place in frying pan.  Cook until well browned on the bottom. Turn cakes over and cook until browned on the other side.

Add more oil to the pan as needed between batches. Make sure to not overcrowd the pan and do not flip the pancakes too soon or they won’t develop a crisp crust.

Transfer the pancakes to a paper towel-lined plate to observe excess oil.

Serve the potato pancakes topped with sour cream

Enjoy!