Got leftover mashed potatoes sitting in your fridge? Don’t let them go to waste! These cheesy potato cakes are so good that you’ll actually want to make extra mashed potatoes just to have an excuse to whip up a batch.
These cheesy, crispy pan-fried potato cakes are the only reason why my wife loves it when I make homemade mashed potatoes. Because she knows that all of the leftovers will be used for this delicious side dish!
I’m talking crispy on the outside, creamy and cheesy on the inside, and loaded with flavor. And the best part? They’re ridiculously easy to make on your Blackstone griddle or any flat top grill. Or you can even shallow fry them in a skillet on the stovetop!
In this post, I’m going to show you three different methods for making these mashed potato cakes – from the super simple “throw them right on the griddle” method to a more involved breaded version that rivals anything you’d get at a restaurant. And trust me, after you make these once, they’ll become a regular in your cooking rotation.
*And be sure to check out these Blackstone potatoes made with baby yellow potatoes for another fantastic potato side dish on the griddle!
Why You’ll Love These Griddle Mashed Potato Cakes
- Perfect for leftovers – Got mashed potatoes left over from Thanksgiving or Sunday dinner? This is exactly what you need to make with them.
- Easy to customize – The basic potato cake is just a vessel. You can add your favorite cheeses or seasonings to customize them to your liking, or even go with something unique like Cajun or Greek seasoning.
- Three different cooking methods – Whether you want quick and easy or restaurant-quality crispy, I’ve got you covered.
- Great for any meal – These work as a side dish, breakfast hash browns replacement, or even as a main course with the right toppings.
Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes Video
Ingredients for Cheesy Potato Cakes
Here’s what you’ll need to make these potato cakes. Keep in mind that this recipe is super flexible, so don’t stress if you need to substitute based on what you have in your fridge.
Main Ingredients:
- leftover mashed potatoes – You’ll need about 3 cups for this recipe.
- eggs – To help bind the potatoes together so they don’t fall apart while frying.
- garlic powder – Or you can substitute fresh minced garlic. Roasted garlic would also be great in this recipe.
- all-purpose flour – This acts as a binder and thickener so that your potato cakes stay together. The amount needed may vary based on the consistency of your leftover mashed potatoes.
- green onions – Add a nice bit of color and flavor to the mashed potato cakes. You can substitute chives, or leave them out altogether.
- sharp cheddar cheese – Or your favorite cheese, freshly grated. Because potatoes are naturally pretty bland, I recommend a sharper cheese that melts well, versus a more mild cheese.
- salt and pepper to taste – Or use your favorite all-purpose seasoning, like Shake That All-Purpose Seasoning.
- bacon grease or cooking oil – For shallow frying the potato cakes to get them crispy.
For Breaded Versions:
Our mashed potato cakes are fantastic without any breading or panko. But if you want a crispier texture on the outside, you can use these:
- eggs
- all-purpose flour
- Panko or Italian breadcrumbs – Or you can do a mixture of both.
INGREDIENT NOTES:
- About your mashed potatoes – The consistency of your original mashed potatoes matters. If yours were loaded with butter, sour cream, bacon, or tons of other mix-ins, you might not need to add as much to the potato cake mixture.
- Cheese options – I used sharp cheddar jack, but you can use whatever cheese you want. Pepper jack and Oaxaca cheese (which is a great melting cheese) would be fantastic.
- Get creative – This is your chance to play around! Add your favorite BBQ seasoning and serve your potato cakes with pulled pork, or mix in some taco seasoning for a Mexican version. Potatoes are really like a blank canvas for flavor!
Preparing the Potato Mixture
The first step is to make the leftover mashed potatoes mixture.
First, add your leftover mashed potatoes to a large mixing bowl. *TIP – The potatoes will be easier to mix if they set out on the counter for about 15-20 minutes first, but not for too long or they may fall apart while cooking.
Then add in the eggs, garlic, flour, freshly grated cheese, and thinly sliced green onions. Mix everything together really well until fully combined. The mixture should hold together but not be too dry.
If your potato mixture is too loose and you don’t think that it will hold its “cake” shape, then add in a bit more flour as needed.
How to Make Cheesy Mashed Potato Cakes: Three Ways
Now here’s where it gets fun – I’m going to show you three different ways to make these, from easiest to most involved. All of these methods work best with a low griddle temperature of about 325-350°F so that the mashed potatoes can warm through without burning on the bottom.
