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My grandmother made far too many mashed potatoes every single Sunday, and when my grandfather said so, she told him that was the whole point. Monday was potato pancake day. The cold leftover potatoes came out of the icebox, an egg went in, then a little flour, a handful of sharp cheddar and some green onion, and she shaped them into thick little cakes and fried them in a skillet until they were crisp and brown on both sides and soft and fluffy in the middle. We ate them with sour cream, and nobody in that house thought of them as leftovers.
The trouble most people have with potato pancakes is that they fall apart in the pan, or turn gummy, or soak up oil. My grandmother had three rules that fix all of it. The potatoes must be cold. There must be just enough flour to bind them and no more. And once a pancake is in the pan, you leave it alone until the crust has formed. Here is how to keep them from falling apart in the pan, and how to get that deep golden crust.
Why this mashed potato pancakes works
- Cold mashed potatoes. Chilled potatoes are firm and hold a shape. Warm ones are soft and spread in the pan.
- One egg and a little flour. The egg binds the potatoes and the flour soaks up extra moisture, without turning them into dough.
- Cheddar inside. Sharp cheese melts into the pancakes and browns at the edges where it touches the pan.
- Chilled patties. Ten minutes in the refrigerator after shaping firms them up so they hold together when they hit the heat.
- Butter and oil together. Butter gives the golden color and flavor, and oil keeps the butter from burning.
Ingredients
Makes about 8 pancakes, enough for 4 as a side or 2 or 3 as a light supper. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the pancakes
- 3 cups cold leftover mashed potatoes (about 680g)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (40g), plus more for dusting
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar (75g)
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste (leftover potatoes are usually already salted)
For frying and serving
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Sour cream and extra sliced green onion
Plain buttered mashed potatoes work best. If your leftovers are very loose and creamy, add an extra tablespoon or two of flour. If they are very stiff, the pancakes will need a little less.
How to make mashed potato pancakes
- Put the cold mashed potatoes in a bowl and break them up with a fork. Add the beaten egg, flour, cheddar, green onions and pepper, and stir until evenly mixed. Taste a little and add salt if it needs it.
- Check the texture. The mixture should hold together when you press a spoonful into a ball. If it is sticky and soft, stir in another tablespoon of flour.
- With floured hands, shape the mixture into 8 patties about 3 inches across and a little more than 1/2 inch thick. Dust both sides lightly with flour.
- Set the patties on a plate or tray and refrigerate them for 10 to 20 minutes.
- Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet, cast iron if you have it, over medium heat until the butter foams and the foam begins to settle.
- Fry the patties in batches, without crowding, for 4 to 5 minutes, without moving them, until a deep golden crust has formed underneath.
- Turn them once with a thin spatula and fry the second side for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden and hot through.
- Drain briefly on a paper towel and keep warm in a low oven while you fry the rest, adding a little more butter and oil if the pan looks dry.
- Serve hot with a spoon of sour cream and a little green onion on top.
Tips that make the difference
- Do not flip too early. If a pancake sticks, it is not ready yet. Give it another minute and it will release on its own.
- Keep the heat at medium. Too hot, and the outside burns before the middle is warm. Too low, and they soak up the fat.
- Make the patties thick. Thin ones break when you turn them.
- Use a thin metal spatula and slide it all the way under before you lift.
Variations
- Crisp coating. Dip each patty in fine dry breadcrumbs instead of flour for an extra crunchy crust.
- Herb. Stir in a tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley or chives.
- Supper version. Serve two pancakes with a fried egg on top and a green salad.
- Baked. Brush the patties with melted butter and bake on a lined sheet at 425 degrees for 25 minutes, turning once. Less crisp, less mess.
Storage and make-ahead
Shaped, uncooked patties keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Cooked pancakes keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a dry skillet or in a hot oven so they crisp again.
Freeze cooked pancakes between sheets of parchment for up to 2 months and reheat from frozen in the oven.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my potato pancakes fall apart?
The potatoes were warm, there was too little binder, or they were turned before the crust formed. Use cold potatoes, chill the shaped patties, and leave them alone until they release from the pan.
Can I make them from fresh mashed potatoes?
Yes, but chill the potatoes for at least 2 hours first. Warm potatoes are too soft to hold a shape.
Why are mine gummy?
Too much flour or overmixing. Stir only until combined and add flour a spoonful at a time.
What do I serve them with?
Sour cream, applesauce, a fried egg, or as a side with roast chicken or meatloaf.
Make too many mashed potatoes on Sunday, the way my grandmother did, and let Monday take care of itself.
Mashed Potato Pancakes from Leftover Mashed Potatoes (Crisp Outside, Fluffy Inside)
Old-fashioned mashed potato pancakes made from cold leftover mashed potatoes with an egg, a little flour, cheddar and green onion, shaped, chilled and fried in butter and oil until crisp and golden.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cold leftover mashed potatoes
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (40g), plus more for dusting
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Sour cream and extra sliced green onion
Instructions
- Put the cold mashed potatoes in a bowl and break them up with a fork. Add the beaten egg, flour, cheddar, green onions and pepper, and stir until evenly mixed. Taste a little and add salt if it needs it.
- Check the texture. The mixture should hold together when you press a spoonful into a ball. If it is sticky and soft, stir in another tablespoon of flour.
- With floured hands, shape the mixture into 8 patties about 3 inches across and a little more than 1/2 inch thick. Dust both sides lightly with flour.
- Set the patties on a plate or tray and refrigerate them for 10 to 20 minutes.
- Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet, cast iron if you have it, over medium heat until the butter foams and the foam begins to settle.
- Fry the patties in batches, without crowding, for 4 to 5 minutes, without moving them, until a deep golden crust has formed underneath.
- Turn them once with a thin spatula and fry the second side for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden and hot through.
- Drain briefly on a paper towel and keep warm in a low oven while you fry the rest, adding a little more butter and oil if the pan looks dry.
- Serve hot with a spoon of sour cream and a little green onion on top.
