Fried Mashed Potato Balls

During the holiday season, or after any large family get-together, leftovers are inevitable. Extra mashed potatoes are fun because they can be easily transformed into something new. Take these fried mashed potatoes. With minimal extra ingredients (that you likely already have on hand), you can make crispy and exciting one-bite appetizers that taste like loaded baked potatoes.

Cold leftover mashed potatoes tend to be a little denser and easier to handle. This works in your favor when forming the balls for fried mashed potatoes. I like to mix the leftover potatoes with some crisped bacon, cheese, and chives for added interest. Then I will set up my breading stations with flour, egg, and panko breadcrumbs while the oil is heating. Once all the balls have been shaped, dipped, and coated, they can be fried in batches. This will only take a few minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when they begin to float and are golden-brown.

Normally you can revive leftover mashed potatoes by reheating them with a little bit of butter or a splash of milk to get them back to being fluffy and creamy. However, if you want to make mashed potato balls, it is best to keep them cold and on the drier side.

I have found a useful trick when forming fried mashed potato balls.

• Set up your dredging station. You’ll need separate plates for the flour, beaten eggs, and panko breadcrumbs.
• Shape the balls. Use a 2-tablespoon scoop to form golf ball-sized balls.
• Roll all the balls in flour. After shaping all the mashed potato balls, immediately roll them in flour and then set it aside on a baking sheet. I’ve found that it helps to first form and roll all of the balls in flour before proceeding with the rest of dredging. Bonus: It keeps my hands neater throughout the process.
• Dredge in eggs and panko. Once all the mashed potato balls have been rolled in flour, dip them one at a time in the egg mixture then roll in the panko.