Method 1: Straight on the Griddle (Easiest)
This is the method I’d use if I wasn’t making a video and just wanted to eat! Simply spread some bacon grease, beef tallow, or your favorite high-heat cooking oil on the heated griddle surface. Then take spoonfuls of the potato mixture and put them right on the griddle, gently pressing down so that the bottom has even contact with the griddle surface. *This is similar to what we did for these Mexican street corn fritters.
If you want them to look pretty, use your egg molds, but it’s not necessary for this cooking method.
The cheese in the mixture will help create a nice crust on the bottom.
Cook until the bottom is golden and crispy, then carefully flip and cook the other side until golden brown and heated through.
Method 2: Panko on the Bottom and Top Only (The Compromise)
This method adds more texture without all the work of fully breading them. It’s also a lot cleaner since you’re not dealing with the whole dredging process. This is probably my go-to method.
- Spread a little bacon grease or cooking oil on your griddle.
- Place the egg molds on the griddle, and put a nice even layer of Panko breadcrumbs inside the egg mold.
- Fill your egg molds with the potato mixture, placing it directly on top of the Panko.
- Sprinkle more panko crumbs over the top of the potato cakes.
- Let them cook on low heat. The panko creates an amazing crunchy crust. No binder needed – remember, it’s potato, it’ll pick up the crumbs naturally. *Once the potato mixture has been cooking in the egg molds for a few minutes to set, you can carefully remove the molds. The cakes should hold their shape.
- Carefully flip and cook the other side until golden and crispy.
Method 3: Fully Breaded and Fried (Restaurant Style)
This is the most involved method for making leftover mashed potato cakes, but it’s worth it if you want that deep crunch.
- If you’re using egg molds, fill them with the potato mixture and make it even. This is completely optional – you don’t need molds, they just make the cakes look prettier.
- Pop the filled molds in the freezer for about 45 minutes. This makes the potato cakes easier to handle and helps them hold their shape better.
- Set up your dredging station: one bowl with flour, one with beaten egg, and one with a mix of panko and Italian breadcrumbs (about equal parts of each).
- Take your frozen potato cakes and coat them first in flour, then dip in the beaten egg, then press them into the panko and breadcrumb mixture.
- Create a shallow pool of bacon grease or oil on your griddle. Place the breaded cakes in the oil.
- Cook on low heat until golden brown and crispy on the bottom, then flip carefully and cook the other side until heated through.
*Chef’s Note: Be careful with your griddle temp. Too high and you’ll burn the coating. Too low and your cakes won’t get that golden crust. I find that 350°F is the sweet spot.
Recipe Tips from the Test Kitchen
Here are some lessons I learned while testing all three methods:
- About griddle temperature – You’ve got to remember these potato cakes are super dense and they’re cold from the fridge. Too high of heat and you’ll burn the outside before the inside heats through. Too low and they won’t get that nice golden crust. I found that 325-350°F works best. Definitely don’t go into the 400s.
- Freezing makes a difference – Those 45 minutes in the freezer make the potato cakes way easier to handle, especially if you’re doing the breaded version.
- Don’t skip the cheese – The cheese in the mixture helps create that crust on the bottom when you’re cooking them straight on the griddle. It’s not just for flavor!
Optional Dipping Sauce for Potato Cakes
We served our leftover mashed potato cakes with a quick homemade spicy sour cream sauce. Since potatoes and sour cream are a match made in heaven, we decided to go with the classic pairing but kick it up a notch with the addition of pickled jalapeno juice and our favorite all-purpose seasoning.
Just mix all of the ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to use. You can add a bit of milk or half & half if needed to thin out the sauce.
Serving Suggestions and Variations
These cheesy potato cakes are incredibly versatile. Here are some ideas:
- Classic Serving: Top with a dollop of sour cream and some sliced green onions for garnish. Add some crispy-cooked and chopped bacon on top for extra crunch and flavor.
- BBQ Style: Mix some of your favorite barbecue seasoning into the potato mixture, and serve with a drizzle of barbecue sauce on top. You could even top the potato cakes with some barbecue pulled pork for a complete meal.
