Leftover Mashed Potato Patty
A mashed potato patty takes leftover mashed potatoes and turns them into a tender, golden potato cake with a crispy outer layer and a soft center. Serve these delicious patties for a simple lunch, as a dinner side, or as a breakfast potato.
Leftover mashed potatoes want to be patties
I have very fond memories of these simple potato patties from childhood. Whenever I stayed at my grandparents’ house on a Saturday night and there was an extra-large portion of mashed potatoes on the dinner table, I knew there would be potato cakes on the breakfast table the next morning.
My gramps wasn’t one to cook. He left that up to my grandmother. But he was always the one at the stove when it was time to fry up a batch of leftover mashed potato patties — somehow that made them taste even better. Everyone would sit at the table and wait patiently for them to be served because we could hardly wait for that first bite.
As an adult running my own kitchen, I serve this dish for more than just breakfast. And yes, I very often make extra mashed potatoes just so I can make leftover mashed potato patties the next day.
If you share my love for potatoes and want to bring more potato dishes to your table, be sure to try my from scratch french fries, garlic mashed potatoes with cheese, and potato wedges with garlic and asiago too.
Recipe ingredients
- Leftover mashed potatoes: Use thoroughly chilled leftover homemade mashed potatoes for this recipe. Cold mashed potatoes are firmer than freshly made potatoes, which makes them easier to shape into patties and helps them hold together during frying. A fairly thick mash works best; very loose mashed potatoes will make softer, more delicate patties.
- Olive oil: Used to fry the mashed potato patties and develop their crisp, golden exterior. Regular olive oil works well here, but another neutral cooking oil can be used if you prefer.
- Scallions: Adds a fresh, mild onion flavor that works particularly well with the richness of the mashed potatoes. Both the white and green portions can be used so you get plenty of flavor without the stronger bite of a mature onion.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make mashed potato patties
Step 1: Place the cold leftover mashed potatoes in a mixing bowl. Add the egg, flour, and scallions, and mix until the ingredients are well combined and the mixture holds together when pressed.
Step 2: Scoop the potato mixture into 1/4-cup portions and place them on a silicone-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up the mixture and make the portions easier to shape.
Step 3: Remove the portions from the freezer and gently shape each one into a disk about 1/2 inch thick, keeping the thickness as consistent as possible so the center heats through by the time the outside is crisp and golden.
Step 3: Heat a layer of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the potato patties without crowding the skillet. Fry until the bottoms are crisp and deeply golden, then carefully turn the patties and cook the second side until equally crisp and golden. Work in batches as needed, allowing the oil to come back up to temperature between batches.
Step 4: Serve the mashed potato patties hot while the outside is at its crispiest. Pair them with your favorite dipping sauce, if desired.
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Mashed potato patty variations
Leftover mashed potato patties are easy to change up with cheese, herbs, bacon, or seasonings you already have on hand. Before adding anything, consider how the leftover mashed potatoes were originally seasoned. If they already contain garlic, herbs, cheese, or other strong flavors, choose additions that complement those flavors rather than competing with them.
- Cheesy: Fold freshly grated sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Parmesan into the potato mixture. Use a moderate amount so the cheese adds flavor without making the patties difficult to shape and fry.
- Bacon and scallion: Add finely crumbled cooked bacon to the mixture along with the scallions. The salty, savory bacon makes these particularly well suited to serving as a breakfast potato.
- Fresh herb: Mix in finely chopped chives, parsley, or dill. Chives reinforce the mild onion flavor of the scallions, while parsley adds freshness and dill gives the patties a more distinctive herb flavor.
- Loaded potato: Add shredded cheddar and crumbled cooked bacon along with the scallions. Serve the finished patties with sour cream for all the familiar flavors of a loaded potato.
- Spiced: Add smoked paprika, cayenne, or finely chopped jalapeño to the potato mixture. Start with a small amount, particularly if the original mashed potatoes were already well seasoned, and adjust according to how much heat you want.
Top tips
- Mix with a fork: Use a fork to combine the mashed potatoes, egg, flour, and scallions. The tines make it easy to break up the firm, cold mashed potatoes while evenly distributing the other ingredients throughout the mixture.
- Test one patty first: Fry a single mashed potato patty before committing the whole batch to the skillet. If it spreads or feels too fragile to turn, mix a little more flour into the remaining potato mixture before shaping the rest.
- Let the first side develop a crust: Resist the urge to move or turn the patties too soon. Once a good crust forms against the skillet, the patties will release more readily and will be much less likely to break when you turn them.
- Adjust the heat as you cook: If the patties are browning before the centers are thoroughly heated, lower the heat slightly. If they are absorbing oil without developing a crisp exterior, increase the heat a little before adding the next batch.
- Refresh the oil between batches: Remove any loose bits of potato or scallion left behind in the skillet before frying another batch. Small pieces can burn in the oil and stick to the patties in the next batch.
- Store and reheat leftovers: Refrigerate cooked mashed potato patties in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a lightly oiled skillet over medium-low heat until hot throughout and crisp again on both sides.
- Freeze and reheat for later: Freeze the cooked patties individually until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a lightly oiled skillet over medium-low heat until heated through and crisp on the outside.
Serve
Mashed potato patties are right at home on a breakfast plate in place of home fries or hash browns. Serve them with eggs cooked your favorite way — if you want to get those eggs just right, my guide on how to cook eggs like a restaurant covers everything from sunny-side up and over easy to poached and scrambled. Add easy breakfast sausage patties for a hearty breakfast, and melt a few homemade garlic butter medallions over the hot potato patties if you want to dress them up a little.
For a simple lunch, serve two or three patties with a dipping sauce and something crisp or tangy on the side. Keep the dipping sauce classic with sour cream or go with ketchup from scratch, creamy dill dressing or ranch dressing made from scratch. Classic farmhouse coleslaw makes an easy side, while traditional garlic pickles or Polish-style pickled mushrooms add a bright, tangy contrast to the fried potatoes.
At dinner, these patties can take the place of just about any potato side. Pair them with homemade turkey tips for a hearty plate, or serve them alongside homemade pineapple BBQ chicken when you want something sweet and savory with the potatoes. They’re also an easy fit with crispy garlic parmesan chicken tenders or BBQ glazed chicken leg quarters. Any of these pairings turns leftover mashed potatoes into a crisp, golden side that feels like a completely different dish the next day.
Other recipes you’ll love
If you loved this from scratch potato recipe, give these other great side dish recipes a try too!
Old-Fashioned Potato Salad
Classic Twice Baked Potato
Authentic German Potato Pancakes
Waldorf Potato Salad
Sweet and Tangy Braised Red Cabbage with Apples
Old-Fashioned Stewed Green Beans
Mashed Potato Patties
Ingredients
- 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes cold
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Combine the cold mashed potatoes, egg, flour, and scallions with a fork until evenly mixed.
- Portion the mixture into 1/4-cup scoops and place them on a silicone-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 10 minutes to firm up the mixture.
- Shape each chilled portion into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the patties in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until crisp and golden on the outside and heated through.
- Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- The consistency of leftover mashed potatoes varies. If the mixture is too soft to hold its shape, add a little more flour as needed.
- Taste before adding any additional seasoning, as the mashed potatoes may already be well seasoned.
- Refrigerate leftover cooked patties in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a lightly oiled skillet until hot and crisp.
- Freeze cooked patties individually until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a skillet.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
