Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes
Cold mashed potato mixed with egg and flour, shaped into patties and fried until crisp. Four servings in 20 minutes.
Photograph credit: Mashed Potato Cakes by Laurel Fan · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Flickr · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes: Step by Step
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Mix the mashed potato, egg, flour, spring onions, salt and pepper in a bowl until it comes together.
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With floured hands, shape into 8 patties about 1.5 cm thick.
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Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry the cakes in two batches for 4 minutes per side until deep golden.
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Drain briefly on kitchen paper and serve hot.
Keep an Eye on These
- Use cold mash; warm mash is too soft to shape.
- Add flour a spoonful at a time until the mixture holds.
- Chill the shaped cakes for 10 minutes if they feel soft.
Common Substitutions & Variations
- Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
A Little Background
Cold mash behaves differently from hot. It has firmed up in the fridge, which makes it easy to shape and gives the cakes a better chance of holding together in the pan.
The flour and egg are the binder. A little goes a long way, so add the egg first, then the flour a spoonful at a time, until you can form a patty that does not stick to your hands.
Flour your hands, not the cakes. Shape them 1.5 cm thick, no thicker, or the middle stays cold while the outside burns.
Fry over medium heat and do not move them for 4 minutes. A crust forms, and the cake releases when ready. Spring onion or grated cheese turns them into something more. A fried egg on top makes breakfast. The cakes use mash that might otherwise be thrown away, and take less time than frying fresh potatoes. A little grated cheese in the mixture, or a spoon of chopped herbs, changes the flavour without any extra effort.
To Go With It
Fried egg · Bacon · Baked beans · Ketchup
Keeping Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes
Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a pan or at 200°C for 10 minutes. Make sure the original mash was chilled promptly.
Common Questions
How long does Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes take to make?
About 20 minutes in total — 10 minutes of preparation and 10 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes?
Use cold mash; warm mash is too soft to shape. Add flour a spoonful at a time until the mixture holds. Chill the shaped cakes for 10 minutes if they feel soft.
What should I serve with Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes?
Fried egg; Bacon; Baked beans; Ketchup.
How should Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes be stored?
Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a pan or at 200°C for 10 minutes. Make sure the original mash was chilled promptly.
Is Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes?
About 248 kcal per serving, with 5 g protein, 30 g carbohydrate and 12 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes Nutrition Facts
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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