Mashed Potato Pancakes are the perfect way to use up your leftover mashed potatoes. These cheesy fried up little potato bites are too delicious to be true.
I am notorious for making too much food. Especially when it comes to the holidays. I would so much rather my guests go home full and happy than take any chances that we run out of food. So I love coming up with recipes for things like leftover turkey or leftover ham. And today, I have the perfect recipe for you if you have leftover mashed potatoes.
Mashed potatoes combine with a few other ingredients you already have on hand to make these little delights. Then you just fry up the batter and you have delicious leftover mashed potato pancakes in minutes.
Pancake Ingredients
Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full recipe, including all ingredients and measurements.
- Mashed potatoes: I love to make these potato pancakes with leftover mashed potatoes. They give the pancakes a soft, fluffy inside while helping everything stick together. You can make them in the crockpot, Instant Pot, or on the stovetop.
- Egg: Helps bind the ingredients together while the pancakes cook.
- Flour: Gives the pancakes structure and crispiness when fried.
- Shredded cheese: Cheese adds flavor and helps the pancakes brown beautifully in the pan. Cheddar is a classic choice, but you can also use mozzarella, gouda, Parmesan, or even pepper jack for a little kick. Shred your cheese from a block for the best melt and texture.
- Seasonings: Fresh chives, black pepper, garlic powder, and salt add the perfect savory flavor to these potato cakes.
How to Make Potato Pancakes From Mashed Potatoes
Here is a brief overview of how these potato pancakes with mashed potatoes come together. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full recipe.
Combine the Ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, egg, flour, chives, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Gently fold in the cheese to the mashed potato mixture.
Form into Patties
Form about 1/4 cup of the batter into patties. I like to lay a piece of wax or parchment paper on a plate to help with them sticking.
Cook the Patties
Heat the oil in the skillet, then add four pancakes at a time in a single layer, cooking for two minutes on each side or until the pancakes are golden brown. Remove the cooked pancakes from the pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Enjoy plain or with a dollop of sour cream and a garnish of chives on top!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat them in the air fryer or oven until heated through. Always use your best discretion with leftovers.
Tips and Tricks
- Wet your hands. If the pancakes are too sticky while you are forming them into pancakes, you can get your hands wet.
- Add more flour. Additionally, while these will be a little sticky, if they are way too sticky to work with, add a tablespoon of flour to the batter.
- Let the oil get warm. To get that nice golden texture, you want to let the oil heat up before you start cooking the first of the pancakes.
- Add more oil if needed. You may need to add more oil between batches of pancakes, letting it heat again.
What to Serve With Potato Pancakes
If you make this mashed potato pancake recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear what you think!
Mashed Potato Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups mashed potatoes
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons chives chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup cheese shredded, cheddar, mozzarella, or gruyere work well here
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil plus more if needed, for frying
- sour cream for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, egg, flour, chives, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Gently fold in the cheese.2 cups mashed potatoes, 1 egg, 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons chives, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1 cup cheese
- Form about 1/4 cup of the batter into patties. If the batter is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until it comes together without sticking. You can also get your hands wet to form them into patties without them sticking to your hands.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil to the skillet. Let it heat through. Once the oil is shimmering, add 4 pancakes at a time, cooking for 2 minutes on each side or until the pancakes are golden brown. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Continue cooking the pancakes, adding more oil if needed, until all are cooked.3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Serve with sour cream and more chopped chives.sour cream
SUE says
YOURE MY FAV RECIPE GIRL…I READ EVEN IF NOT MAKING,,,GOTTA DO THESE POTATO CAKES…ID PROB ADD SOME COOKED VEG AND ONION, EVEN A LIL BACON…MAYBE A LIL LEFTOVER STUFFING??
Thank you so much for your sweet words, Sue! I’d be just a little careful with how much you add to these. You want to make sure that they are dry enough to form into pancakes but wet enough to hold together. Depending on what you add you might need to adjust other ingredients. Let me know how it goes!
Faye says
I’ve been making these for years and never thought to add garlic powder, chives and cheese! Wow, this is just genius!! Thank you so much.
I hope you love the additions!