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Easy Old Fashioned Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes Recipe

By: Author Julia Jordan

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In this post I will be sharing my mother’s Easy Old Fashioned Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes Recipe with one little Julia twist, of course.

Hey y’all! You know how we all end up with a little too much mashed potatoes after a family meal? Well, honey, don’t you dare toss ’em out! Waste not, want not! Let’s use up those leftover mashed taters!

Today, we’re gonna take those leftover taters and turn ’em into the most delicious, crispy, golden-brown mashed potato cakes you ever did taste. They are so good! It is so easy to do and taste like a big hug from mama.

Fried potato cakes are perfect for breakfast, lunch, a dinner side or even a little snack.

So grab those leftovers and let’s head into the kitchen make something truly Southern and scrumptious…. old fashioned mashed potato cakes!

Crispy Mashed Potato Patties

mashed potato patties made from leftover mashed potatoes on a parchment lined serving plate drizzled with sour cream and garnished with scallions

Y’all, don’t those crispy crust mashed potato patties look like little potato pancakes? I cannot say enough about how good they are and so simple to make!

Mashed potato cakes are one of my three top favorite ways to use up leftover mashed potatoes.

My other two favorite things to do with leftover mashed potatoes is to put them in a casserole dish and cover with foil then place in a preheated 350°F oven, for about 30 minutes. Taste like they were just made. The other thing is to make a loaded leftover mashed potato casserole, which is sinfully delicious.

How to make Potato Patties

cutting board with ingredients laid out to prepare leftover mashed potato cakes

Here is what you will need to make the simple mashed potato cake patties:

  • Cooking Oil: for frying the tater patties up crispy and golden brown. I typically go for peanut oil or canola oil, but vegetable oil is a good option. If you love olive oil then use that, but I personally don’t care for the flavor of olive oil in leftover mashed potato cakes.
  • Leftover Mashed Potatoes: you don’t need that much. I usually like to use about two cups, but you can use less or more. I get eight potato cakes from the two cups of leftover mashed potatoes. I always make mashed potatoes with russet potatoes.
  • Egg: helps bind things together.
  • Green Onions: if you don’t like onion then leave it out. Mama always put a little onion in hers and that is how I still enjoy mashed potato cakes.
  • Onion Powder
  • Garlic Powder
  • All Purpose Flour
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese: this is not something that mother would add to her recipe, but I love that bit of extra flavor that the cheese adds. I have also made them with cheddar cheese, which is also delicious.

You can play around with the recipe and add different flavors, like adding fresh herbs or other seasonings, to try different versions. I like to keep it easy with simple ingredients.

Oh, I should mention that you may notice that I didn’t list adding salt or pepper. I season my mashed potatoes well, so my mixture for the potato cakes doesn’t need it. If you feel like yours might need some then do add it. 

stainless mixing bowl with mixture combined for fried potato cakes made from leftover mashed potatoes being stirred with an orange spatula

Okay, y’all, let’s whip up the mashed potato mixture! Before we get to that, preheat that oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes with the egg, flour, grated cheese (if using), garlic powder, onion powder, and green onions.

Mix everything together until well combined. The mixture should be thick enough to hold its shape. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour.

Using a scoop to add the potato cake mixture to a hot cast iron skillet of oil for frying

You want to make sure that the oil is nice and hot before you begin adding your potato mixture. Use an infrared thermometer to check the oil temp. Ideally, you want it around 350°F.

I find that using my two inch portion scoop (a.k.a. a cookie dough scoop) makes the perfect size potato patty. Scoop out four portions and add them to the hot oil.

You will want to fry up your mashed potato cakes in batches in a single layer to avoid over-crowding the skillet.

leftover mashed potato mixture frying in oil

Then, using the back of the scoop, smoosh the potato cake mixture down a little to flatten it for frying. This creates a nice shape for your potato patties.

Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy.

