These homemade crispy mojo potatoes are some of the best fried potatoes you will ever have. They are perfectly crunchy and seasoned.
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What are Mojos?
Mojos are a potato appetizer made popular by Shakey’s Pizza restaurant. They are essentially thick unpeeled potato slices that are battered and fried.
Mojo potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. These are so easy to prepare, and you can whip up a batch of these for your game day or these can be served as a side dish. They are so much better than potato chips!
Since most of us can’t get to the restaurant, you can make these tasty batter fried potatoes at home.
What’s the difference between Mojo potatoes and JoJo Potatoes?
The real difference between these two well-loved potatoes is how the potato is cut. Both are prepared in the same basic way. The potatoes are cut, battered, and then deep-fried.
Mojo potatoes were popularized by Shakey’s Pizza. They basically thick sliced potatoes that are cut like scalloped potatoes. These crispy fried potatoes are battered and then fried to where the outsides are nice and crispy.
JoJo potatoes are potatoes that are quartered and sometimes cut into eights depending upon how big the potatoes are. In the South, you will often find these sold in places where you can purchase fried chicken.
What Makes Mojo Potatoes So Good?
Honestly, anything with potatoes is always a hit for me. They are so good and have the perfect crunch when you bite into them. They are perfect for dipping in your favorite sauce.
Why You Need to Try this Recipe Mojo Potatoes Recipe
This is the best copycat recipe for the mojo potatoes served at Shakey’s restaurants. Even if you haven’t had the pleasure of trying Shakey’s mojo potatoes, you can now with this delicious recipe.
Homemade mojo potatoes are a wonderful appetizer or snack to enjoy for game night or movie night.
Ingredients You Need for Mojos
This is a simple but tasty homemade fried potato recipe, which also means you won’t need too many ingredients to make this amazing appetizer. Here’s a quick list:
- Potatoes
- All-purpose flour
- Garlic salt
- Celery salt
- Salt
- Egg
- Vegetable oil for frying
Ingredient Substitutions
You don’t need to follow my exact recipe for seasoning the potatoes. You may want to simply season with salt and pepper, but you could try barbecue seasoning, steak seasoning, or even Cajun spice mix. Or you could add in garlic powder, paprika, thyme, or cayenne pepper, or other spices.
The possibilities are many and you may have a spice blend in your pantry that would be great for these mojos. Give it a try and see how you like your special seasoned potatoes.
What type of potatoes should you use for Mojos?
I find russet potatoes work very well. They are starchy and they hold the batter well. When cooked the inside almost becomes fluffy. Yukon Gold potatoes also work well for this recipe.
I do not recommend using red potatoes because they are a little too waxy to come out well.
How To Make Mojo Potatoes
- Preheat the oil to 375°F in a deep pan.
- In a shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic salt, celery salt, and salt to create a seasoned flour.
- Cut the unpeeled potatoes into ½-inch thick rounds. Thinner 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 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
If you have leftover mojo potatoes, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
How to Reheat Mojo Potatoes
The best way to reheat the mojo potatoes is in the air fryer! It will keep them crispy while heating them up. Just pop them in at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes and you are good to go!
You can also reheat them in the oven at 350°F for 5 to10 minutes or until they are heated through.
If they are frozen, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating them.
I hope you give these Mojo potatoes a try soon!
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 more crispy. While it isn’t necessary to soak potatoes before frying, you can do it if you desire.
There are a couple of things you can do to keep 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
- Purple Splendor 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.
Faithwon
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!!!
Gina
These were a huge hit! I changed nothing. Came out nice and crispy the kids couldn’t get enough!
Kelly J.
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).
Lucy
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?
Lucy
I’m also gluten free I’m going to try this with gluten free flour
lil
Would this recipe work in an airfryer? What would you suggest as a substitute for the egg?
Stephanie
This won’t work in an air fryer, the flour will just brown become burnt. A friend of mine uses 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds and 3 tablespoons of water for 1 large egg.
Mierelle
These reminded me a lot of Shakey’s pizza potato rounds.
Wesley
Oh my goodness! Loved these. Reminded me a bit of Shakey’s Pizza.
Freddy
I never knew how to make them, they turned out great!
Flattop
We enjoyed these potatoes.
sethe
IM in my awesome class
sethe
I LOVE POTATOES
xD xD xD xD xD
sethe
hi
brenda
in Texas rojos are sliced in rounds…not quarters..if you slice them in quarters they are steak fries.
Flattop
Nobody cares how things are done I need Texas!
Shawnee
I do!