These fried mashed potato balls are such a fabulous way to use up leftover mashed potato. They’re creamy and cheesy on the inside and golden brown and crispy on the outside. Serve with your favourite sauce for dunking! You’re gonna love them!
Remember those roasted garlic mashed potatoes that I shared the other day? Well, I put them to good use!
When pondering what to make from our leftover mashed potatoes (aside from just enjoying as is), hubby suggested these cheesy potato balls.
There’s not one, but three, versions included here so you have options, and who doesn’t love that?
There’s a classic potato ball with a cheesy centre.
Another one with chicken and blue cheese (so good dunked in hot sauce).
The third is a spicy salami potato ball with pickled jalapenos.
All of them, of course, have lots of cheese!
You can make any of one of these bad boys or whip up a bunch of each.
Invite your friends over, then make some of these loaded potato balls, serve them with a bunch of sauces for dipping and watch them disappear!
Ingredients for Fried Mashed Potato Balls
To make these potato balls you’ll need:
- Leftover mashed potatoes
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Chives
- Panko
- Egg
- Oil (for frying)
Because there are three delicious versions here, you have other add-ins for each one, like chicken, blue cheese, salami, pickled jalapeno and Gouda. All yummy, right?
How To Make Potato Balls
Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
- In a bowl, combine cooled mashed potatoes with other filling ingredients.
- For each mashed potato ball, I like to use about 1.5 tablespoons of the potato mixture (a cookie scoop that size is useful for forming the balls). For the cheese-stuffed version, place a small cube of cheese in the centre of the mashed potato mixture.
- Roll into balls (for the cheese-stuffed potato ball, ensure that the cheese is completely encased with the mashed potato mixture).
- Dunk each ball into whisked egg, shaking off excess.
- Now, dredge each ball in panko bread crumbs to coat. As you dredge each potato ball, place onto a sheet pan. Once they’re all done, place the coated balls into the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes to chill.
- Heat some cooking oil in a pot and carefully add potato balls (about 6 to 7 per batch). Cook them until they’re brown and crispy all over. Carefully remove cooked mashed potato balls, and drain on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet while you continue to cook your batches.
What To Serve With These Loaded Mashed Potato Balls
Dunk them in your favourite sauce!
For the cheesy version, I like to serve with gravy.
The chicken and blue cheese version is delicious with hot sauce.
And the spicy salami version is yummy with ranch or BBQ sauce.
These fried mashed potato balls are delicious for game day, especially when served as part of a spread with other goodies, like wings, nachos or quesadillas.
Tips for Making This Recipe
- You’re going to want cooled mashed potatoes here, ideally ones that have been refrigerated for a little while. Don’t use warm mashed potatoes.
- After you cook each batch of potato balls, your oil may drop in temperature. Allow it to come up to temperature before adding another batch. A food thermometer is your best friend here (I like to use a “candy and deep-fry thermometer” with a pot clip so I can monitor the oil temperature).
- Two eggs are used here. You will have leftovers. If you want, you could use one large egg with a splash of water instead (about 2 tablespoons).
- Don’t have panko? Bread crumbs will work in a pinch.
- Don’t have chives or prefer not to use? Green onion will work or you could simply omit.
More Yummy Game Day Recipes
- Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas
- Buffalo Chicken Dip Mini Stuffed Peppers
- Cheesy Roast Beef Sliders With Caramelized Onions
- Black Bean Dip
If you make these stuffed potato balls, be sure to leave a comment below!
Fried Mashed Potato Balls (Three Versions)
These fried mashed potato balls are such a fabulous way to use up leftover mashed potato. They're creamy and cheesy on the inside and golden brown and crispy on the outside. Serve with your favourite sauce for dunking! You're gonna love them!
Ingredients
Cheesy Fried Mashed Potato Balls
- 3 cups cooled leftover mashed potato
- 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, about 1 cup
- ⅓ cup minced fresh chives, plus more for optional garnish
- 10 small cubes of gouda cheese, approximately
- 2 small eggs
- 1.5 cups unseasoned panko bread crumbs, approximately
- canola or corn oil, for frying (enough to come up 2 inches up the side of the pot)
Chicken & Blue Cheese Fried Mashed Potato Balls
- 3 cups cooled leftover mashed potato
- 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, about 1 cup
- ¾ cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1.5 to 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped small
- ⅓ cup minced fresh chives, plus more for optional garnish
- 2 small eggs
- 1.5 cups unseasoned panko bread crumbs, approximately
- canola or corn oil, for frying (enough to come up 2 inches up the side of the pot)
Spicy Salami Fried Mashed Potato Balls
- 3 cups cooled leftover mashed potato
- 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, about 1 cup
- 6 ounces spicy salami, chopped small (⅓ pound)
- ½ cup pickled jalapeno peppers, patted dry of excess moisture and chopped
- ⅓ cup minced fresh chives, plus more for optional garnish
- 2 small eggs
- 1.5 cups unseasoned panko bread crumbs, approximately
- canola or corn oil, for frying (enough to come up 2 inches up the side of the pot)
Instructions
Cheesy Fried Mashed Potato Balls
- In a bowl, stir together the cool leftover mashed potato, cheddar cheese and chives until well combined.