Golden Brown and Delicious!

brown the potato cakes on one side then flip to cook the other side

Be careful when flipping them to keep the cakes intact. I like to use my spatula for flipping and use another spatula to hold them gently as they turn, so they stay together well, and this also avoids them plopping into hot oil and splattering it everywhere.

fried mashed potato cakes garnished with green onions on a parchment paper lined serving plate

Remove the potato cakes from the skillet and transfer them to a paper towel lined baking sheet to drain away excess oil.

Continue cooking the next batch, repeating the same process. Once they are all cooked and have drained on paper towels, place the beautiful mashed potato cakes on a parchment lined serving plate. 

Serve them hot with your favorite toppings like a dollop of sour cream, chives, thin sliced green onion, or ketchup. They are also wonderful all on their own without any extras.

Simple Potato Cake Recipe

sour cream drizzled over a fried mashed potato cakes patties garnished with scallions

The potato cakes are perfect for a snack, light meal, or as a side dish to your meal.

Below is the printable recipe card for preparing these easy old fashioned leftover mashed potato cakes and I do hope you make some soon.

Yield: 8 Potato Cakes

Southern-Style Old-Fashioned Mashed Potato Cakes

sour cream drizzled over a fried mashed potato cakes patties garnished with scallions

Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, these easy old-fashioned mashed potato cakes are a perfect way to turn your leftover mashed potatoes into a delicious, comforting meal or snack. They make a great side dish too. Simple ingredients, quick to make, and packed with flavor!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 8 minutes

Ingredients

  • ½ Cooking Oil (I prefer canola oil or peanut oil)
  • 2 cups Leftover Mashed Potatoes (I prepare mashed potatoes with russet potatoes)
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 2 tablespoons Green Onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
  • 2 tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat; add the cooking oil. The oil should be around 350°F (177°C) before adding the potato cake mixture to the pan.
  2. Prepare the Mashed Potato Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes with the egg, green onions, onion powder, garlic powder, flour, and grated cheese. Mix everything together until well combined. The mixture should be thick enough to hold its shape. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour.
  3. Cook the Cakes: Use a 2 inch portion scoop to transfer equal portions of the mashed potato mixture to the hot skillet and carefully place into the hot oil. Cook in a single layer in batches to avoid over-crowding the pan. I usually cook 4 at a time.
  4. Use the back side of the portion scoop to gently smooth down the potato cake mixture to flatten it a little.
  5. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy. Be careful when flipping them to keep the cakes intact ( I use the 2 spatula method to flip).
  6. Remove the cakes from the skillet and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
  7. Once all of the mashed potato cakes have been cooked and drained on paper towels, transfer to a parchment paper lined serving plate or baking sheet to serve.
  8. Serve them hot with your favorite toppings like sour cream, chives, ketchup, or on their own. Makes a great snack, light meal or side dish to a meal.

Notes

Mashed potato cakes are delicious made with the most simple ingredients and cook up quick. Check out the full post for more tips and suggestions in preparing leftover mashed potato patties.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 92Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 210mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g
© Julia Jordan
Cuisine: Southern United States / Category: Sides

Easy Old Fashioned Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes Recipe

fork with a bite of leftover mashed potato patty

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Well, y’all, that’s all there is to it! These leftover mashed potato cakes are as easy as pie and taste even better.

Plus, it is a great way to use up those leftover mashed potatoes. Food cost too much to let it go to waste, y’all! So next time you’ve got extra mashed potatoes, don’t let them go to waste—turn ‘em into something special.

Whether you’re serving the fried potato cakes up with a dollop of sour cream or a side of eggs, I just know they’ll be a hit at your table.

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Until next time, love and happy cooking!

 

Meet Julia

Author of Julia's Simply Southern

About Julia

Hey Y'all! I'm Julia, the cook and writer behind the recipes here at Julia's Simply Southern. I began my website so that I could share easy to follow recipes that anyone can use to put a home cooked meal on the dinner table. Thanks so much for stopping by!

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