Crispy Mashed Potato Bites

This is a fun and easy recipe that offers a unique twist on the classic Mashed Potato side dish. Instead of serving those wonderfully creamy and luscious Potatoes in a big bowl we transform them into these fun crispy bites. The dish is so simple to make, and you can customize the Mashed Potatoes however you want. Serving is fun, as you can plate up individual Crispy Mashed Potato Bites on the plate to enjoy as part of a delicious meal

How to make our Crispy Mashed Potato Bites

Preparing this recipe is a combination of two classic cooking techniques. The first, should be to no surprise, is preparing a wonderfully tasty bowl of Mashed Potatoes. The second step involves a classic breading setup of Flour, Egg wash and Breadcrumbs. The Mashed Potato is formed into balls and coated before being fried in hot oil

In this recipe we’ll walk you through each of these steps so you can prepare the most amazing Crispy Mashed Potato Bites. Each step is very simple, making this a fun meal that’s easy to make at home

Cooking the perfect Mashed Potatoes

We are huge fans of Mashed Potatoes here at Dinnertime Somewhere. Our version of this famous dish is generously buttery, and we add a splash of Milk to give it a wonderful creaminess. For this recipe, however, it’s a little different

Yep, Butter is added, but we avoid adding Milk as we want a denser Mashed Potato so they will be shaped easier. To add to the density (and flavor!) We also add Cheese to the Potatoes as they are being Mashed together

The combination of Potato, Butter, and Cheese is a winning flavor pairing and tastes simply amazing. Honestly, you don’t even need to fry them into the Bites, just try the Potatoes with a load of Cheddar and Parmesan Cheese by themselves. They taste so good!

Once your Mashed Potatoes are done you will need to let them cool before we move onto the next phase. Having cooled Potatoes will help a lot in the frying process, as well as being able to easily form them into Balls

Forming the Mashed Potato Bites

With the Potatoes now cooled it’s time to get them shaped and coated in Breadcrumbs. I like to prepare the breading station first, which is a classic setup of 3 bowls. The first filled with AP Flour, which can be seasoned with some Salt and Pepper. The second, 2 Eggs which you whisk to create an Egg Wash. The final bowl, fill it with breadcrumbs

Grab a handful of the Mashed Potatoes and form it into a ball. You can shape them to any size you want, we ended up with Tennis Ball sized Potatoes, and they turned out quite well. The addition of Cheese to the Potatoes should make them quite easy to shape. If this isn’t the case them simply mix in some more Cheese or Breadcrumbs into the Potatoes until they are easy to shape

To form the coated Mashed Potato Bites, coat each one first with Flour (dusting off any excess), then Egg Wash, and finally with Breadcrumbs. Make sure for each step you get complete coverage, as it’s key to ensuring a thorough coating before they go in the fryer

Repeat this for the remaining Mashed Potatoes until they’re all done. I like to prepare the Potatoes in advance first before any frying is done. That way you can totally concentrate on the frying & working with hot oil

What types of Breadcrumbs to use?

I personally prefer to use regular Breadcrumbs over Panko for this recipe. You will get a more even coating and avoid any gaps. Panko can also be used, and it gives a wonderful texture and flavor to the Crispy Mashed Potato Bites. However, you run the risk of gaps forming and the Potatoes not coming out quite right

I’d recommend trying regular Breadcrumbs on your first try or even try a mix of both if you want to see how they turn out. We assure you that both options are going to taste great

Time to fry the Mashed Potato Bites

For this step you will need a decent sized frying pan for deep frying. I recommend using a large pot or Dutch oven for the best results. Fill the pot with enough Oil so that the balls can be completely submerged when cooking

This is why using a large pot is critical. Ensure you have enough Oil in the pan to submerge the Mashed Potato Bites, but not too much that it may overflow. We’ll be adding more weight to the Oil once the Potatoes go in, so don’t fill the pot more than halfway up. This will ensure no overflow of hot oil during cooking

We recommend using Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil for frying. It has a high burn point, making it perfect for frying. Along with a neutral flavor so your dish will appreciate the full flavor of the Mashed Potatoes

Place the pot over a medium high heat and bring the Oil to a high temperature of around 375F. Then, carefully place one ball at a time into the Oil and allow it to fry. Avoid over crowding the pot as this will drop the temperature of the Oil. I’d recommend a maximum of 2 – 3 at a time depending on the size of the pot you are using

Fry them for about 1 – 2 minutes, flipping them over halfway through. We want to get the outside nice and crispy, but avoid cooking for too long as the Potatoes may end up exploding if they get too hot

Once golden brown they are done! Simply remove your Crispy Mashed Potatoes Bites from the Oil using an appropriate strainer and set them on an elevated wire rack so any excess Oil will drop off. Finish with a sprinkle of Salt and they are ready to enjoy

Crispy Mashed Potato Bites Recipe

Ingredients

• 5 large Potatoes
  1 cup of Cheddar Cheese, grated
• ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
• 50g Unsalted Butter
• 1 cup of All Purpose Flour
• 2 Eggs
• 2 cups of Breadcrumbs
• ½ gallon Neutral Oil (eg: Canola or Vegetable Oil)
• Salt and Pepper
  
  

Equipment needed: Kitchen Thermometer and Spider Strainer

Instructions

1. Peel and dice the Potatoes into chunks the place into a pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a Boil and cook until tender, with no resistance to a knife cut (about 10 – 15 minutes)
2. Drain then return to the pot. Add the Cheese, Butter and mash well. Taste for seasoning, adding Salt and Pepper if needed. Set aside to cool
3. Create a breading station with 3 bowls. The first with AP Flour (which you can season with Salt), the second with 2 Eggs, which are whisked to form an Egg Wash. The last bowl is filled with Breadcrumbs
4. Form the cooled Mashed Potatoes into Balls (anywhere between golf ball to tennis ball size is fine). Coat each in Flour, then Egg Wash, and finally Breadcrumbs, ensuring complete coverage on each step
5. Fill a large pot or Dutch oven with Neutral Oil, enough to completely submerge the Balls. Avoid filling the pot any higher than halfway full. Place Oil over medium high heat and bring it to 375F
6. Carefully place a Ball into the Oil and fry for 2 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove and set on an elevated wire rack to drip off excess Oil. Season with Salt and repeat for remaining Balls. Serve immediately
   
   

Recipe Notes

• Avoid overcrowing the Pot when frying. We recommend a maximum of 2 at a time. This will avoid overflow and keep the Oil hot for optimal results
• If the Mashed Potatoes don’t keep their form when shaping them, simply add more Cheese or some Breadcrumbs and mix through
  
  

These fun and tasty Crispy Mashed Potatoes Bites are the perfect Side Dish and a fun way to enjoy this classic dish. The texture and flavor are perfect as a side dish to your favorite protein, and they are so simple to make at home

For more tasty Side Dishes just like this one, check out these delicious recipes:

• Fried Halloumi Cubes
• Roast Potatoes with Mojo Picon Sauce
• Braised Leeks with Lemon Mustard Sauce
• Easy Dauphinoise Potatoes
  
  

Happy Cooking!