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Mashed Potato Cakes made from leftover mashed potatoes and a few simple ingredients are a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes sitting in your fridge. These potato patties are crispy on the outside, soft inside and absolutely delicious!

leftover mashed potato patties on a blue plate with parsley

I love to make potato patties with leftover mashed potatoes whenever we have leftover potatoes sitting in the fridge. I love using potatoes mashed with cheddar cheese from my homemade potato pierogi recipe.

Usually the only time we have a lot of leftovers is after Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas. But this easy recipe is perfect any time of the year!

To be clear, this leftover mashed potato recipe is not for classic potato pancakes or traditional latkes. It’s just a great way to use up leftover spuds!

bowl of leftover mashed potatoes, egg and flour

Ingredients

You only need 3 main ingredients for leftover mashed potato cakes. Add extra spices or ingredients to suit your tastes.

  • Mashed potatoes — Cold mashed potatoes straight from the fridge work best.
  • Large egg — to help bind the potatoes
  • Flour — all purpose flour to help form the cakes
  • Oil — you’ll need a little vegetable oil or olive oil for pan frying the cakes. Add a little butter for extra flavor if you like. If you’re using a non-stick skillet, you won’t need much oil.
  • Cheddar cheese — optional, but adds flavor. Parmesan cheese is another good option.
  • Onion powder — optional, but adds flavor without having to chop up onions

Note — I don’t list extra spices in the recipe because we’re using leftovers. Since everyone has their own recipe for mashed potatoes, the flavors will be different.

How to Make Potato Patties with Leftover Mashed Potatoes

First, beat the egg slightly. Then mix the beaten egg, all purpose flour and the leftover mashed potatoes in a mixing bowl.

You only need to mix everything until it comes together and the mixture is firm enough to work with.

The potato mixture shouldn’t be gummy. If it feels sticky, you can add a little more flour. The amount of flour depends on the amount of mashed potatoes you have.

If you want to add cheese, onion powder or extra salt and pepper, mix those in now.

mix flour and egg into mashed potatoes

Next, take a tablespoon or 2 of the mashed potato mixture, and roll it into a ball. Then, gently flatten the potato ball into a small circle.

The patties should be about 1/2 inch thick. Add the oil to a large skillet, and heat over medium heat.

When the pan is hot, carefully place potato cakes into the pan. You can fit up to 4 mashed potato cakes in a single layer at a time, depending on how large your skillet is.

fry potato cakes in frying pan

Cook Time

Cook the potato patties for about 2 – 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and heated through.

You can drain excess grease by placing them on paper towels if you need to.

If you’re making a bunch, place the fried potato cakes on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper, and place in a 250-300 degree oven to keep warm.

Don’t cover them — you won’t have crispy potato fritters!

mashed potato patties with sour cream

What to Serve with Mashed Potato Cakes

You can serve leftover mashed potato cakes as a main dish or side dish. For a main dish, serve with a dollop of sour cream for dipping, fresh green chives or green onions, applesauce, green salad or veggies.

They are also delicious with Thanksgiving leftovers, like leftover turkey, cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes.

These delicious cakes are the perfect side dish for Ritz Cracker Chicken, Mayo Parmesan Chicken, Polish Pork Chops or Baked Breaded Pork Chops.

How to Store and Reheat

Store any leftover potato patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days. You can freeze them for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container. Reheat in the microwave or on stove top.

5 from 12 votes

Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes

By: Dee
Mashed Potato Cakes made from leftover mashed potatoes and a few simple ingredients are a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes sitting in your fridge. These potato patties are crispy on the outside, soft inside and absolutely delicious!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 13 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients  

  • 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes cold
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp all purpose flour up to 2 tbsp if needed
  • 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil can add butter for extra flavor
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Instructions 

  • In a mixing bowl, beat the egg slightly
  • Mix in mashed potatoes and 1 tbsp flour until firm enough to handle. Add additional flour if needed
  • Roll about 2 tbsp potato mixture into a ball
  • Gently flatted potato ball into a cake about 1/2 inch thick
  • Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Place up to 4 potato patties in skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crisp on both sides and heated through
  • Drain on paper towel if needed

Notes

Add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or your favorite cheese if desired.
Most mashed potatoes are already seasoned, but you can add extra salt, pepper and onion powder or onions for extra flavor, if desired. Flavor depends upon the mashed potatoes used.
Cold mashed potatoes work best and are easier to work with.

Nutrition

Calories: 154kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 31mg, Sodium: 190mg, Potassium: 312mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 48IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 12mg, Iron: 0.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Like this? Leave a comment below!

My family says these are the best potato cakes! I hope you enjoy these leftover mashed potato patties as much as we do.

If you do make this potato cakes recipe, please leave a star rating and/or comment.

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Recipe Rating




2 Comments

  1. David says:

    Nice, simple and yummy! What more could you ask for…5 stars

  2. Suzanne says:

    Never knew these were so easy to make! I remember my grandmother making them when I was a kid. Great memories! delicious too!5 stars