- For each mashed potato ball, grab about 1.5 tablespoons of filling. Place a small cube of Gouda into mixture and roll into a ball so that the cheese is encased. You can place them on a sheet pan while you are getting them all ready.
- Get your dredging station ready. Whisk eggs in a small bowl. Add panko to another another bowl (or use a shallow plate).
- Taking one potato ball at a time, dip it into whisked eggs, allowing excess egg to drip back into the bowl.
- Then dredge the potato ball in panko and place on a baking sheet while you are completing the remaining balls.
- Place the potato balls in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to chill a little before frying.
- Place the canola or corn oil into a large heavy-duty pot with high/tall sides suitable for frying (I used a high sided cast-iron pot).Note: Use enough oil to come up to 2 inches up the side of the pot. To monitor your oil temperature, a candy and deep-fry thermometer clipped to the side of the pot (with the tip submerged in the oil) is a great tool to use.
- Heat the pot of oil over medium heat. You want an oil temperature of about 375 degrees Fahrenheit.Note: Oil may drop in temperature when balls are placed in there, but try to keep it around that temperature.
- Carefully place the potato balls (about 6 to 7 per batch) into the oil, away from you (you can use a stainless steel spider strainer to carefully lower the potato balls into the oil, if you like), and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, carefully turning with a slotted spoon to ensure they get golden brown and crunchy all over.
- Carefully remove cooked potato balls with a large slotted spoon or spider, allowing excess grease to drain off. Place the potato balls on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet to drain while you are cooking the remaining balls. Sprinkle with a little salt (if desired).
- I like to let cool for about 10 minutes or so before serving. Transfer the potato balls to a serving dish and garnish with chopped chives (if desired). Serve with your favourite sauce (these are delicious served with gravy).
Chicken and Blue Cheese Fried Mashed Potato Balls
- In a bowl, stir together the cool leftover mashed potato, cheddar cheese, blue cheese, cooked chicken and chives until well combined.
- For each mashed potato ball, grab about 1.5 tablespoons of filling and roll into a ball. You can place them on a sheet pan while you are getting them all ready.
- Get your dredging station ready. Whisk eggs in a small bowl. Add panko to another another bowl (or use a shallow plate).
- Taking one potato ball at a time, dip it into whisked eggs, allowing excess egg to drip back into the bowl.
- Then dredge the potato ball in panko and place on a baking sheet while you are completing the remaining balls.
- Place the potato balls in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to chill a little before frying.
- Place the canola or corn oil into a large heavy-duty pot with high/tall sides suitable for frying (I used a high sided cast-iron pot).Note: Use enough oil to come up to 2 inches up the side of the pot. To monitor your oil temperature, a candy and deep-fry thermometer clipped to the side of the pot (with the tip submerged in the oil) is a great tool to use.
- Heat the pot of oil over medium heat. You want an oil temperature of about 375 degrees Fahrenheit.Note: Oil may drop in temperature when balls are placed in there, but try to keep it around that temperature.
- Carefully place the potato balls (about 6 to 7 per batch) into the oil, away from you (you can use a stainless steel spider strainer to carefully lower the potato balls into the oil, if you like), and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, carefully turning with a slotted spoon to ensure they get golden brown and crunchy all over.
- Carefully remove cooked potato balls with a large slotted spoon or spider, allowing excess grease to drain off. Place the potato balls on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet to drain while you are cooking the remaining balls. Sprinkle with a little salt (if desired).
- I like to let cool for about 10 minutes or so before serving. Transfer the potato balls to a serving dish and garnish with chopped chives (if desired). Serve with your favourite sauce (these are delicious served with hot sauce).
Spicy Salami Fried Mashed Potato Balls
- In a bowl, stir together the cool leftover mashed potato, cheddar cheese, salami, jalapeno and chives until well combined.
- For each mashed potato ball, grab about 1.5 tablespoons of filling and roll into a ball. You can place them on a sheet pan while you are getting them all ready.
- Get your dredging station ready. Whisk eggs in a small bowl. Add panko to another another bowl (or use a shallow plate).
- Taking one potato ball at a time, dip it into whisked eggs, allowing excess egg to drip back into the bowl.
- Then dredge the potato ball in panko and place on a baking sheet while you are completing the remaining balls.
- Place the potato balls in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to chill a little before frying.
- Place the canola or corn oil into a large heavy-duty pot with high/tall sides suitable for frying (I used a high sided cast-iron pot).Note: Use enough oil to come up to 2 inches up the side of the pot. To monitor your oil temperature, a candy and deep-fry thermometer clipped to the side of the pot (with the tip submerged in the oil) is a great tool to use.
- Heat the pot of oil over medium heat. You want an oil temperature of about 375 degrees Fahrenheit.Note: Oil may drop in temperature when balls are placed in there, but try to keep it around that temperature.
- Carefully place the potato balls (about 6 to 7 per batch) into the oil, away from you (you can use a stainless steel spider strainer to carefully lower the potato balls into the oil, if you like), and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, carefully turning with a slotted spoon to ensure they get golden brown and crunchy all over.
