These homemade crispy mojo potatoes taste exactly like the famous ones from Shakey’s Pizza! Perfectly crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, and seasoned just right, these battered potato rounds will transport you straight to your favorite pizza parlor. They’re the ultimate side dish or game day snack that’s so much better than regular potato chips!
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What are Mojo potatoes?
Mojo potatoes are the legendary appetizer that Shakey’s Pizza made famous across America. These aren’t just any fried potatoes – they’re thick-cut, unpeeled potato rounds that get dipped in seasoned batter and fried to golden perfection. The result? A crispy, crunchy exterior that gives way to a fluffy, tender interior that’s absolutely addictive.
Since Shakey’s restaurants are harder to find these days, this copycat recipe brings that nostalgic taste right to your kitchen. Once you master these, you’ll never need to search for a Shakey’s again!
What’s the Difference Between Mojo Potatoes and JoJo Potatoes?
While both are battered and fried potatoes, the key difference is in the cut:
- Mojo Potatoes: Sliced into thick rounds (like scalloped potatoes), popularized by Shakey’s Pizza
- JoJo Potatoes: Cut into quarters or wedges, commonly found at Southern fried chicken joints
Both are delicious, but mojos have that distinctive round shape that makes them perfect for dipping and stacking.
Ingredients You Need for Mojos
This simple but tasty homemade fried potato recipe means you won’t need too many ingredients to make this fantastic appetizer. Here’s a quick list of what you need for this mojos recipe:
- Russet potatoes – The best choice for that fluffy interior texture
- All-purpose flour – Creates the crispy coating base
- Garlic salt – Essential for that Shakey’s flavor profile
- Celery salt – The secret ingredient that makes these taste authentic
- Salt – Enhances all the flavors
- Egg – Helps the batter adhere perfectly
- Vegetable oil – For deep frying to golden perfection
How To Make Mojo Potatoes
- Preheat the oil to 375°F in a deep pan.
- Combine the dry ingredients (flour, garlic salt, celery salt, and salt) in a shallow dish to create seasoned flour.
- Cut the unpeeled potatoes into ½-inch thick rounds. Thin slices are okay, but will not be like the original Mojos.
- Dip the potato slices into the beaten egg mixture and then carefully toss the potato slice in the seasoned flour mixture, being sure to coat both sides.
- Once the oil is hot enough, deep-fry the breaded potatoes until they are golden brown. This should take about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Drain the fried mojos on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. This will keep them crispier than draining on paper towels.
- Serve with a small bowl of your favorite dressing, dipping sauce, sour cream, or ketchup. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Do not let your grease get too hot; the potatoes will burn.
- Be sure to shake off excess flour from the battered potatoes.
- Cook the potatoes right away. If you do not, the potatoes may brown and look unappealing.
How to Serve Mojo Potatoes
These deep-fried potatoes are best served with sauce for dipping! Here are some great ones to try:
- Burger King Zesty Sauce
- Outback Bloomin’ Onion Sauce
- Raising Cane’s Dipping Sauce
- Red Robin Campfire Sauce
- Sour Cream
How to Store Leftover Mojo Potatoes
Storage:
- Refrigerator: Airtight container for 2-3 days
- Freezer: Up to 2 months in freezer bags
Reheating (for best results):
- Air Fryer (Best!): 350°F for 5-7 minutes – stays crispy!
- Oven: 350°F for 5-10 minutes on a baking sheet
- Never microwave: They’ll turn soggy
- From frozen: Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating
Frequently Asked Questions about Mojo Potatoes
Potatoes that are higher in starch are excellent for frying. To make mojos, I recommend using Russet potatoes and Yukon Gold potatoes. I do not recommend waxy potatoes like red potatoes.
When made at the restaurant, Shakey’s uses an eggless batter, but they add cheese to the potatoes which makes the potatoes vegetarian.
When you soak potatoes in water, it removes some of the excess starch. This will keep your potatoes from browning too much. Removing the excess starch will also make your potatoes crisper. While it isn’t necessary to soak potatoes before frying, you can do it if you desire.
There are a few things you can do to prevent potatoes from getting soggy. Do not overcrowd the pan; it will reduce the temperature of the potatoes, and they will steam rather than fry. Also, make sure your heat is hot enough that potatoes cook and sizzle rather than steam.
Love potatoes? Try these great potato recipes
- Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
- Fried Potato Wedges
- Batter Fried Potatoes (JoJo Potatoes)
- Cracker Barrel Cheesy Potato Recipe
- TGI Friday’s Potato Skin
- Easy Creamy Potato Soup
- Simple Greek Potatoes
- Best Old Fashioned Mashed Potatoes
- Cheesy Potato Casserole
More Delicious Fried Vegetables
Check out more of my recipes for appetizers and the best restaurant sides.
Mojo Potatoes
Ingredients
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 4 potatoes unpeeled but scrubbed
- 1 egg beaten
- ranch dressing, dipping sauce, or sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oil to 375°F in a deep fryer or large pot.
- Mix the flour, salt, pepper, garlic salt, and celery salt in a shallow dish.
- Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch slices.
- Dip the potato slices into the beaten egg and then into the flour mixture.
- Deep fry the breaded potatoes in the hot oil until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Serve with dressing, dipping sauce, or sour cream.
Video
Notes
- Do not let your grease get too hot or the potatoes will burn.
- Shake off excess flour from the potatoes because too much flour may make the potatoes burn.
- Cook the potatoes right away. If you do not, the potato slices may brown and look unappealing.
I tried the crispy mojo potatoes last night and it was an absolute hit! I am always looking out for new potato recipes and this one didn’t disappoint me. They’re easy to make, and visually appealing, definitely adding this dish to my regular rotation.
They were easy to make and were very good.
Same here. In Texas, they were called Rojos in Midland/Odessa, and I firmly believe it was because of MOJO – Odessa Permian Panther football – Friday Night Lights. MOJO is trademarked here, so for Texas, I believe that meant a change in the name for all Texas Shakey’s franchise stores.
Here in our stores, they were sliced 1/4″ rounds fried to a crispy goodness that couldn’t be beat. The pizza and pitchers were awesome along with the main viking tables in the great room along with the game room and the animatronic room and pizza windows! I loved me some Shakey’s!!!
These were a huge hit! I changed nothing. Came out nice and crispy the kids couldn’t get enough!
My mom was asking me about Mojos the other day and how they were made. I used to work at Shakey’s when I was in high school so I went looking for a copycat recipe. I don’t remember the flour mix ingredients, but I do know we didn’t give them an egg wash. The potatoes were sliced and kept in a large tub of water in the cooler next to the fryer. We would scoop them out, shake off the water and dust them in the flour mixture. I haven’t tried this recipe yet so I can’t tell you how close it is (plus I’m gluten free now).
I’m not doing the egg mixture since you said at shakey they do the water bath I’m doing it your way also the Mojo’s I ate wasn’t crispy, Did they change it?
I’m also gluten free I’m going to try this with gluten free flour
These reminded me a lot of Shakey’s pizza potato rounds.
Oh my goodness! Loved these. Reminded me a bit of Shakey’s Pizza.
I never knew how to make them, they turned out great!
We enjoyed these potatoes.
IM in my awesome class
I LOVE POTATOES
xD xD xD xD xD
hi
in Texas rojos are sliced in rounds…not quarters..if you slice them in quarters they are steak fries.
Nobody cares how things are done I need Texas!
I do!