These cute, savory little pancakes are made with whatever odds and ends you have in your fridge. They’re easy, quick, and great with any meal of the day.
Eating leftovers doesn’t have to mean eating the exact same thing for three days straight. Mashed potatoes are super versatile, and one of my favorite ways to use them up is to make pancakes with them. Now, these are pancakes, so they’re not that crispy. If they were, I’d call them hash browns. But there is a nice chewiness to the edges, and you won’t miss the crisp. They’re small and cute. They cook quickly and they’re filling.
Mashed potato pancakes can be as plain or dressed up as you want them. These have bacon, cheddar, and hot sauce because I had those things on hand, but feel free to switch out the ingredients with whatever you have. Try to have something fresh or green on there, like red onion or chives. But don’t buy anything! That’s not the point of these. I didn’t have much on hand, so I just ate them with a sprinkle of salt and ketchup, and they were great that way, too.
This is one of those recipes where you’ll have to pay attention to the food. For instance, if your mashed potatoes are already well-seasoned, you might not need the extra salt. If they were a little lackluster—it happens—you’ll want to season them to your liking before you mix anything in. If they were a little bit too wet, you might need extra flour—or the other way around if they were too dry. Basically, you want the batter to be firm enough that you can pick up a handful and mold it, but not so dry that it doesn’t stick to your fingers. If it seems too wet, add a little more flour at a time until you reach the right consistency. If it’s too dry and crumbly, add a little more egg or hot sauce.
I press mine as thin as possible (without breaking them or making them so thin they fall apart) because that means more surface area to brown. You want them to be an even thickness so the edges don’t burn before the middle cooks. It’s okay to eyeball it, though. You can shape them into nice little circles or ovals if you feel like it.
These feel very down-home-diner-special-ish. They’d pair really nicely with eggs for a full meal, and would be so good with my honey mustard recipe. And we’re avoiding food waste! How admirable of us.
leftover mashed potato pancakes
time: ~30 minutes
makes 16 small pancakes
ingredients
1 ½ cups leftover mashed potatoes
1/3 cup shredded cheddar
½ cup flour, plus more for dredging
4 slices bacon, cooked and torn into smallish bits (or storebought bacon bits)
1 egg, lightly whisked
1 tbsp hot sauce
vegetable oil, or other oil with a high smoke point*
salt, if necessary
*Please do not attempt with olive oil.
directions
- Make pancake batter. Combine potatoes, cheddar, bacon, and egg in a medium mixing bowl. Mix until combined, and add flour a tablespoon or two at a time until you have a batter that can be molded, but still sticks to your fingers. Use your hands to separate into about 16 portions. Press each portion into the flour until it’s flat and even, then flip and dredge the other side in flour. Lay the dredged pancakes on a sheet of parchment paper or a baking sheet until you fry them.
- Fry pancakes. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Not a ton, just enough to cover the bottom in a thin layer. Fry the potato pancakes until browned on one side, then flip and fry until the other side is browned. Don’t crowd the pan, and don’t try to move the pancakes before they’re cooked. It’s way easier once they’ve formed that crust! For me, this took 3-5 minutes on each side.
- Cool and serve. Drain on a cooling rack and sprinkle with extra salt, if needed, while they’re still hot. Serve with whatever condiments or garnishes you choose.