Appetizers/ Recipe/ Sides/ Vegetarian

Mashed Potatoes: Light & Fluffy Crispy Fried Potato Croquettes

Do you ever get befuddled trying to decide what to do with leftovers? 
 
Fried-Potato-Croquettes
Some things lend themselves really well to re-heating. Like turkey buns. Or apple pie. Or your sex life.
 
Others, not so much. Have you ever tried to nuke a poached egg? Or tempura fried veggies? Or stale coffee? I’m pretty sure the only thing that could aid in the re-heating process for these things is a big glass of whiskey. In your belly.
 
Left-Over-Mashed-Potatoes-Recipe
I’ll be honest – while I don’t like to let things go to waste, there are times when I just can’t bring myself to re-heat that ham for the fifth time. Blech.
 
And I like my ham. Mmmmm… ham.
 
Potato-Croquettes-Recipe
Potatoes though? There’s ALWAYS a way to re-heat potatoes. And in this case, re-package them so they aren’t just goopy mashed potatoes on the second round, but light, fluffy and crispy croquettes. Oooooh fancy! 
 
Mashed-Potatoes-Recipe
These are super quick, super tasty and really, super fun – deep frying might not be the most healthy of cooking methods, but it’s just so satisfying watching the blops of pale potatoes turn a golden, crispy brown. 
 
In fact, the only thing better than actually deep-frying, is cracking through the crispy outer shell with my fork to find the hot, fluffy potato goodness. Oh yeah.
 
Potato-Sides

Leftover Mashed Potato Croquettes

Ingredients

  • 2 C Leftover Mashed Potatoes, refrigerated & cold.
  • 1 C Panko Crumbs.
  • 2 Pastured Eggs, lightly whipped.
  • 1 C Flour.
  • 'Lil Salt & Pepper to taste.
  • 1 Tsp Smoked Paprika.
  • Vegetable Oil.
  • For serving, crispy bacon and chopped parsley

Instructions

  1. Fill a wok 1/3 full with vegetable oil and place over medium high heat. When you drop a cube of white bread in the oil and it browns in 30 seconds, you're good to go. If it browns faster, turn down your heat and as always, have a fire extinguisher near by whenever you deep fry. I don't want you to burn your house down.
  2. As that heats, place the flour in one bowl, gently whipped eggs in another, and the panko crumbs with the paprika and salt and pepper in a 3rd.Pull the cold mashed potatoes from the fridge and shape into oblong shaped blobs, approximately 3" in length and 2" in width. Place on parchment paper and set aside until all your potatoes are shaped. Be careful not to handle them too much as this process works best if the potatoes are cold - the more you handle them, the more heat you will transfer to them.
  3. Dredge each croquette in the flour, gently shake off excess, coat in the egg, shake off excess, then roll in the panko/spice mixture. Immediately (and very carefully) slip into the ready-hot oil with a slotted spoon and allow to turn golden, gently flip and brown the other side. Be careful not to crowd the oil or the temperature will drop and you'll end up with soggy, oily croquettes.
  4. Remove from the oil with the slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Serve with bacon and parsley.
  5. Eat.
 
  • Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
    November 16, 2013 at 4:51 PM

    Those look so good. I think I’m going to have to try them.

    • Kristy Gardner
      November 16, 2013 at 8:51 PM

      Please do! And of course, let me know how it goes 🙂 I’d love to hear/see your results!

  • Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets
    November 17, 2013 at 9:50 PM

    Dude, how do you know I made mashed potatoes today just for the sake of having leftover potatoes?! You’re brilliant, although I’m not so bad myself because I made my potatoes using my own homemade chive butter. Yeah that’s right. Dusts shoulder.

    • Kristy Gardner
      November 17, 2013 at 9:58 PM

      oooooh! I’ve made chive butter before – so worth it. You are pretty danged brilliant, ya know 🙂 🙂 🙂

  • Kirsten
    November 18, 2013 at 2:15 AM

    Mashed potatoes are never a leftover that lingers here. The family inhales them at any chance. Leftover stuffing? That can linger.
    And no, for the record I don’t fry using inches of oil. Scares me. Seen too many kitchen fires. I leave that to the professionals.

  • Sharee @ Savory Spicerack
    November 25, 2015 at 7:24 PM

    Omg! I can’t stop reading your blog! You crack me up and have great reads! I love your bio- I say f#$% alot lol! I love this spin on leftover potatoes. They look just as crispy as you describe them to be! Thanks for allowing me to share this dish on my blog, social media, and buzzfeed! How we can continue to share together!
    Sharee @ Savory Spicerack recently published…Turkey Cuban SandwichesMy Profile

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