- Carefully remove cooked potato balls with a large slotted spoon or spider, allowing excess grease to drain off. Place the potato balls on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet to drain while you are cooking the remaining balls. Sprinkle with a little salt (if desired).
- I like to let cool for about 10 minutes or so before serving. Transfer the potato balls to a serving dish and garnish with chopped chives (if desired). Serve with your favourite sauce (these are delicious served with BBQ sauce).
Notes
- Use a large heavy-duty pot with high sides (suitable for frying) for cooking the potato balls.
- Gently place the potato balls into the oil, away from you.
- When frying, know what you’re doing and always use caution.
- You’re going to want cooled mashed potatoes here, ideally ones that have been refrigerated for a little while. Don’t use warm mashed potatoes.
- After you cook each batch of potato balls, your oil may drop in temperature. Allow it to come up to temperature before adding another batch. A food thermometer is your best friend here (I like to use a “candy and deep-fry thermometer” with a pot clip so I can monitor the oil temperature).
- Don’t have panko? Bread crumbs will work in a pinch.
- Don’t have chives or prefer not to use? Green onion will work or you could simply omit.
- Two eggs are used here. You will have leftovers. If you want, you could use one large egg with a splash of water instead (about 2 tablespoons).
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Kelly | Foodtasia
OMGeeeeeeee! These mashed potato balls are fantastic! How delicious! That one with the melted cheese inside – wowwwww! I’m always looking for ways to use up leftover mashed potatoes. I love all three of your variations. So delicious!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Kelly! We’ love ’em!
Leanne
This is such a great idea to use leftover mashed potatoes! I always have leftovers because I can never judge how much people will eat. Now I want to have leftovers on purpose. And I love that you included different variations. Such a great holiday appetizer.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yay! Thank you Leanne 🙂
David @ Spiced
Ok, you’ve totally outdone yourself with this post, Dawn! Not only did you come up with an incredible use for leftovers…but you gave us 3 different versions! I seriously can’t decide which one of these I want to make first. I’m thinking the spicy salami might have to be first, but the others will be close behind. This would be great football-watching food, and you know how I feel about football-watching food! In fact, I’m thinking I need to make a batch of mashed potatoes solely so I can turn around and make these. Putting this one on the short-list of recipes to make!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
You’re so kinda, David!! I think the salami one is my fave too! Though, they’re all pretty delish! Hope you love ’em, my friend 🙂
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
Talk about flavor! Wowza!!! I love that crunchy exterior and the soft cheesy interior. I’m making a double batch of mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving so I can make these with the leftovers!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Woo hoo! Thank you Kathy 🙂
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
I love mashed potatoes, so I don’t often have leftovers, but I’d make a batch just to make these delicious potato balls!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
I hear ya! Thanks Jennifer 🙂
Laura
Dawn! I have a feeling this recipe was written especially for me – I never know what to do with leftover mashed potatoes except reheat exactly as they are! My fam would make quick work of these – they look so tempting. And I’m a little smitten by your suggestion of gravy with the cheesey balls. That’s brilliant. We’re big poutine fans here!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yay! Thank you so much, Laura! Big poutine fans too 🙂
Haylie / Our Balanced Bowl
I love these so much, Dawn! Little fried balls of deliciousness. My favorite variety would be the spicy salami…although I’m pretty sure I would eat ALL of them! Amazing way to use up leftover mashed potatoes!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yay! So happy to hear that, Haylie! I think I could eat them all too!! Thanks so much 🙂
[email protected]
I’m with Marissa….extra mashed potatoes will be on the menu this year! These are pure happiness!! xoxo
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Woo hoo! Thanks Annie 🙂
Marissa
What a clever and fabulous way to enjoy leftover mashed potatoes!! I’m going to make extra mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving so we can try these!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yay! Thanks Marissa! Enjoy, my friend 🙂
Valentina
Wowza! These are amazing. ALL 3 versions, though my favorite would have to be the one with salami. Only problem is actually not eating all of the mashed potatoes in order to have the leftovers. Ha ha. 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Love that one too! Haha…right 😉 ? Thank you!
Katherine | Love In My Oven
YUM Dawn!!! The one with pickled jalapenos sounds soooo good. These are such awesome little bites! We could just eat these for a meal. Sign me up to try all 3, please and thank you!! XO
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Good choice 😉 Thank you Katherine! You got it! XO
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
I’ve made mashed potato caked before (SO GOOD with lots of cheddar) but I’ve never made mashed potato balls. I’m thinking I shouldn’t even serve mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, I should just serve these. Because COME ON! They look amazing, girl! Have a great week ahead, Dawn!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
You’re so sweet!! Thank you Kelsie! You too 🙂
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
All three versions would be a hit here Dawn! My husband Tom would have a hard time sharing and so would our son Casey! They both love mashed potatoes. I think my favorite would be the spicy salami and pickled jalapenos. Pinned!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
So happy to hear that! Thank you Mary Ann 🙂 Love that version too!
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes
I am LOVING this idea, Dawn. I wish I could reach through my computer screen right now and grab one. Or several. Definitely at least three, so I can try one of each!!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much, Alexandra 🙂 Share if I could!