- Mexican Street Corn Style: Mix some corn kernels, Cotija cheese, and fresh chopped cilantro in with the mashed potatoes. Top with more Cotija and cilantro for garnish, or add a few dashes of hot sauce.
- Cajun Style: Mix in your favorite Cajun seasoning and a few dashes of hot sauce. Serve with Cajun sausage or add some étouffée over top.
- Breakfast Style: Serve like hash brown cakes alongside bacon and eggs.
Storage and Reheating
Store cooked potato cakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them on the griddle or in a skillet to get the crust crispy again. You can also reheat them in the microwave, but they won’t be as crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely not! The egg molds just make them look prettier and more uniform. If you don’t have them, just use a large spoon to add the potato mixture on the griddle and shape them with your spatula. They’ll taste just as good.
Sure! As long as they’re prepared and cooled, they should work fine. Just keep in mind that the consistency might be different than homemade mashed potatoes, so you might need to adjust the flour amount.
The mixture should hold together when you form it into a ball or patty. If it’s too wet and falling apart, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it holds its shape.
Yep! You can form the potato cakes and keep them in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking. You can also freeze them (after forming but before cooking) for up to a month. Just thaw in the fridge before cooking.
Absolutely! Use a large skillet. The same temperature guidelines apply – keep it at medium-low heat and don’t rush them.
Cheesy Potato Cakes (with Leftover Mashed Potatoes)
Ingredients
- 3 cups leftover mashed potatoes
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour plus more if needed
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
- salt and pepper to taste or your favorite all-purpose seasoning
- bacon grease or cooking oil for shallow frying
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs optional
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the leftover mashed potatoes, 2 eggs, garlic powder, 1/4 cup flour, chopped green onions, and grated cheese. Mix until well combined. The mixture should hold together but not be too dry. If the mixture is too wet, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Options for forming the potato cakes – If using egg molds, fill them with the potato mixture and smooth the tops. Place in the freezer for about 30 minutes to firm up. If not using molds, you can form the mixture into patties by hand or skip this step and spoon the potato mixture directly on the griddle or in the skillet.
- Heat the griddle on low heat (about 350°F for griddle cooking). *If cooking mashed potato cakes in a skillet, heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add enough bacon grease or cooking oil to the griddle or skillet to shallow fry.
- Optional Step – If using the panko, then sprinkle a thin even layer of panko breadcrumbs where you’ll place each potato cake. Spoon the potato mixture directly on top of the panko, and press down into a round "pancake" shape. Sprinkle another thin layer of panko on top of each potato cake.
- If not using panko, spoon the potato mixture directly in the oil, about ½ cup to ⅔ cup at a time, and use your spatula to gently press down into a "pancake" shape.
- Cook for 5-6 minutes until the bottoms of the potato cakes are golden and crispy. Flip carefully and cook for another 4-5 minutes until the second side is crispy and the cakes are heated through.
- Remove potato cakes from the griddle and serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
- Cooking Temperature: Keep the heat low to medium-low (325-350°F). These potato cakes are dense and cold, so they need time to heat through without burning the outside.
- No Egg Molds Needed: Don’t think you need egg molds to make these. They just make the cakes look prettier. You can easily shape them by hand or with a spatula.
- Flour Adjustments: Depending on the consistency of your mashed potatoes, you may need more or less flour. The mixture should hold together when formed into a patty.
- Cheese Options: Feel free to substitute your favorite cheese. Pepper jack or Oaxaca cheese (a great Mexican melting cheese) would work also.
- Optional Breading Method: For crispier potato cakes, you can set up a traditional dredge before shallow frying. First, form the prepared mashed potato mixture into cakes and freeze for about 30-45 minutes before dredging. This makes the cakes easier to handle and less likely to fall apart on the griddle. Then set up a dredging station: one bowl with 1/2 cup flour, one bowl with 1 beaten egg, and one bowl with a mix of panko and Italian breadcrumbs (about 1/2 cup of each). Take your frozen potato cakes and coat them first in flour, then dip in the beaten egg, then press them into the panko and breadcrumb mixture. Create a shallow pool of cooking oil on your griddle. Place the breaded cakes in the oil. Fry on the first side until golden brown and crispy, then carefully flip to the second side and fry until done.
Now get out there and put those leftover mashed potatoes to good use. Which method are you going to try first? Comment below and let me know!
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