Fried Potato Cakes – Food Faith Fitness

A simple, scrum-diddly-umptious way to repurpose leftover mashed potatoes.

If you’re under the impression that you can’t do much with leftover mashed potatoes, guess again! Fried potato cakes are one of the coolest ways to transform old mashed taters into a dynamic dish that satisfies lots of different tastes.

As the doughy cousin of potato pancakes, fried potato cakes have a thick and slightly fluffy consistency that can soak up a ton of flavor. So whether you make them salty, spicy, or even sweet, each bite is better than the next. They’re so simple yet versatile, you can serve them at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Personally, I savor them as part of a big brunch with Cheesy Scrambled Eggs and Steamed Spinach, but feel free to play with the possibilities.

Are Fried Potato Cakes Healthy?

Since fried potato cakes are made from starchy potatoes and flour, then fried in oil, they’re not the healthiest dish out there. Once in a while, though, they can be part of a well-rounded diet. To provide some extra protein, add some cottage cheese or Greek yogurt. And if they need to be free from gluten, replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free version from Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur.

A Variety Of Scrumptious Variations

The beauty of this recipe is that you can keep it simple and savory, or you can sweeten the deal by using sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. This also colors them into either a sunny, orange hue or a deep purple, depending on the type of sweet potato you use.

But if you’d like to stick to regular taters, consider adding some garlic, herbs, and spices to tantalize your taste buds. When I make fried potato cakes, I mix in half a teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, and oregano. If I want to warm it up with spice, I’ll also add a teaspoon of cumin or half a teaspoon of crushed red pepper.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cold mashed potatoes
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Oil for frying
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

FAQs & Tips

Serving Suggestions

When paired with a classic Sour Cream Dip, Garlic-Infused Olive Oil, or Applesauce, you’ve got a deliciously dippable snack. But these tater-ific patties also make a great companion to main dishes like Bacon-Wrapped Steak, Air-Fryer Meatballs, Rotisserie Chicken Casserole, or a vibrant and vegetarian Quinoa Chickpea Salad. Eaters of many kinds can dig into this simple, satiating side!