No need to toss out your leftover mashed potatoes. Turn last night's sides into tonight's main course by whipping up some crispy potato croquettes, also known as potato balls or logs. While every country has its tasty versions, we have a simple recipe to get you started. Whether you bake 'em or fry 'em, they're delicious either way.
How to Make Potato Croquettes
Although we're a fan of efficiency in the kitchen, we prefer to use homemade mashed potatoes rather than instant packaged ones. Whipped potatoes make it harder to form the mixture into balls or logs. This recipe makes 6 serving sizes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 pounds of potatoes boiled and peeled
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ cup bread crumbs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4-6 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk and melt the butter.
- Mash boiled potatoes in a large bowl and add heated milk and butter into the bowl. Mix it all together.
- Add parsley, salt, and pepper to the mashed potato mixture. Stir well until the mixture is evenly distributed.
- Let the potatoes cool before forming them into medium-sized balls or logs.
- Whisk the eggs in one bowl and prepare the bread crumbs in another bowl.
- Dip each ball or log into the egg mixture and coat them in breadcrumbs.
For Frying
- In a medium saucepan, heat 4-6 cups of oil.
- Fry croquette until golden crown.
For Baking
- Pre-heat oven to 400ºF
- Place coated croquettes on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.
The term "croquette" is derived from the French word "croquer" meaning to crunch or bite. Potato croquettes first debuted in France in the 18th century and have made a name for themselves since then.
How to Make Croquettes From Leftover Mashed Potatoes
To use your leftover mashed potatoes instead of making them fresh, take the cold leftover mashed potatoes and stir in some parsley or other seasonings. Then, roll them into balls or logs and follow steps 5 and 6 from the recipe above. It's a great way to give new life to your leftovers.
Filling Variations
Croquettes are a popular dish worldwide, and we can easily see why (crispy golden balls of goodness, say no more). While French and Japanese croquettes use potatoes, other countries, like the Netherlands, use veal or beef. Spanish croquetas don't use potatoes, but instead, a béchamel sauce (white sauce) mixed with other ingredients like flour, eggs, and ham.
Fun add-ins for your potato croquettes:
- Minced beef and vegetables
- Cheese
- Crab meat
- Broccoli
- Rice
- Mushrooms
If you're a sweet potato fan, use mashed sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. It's like having a crispy dessert popper.
Prepare a side of ketchup, ranch, mayo, or Japanese tonkatsu sauce for dunking. Your guests will love having different options.
Freeze for Later
Freeze any leftover pre-fried and pre-baked croquettes to use for later. We're all about saving time, so let your batch of frozen potato croquettes take care of last-minute dinners. Defrost your potato balls or logs at room temperature before throwing them in a hot fryer or baking them in the oven. Frozen croquettes last for about a month.
The Golden Delights That Are Potato Croquette Bites
With a simple wave of a spatula, turn last night's leftover mashed potatoes into tasty potato croquettes. If you love hosting parties as much as we do, we love making these for holiday parties or get-togethers. These golden delights also make for a perfect vegetarian option.
