Leftover mashed potatoes do not have to be reheated and forgotten. This recipe turns them into crispy Mashed Potato Pancakes with golden edges and a soft, creamy center. With one egg, a little flour, green onion, and simple seasoning, you can turn yesterday’s mashed potatoes into something everyone actually looks forward to eating. They are fast enough for a weekday breakfast and good enough to serve as a side dish with dinner.
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Mashed potato cakes are some of the best ways to use leftover potatoes! When mixed with egg, onion, and a little bit of seasoning, you get little heavenly mashed potato pancakes.
What do you do with leftover mashed potatoes?
If the answer isn’t apparent, you need to make this delicious potato pancake recipe, with all of your leftover potatoes!
Ingredients you will need
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Mashed potatoes – The base of the recipe. Cold mashed potatoes are easiest to shape.
- Large egg – Binds the mixture so the pancakes do not fall apart.
- Lawry’s seasoned salt – Adds quick, classic flavor without measuring multiple spices.
- Ground black pepper – Balances the richness with mild heat.
- All-purpose flour – Helps the pancakes hold their shape and crisp.
- Green onion – Adds a fresh bite and keeps the flavor from tasting flat.
- Butter or vegetable oil – For frying. Butter adds flavor, oil browns well, and you can also use a mix.
Best potatoes to use
This style of potato pancake is best suited for potatoes that make great mashed potatoes. I like to make these with either Russet potatoes because they are wonderfully starchy. I also like to make them with Yukon gold potatoes. Yukon gold potatoes are prized for their naturally buttery flavor.
How to make potato pancakes from mashed potatoes
- Combine mashed potatoes, egg, seasoned salt, ground black pepper, flour, and onion in a medium bowl.
- Shape potato mixture into 3-inch patties.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Add butter and cook the potato pancakes on both sides until heated through and browned.
- Be sure not to overcrowd the pan, you may need to cook the potato pancakes in small batches.
Do you need to make potato pancakes with leftover potatoes
No, you don’t. You can boil some potatoes and mash them. This is a great way to turn mashed potatoes into something else. Sometimes after large family meals, you might have a lot of leftover mashed potatoes. This is a great way to use up those potatoes.
What to serve with mashed potato pancakes
You can serve these delicious pancakes with some scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, basically, any breakfast item will do!
Or you can even switch it up a bit and serve these with a juicy burger! You can also make this the star of the show and serve it with sour cream and applesauce.
Best toppings for mashed potato cakes
You can spice up the potato cakes with different toppings! Here are a few suggestions:
- Avocado
- Cheddar cheese (shredded or melted)
- Ketchup
- Cheese spread
- Sour cream and green onions
- Fresh herbs like dill, parsley, thyme, or tarragon
Feel free to try some of your own ideas that you can think of!
How to Store, Freeze, or Reheat Mashed Potato Pancakes
- Refrigerator Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze pancakes on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe zip-top bag.
- Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 350 F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot and crisp. An air fryer also works well.
Best Mashed Potato Recipes
- Old Fashioned Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Steakhouse Mashed Potatoes
- Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
Love potatoes? Try these easy potato recipes!
- Lyonnaise Potatoes
- Parsley Potatoes
- Plain Potato Soup
- Roasted Red Potatoes
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
- Shredded Potato Pancakes
Check out my easy side dish recipes and the best Thanksgiving dinner recipes here on CopyKat!
Crispy Mashed Potato Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups mashed potatoes
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon finely sliced green onion
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Combine the mashed potatoes, egg, seasoned salt, ground black pepper, flour, and green onion in a large bowl and mix well.
- Shape the potato mixture into 3-inch patties.
- Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the butter.
- When the butter is melted, cook the potato pancakes on both sides until they’re heated through and browned. This should take 4 to 5 minutes on the first side, and 3 to 4 minutes on the other side.
- You may need to cook the potato pancakes in small batches. You may also need to add addtional butter to the bottom of the pan in the additional batches.
Video
Notes
- If you want to keep these warm just until serving, place the potato pancakes in an oven-proof dish and place into an oven heated to 200 degrees.Â
My mother has made these for years and we all loved them! The only difference is that we never used flour. My mashed potatoes are lumpier than most (we love them this way) so you get more chunky potato bits!
needed a bit more flour to hold together; served under chicken alfredo…wonderful!
I am so excited to try this recipe. My mother would use left over mashed potatoes to make potato pancakes, but sadly I never got the recipe or watched her make them.So I haven’t tried this recipe but will as soon as I have some leftovers. Thanks!
This was a great recipe. I had leftover mashed potatoes, I added the other ingredients and it turned out scrumptious! My kids like them with ketchup,I do prefer the sour cream.