Irish Potato Cakes

Article by Emily Saladino

Whether you’re eager to repurpose your Thanksgiving leftovers or recently whipped up a fresh mash, this potato cakes recipe is one of our favorite ways to give mashed potatoes a new lease on life. Thanks to Food Network Kitchen’s expertly tested recipe, these mashed potato pancakes have creamy interiors with perfectly golden-brown exteriors. They crisp up quickly in a hot pan and can be served as a side dish, appetizer and beyond.

How to Make Potato Cakes Like a Pro

Frying mashed potatoes can be messy, and no one wants to get stuck cleaning up splatter or scraping burned bits off of a skillet. That’s why Food Network Kitchen compiled these step-by-step tips so you can create fluffy, perfectly rounded potato cakes.

Use leftover mashed potatoes. Instant mashed potatoes don’t have the same rich flavor or creamy texture as mashed potatoes made from scratch, so our recipe developers recommend either making a batch or using leftover homemade mashed potatoes in this potato cakes recipe.

Make potato cakes with your hands. Our recipe developers say your hands are the best tool to knead the leftover mashed potatoes, flour, milk and chopped herbs into a smooth, cohesive dough because you can feel if there are still dry patches of flour. After the dough comes together, divide it into 4 evenly sized balls and generously flour a clean work surface and use a rolling pin, clean wine bottle or large, heavy-bottomed glass to press them into 3-inch-wide rounds.

Customize your potato pancakes recipe. Add a half-cup of shredded Parmesan or Pecorino to the dough or sprinkle the tops of the potato cakes with shredded cheddar while they cook for a cheesy riff on this potato cakes recipe. Or mix up the herbs—try chopped parsley, chives, basil, oregano, sage or a combination.

Cook potato cakes in melted butter for the best results. Food Network Kitchen cooks the potato cakes in butter rather than oil for two reasons: not only does butter provide rich flavor, but it also makes the outsides of the potato patties nice and crispy. Make sure the butter is completely melted in the pan, so the mashed potato pancakes cook evenly.

How to Serve This Potato Cakes Recipe

Serve Irish potato cakes as a side dish for roast chicken or other meaty suppers or as an accompaniment to fried eggs or omelets for breakfast. You can also serve them as an appetizer or snack with salsa, Sriracha-spiked mayonnaise, sour cream or another dipping sauce.

Can You Freeze Leftover Potato Cakes?

You can freeze leftover potato cakes for up to 3 months. Lay the cooked and cooled potato patties on a baking sheet or another flat surface and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour. When the potato cakes are solid, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap then store in a zippered-top bag.

Defrost the potato cakes overnight in the fridge, then reheat them in melted butter in a sauté pan over medium heat to crisp up their exteriors.

Other Leftover Mashed Potato Recipes

Still have extra mash? Check out Food Network Kitchen’s other expertly tested leftover mashed potato recipes.

Leftover Mashed Potato Pizza. Transform your leftovers into a mouthwatering main course. You can customize your mashed potato pizza recipe with all sorts of toppings; our recipe developers love the combination of mozzarella, leeks, basil and crispy chopped bacon.

Mini Shepherd’s Pie. These miniature shepherd’s pies are loaded with savory ground beef, veggies and leftover mash and come together in a muffin tin.

Potato Dumplings. Leftover mashed potatoes become an irresistible filling for storebought wonton wrappers in this easy, crowd-pleasing potato dumplings recipe.