Mashed Potato Cakes with Pancetta and Cheddar
Got some leftover mash and looking for creative ways to use it? These mashed potato cakes simply ooze comfort, and are oh-so-satisfying! The potato cakes are made with mashed potatoes, pancetta, cheddar, garlic, egg, and plain flour before being coated in panko breadcrumbs. Every bite treats you to a crispy exterior, then a smooth and creamy middle. Its rich and and buttery flavor is deeply satisfying, too.
Keep things simple with a dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream. Or, serve them up with a fresh salad like this arugula and tomato one.
Ingredients You Will Need
Want to make these hearty mashed potato cakes? First, you will need the following:
These quantities will make around 10 potato cakes:
- Mashed Potatoes – 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
- Pancetta – 4 oz smoked pancetta, diced (115 grams)
- Egg – 1 egg
- Cheddar – 1 cup shredded sharp (mature) cheddar (white or yellow) (about 3oz or 85 grams)
- Garlic – 1 garlic clove, minced
- Flour – 1/2 cup – 1 cup flour (depending on the moisture in the mashed potatoes)
- Panko Breadcrumbs – 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Salt – a pinch of kosher salt (to taste)
- Black Pepper – a pinch of ground black pepper (to taste)
- Oil – for shallow-frying, about 1 cup neutral oil (sunflower, vegetable, canola)
- Creme Fraiche (optional) – to serve (also good with sour cream)
Cooking Directions with Photos
Step 1. To a small skillet or pan over medium heat, add the diced pancetta and pan fry it for about 3-4 minutes until slightly crispy.
Step 2. Add the cooked pancetta to the mashed potatoes and mix.
Step 3. Add the cheddar and minced garlic to the mashed potatoes and mix. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Overseason slightly as we’ll be adding flour and egg in the next step.
Step 4. Add a beaten egg and mix. Then, add the flour. Start with 1/2 cup of plain flour. You should get a consistency that holds its shape when being fried. Add more flour as needed (up to 1 cup total). I used 1/2 cup of flour in these potato cakes.
Step 5. Shape the cakes (about 1/4 cup per potato cake) and cover them in panko breadcrumbs.
Step 6. Add 1 cup of sunflower oil (or another neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil) to a frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, turn the heat down to medium, add the potato cakes, and shallow fry until golden for about 3-4 minutes on the first side. Flip carefully using two spatulas (so as not to splash oil) and cook on the second side until golden and cooked through. Then, remove them to dry on a wire rack or a plate with paper towels to absorb the extra oil. Repeat with the second batch of potato cakes.
Step 7. Stack the potato cakes and serve while warm.
How to Serve Them
You can absolutely enjoy these hearty potato cakes on their own. A great way to serve them is with crème fraîche, as shown below.
I can’t get enough of these. That crispy-then-creamy texture with the smokey notes from the pancetta always keeps me reaching for another!
Did you make them and love them? Please leave a review, and comment with your favorite pairing ideas and ways to serve them.
More Delicious Potato Dishes
There really are a million and one ways to cook with potatoes. For some easy sides, try these buttery lemon-garlic new potatoes, these oven-roasted potato bites, or these rosemary wedges for steak and burgers.
If you have an air fryer, try these potato bites with cheat aioli, or these melt-in-mouth parmesan baby potatoes.
You could also try this really hearty potato frittata, and serve it with a fresh salad for a dish that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
- 4 oz smoked pancetta diced (115 grams)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup shredded cheddar sharp/mature cheddar (white or yellow) (about 3oz or 85 grams)
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/2 cup plain flour or up to 1 cup total, depending on the moisture in the mashed potatoes
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- a pinch of kosher salt to taste
- a pinch of ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup sunflower oil or another neutral oil like vegetable or canola, for shallow-frying
- 1/3 cup creme fraiche optional, to serve
Instructions
- To a small skillet or pan over medium heat, add the diced pancetta and pan fry it for about 3-4 minutes until slightly crispy.
- Add the pancetta to the mashed potatoes and mix.
- Add the shredded cheddar and minced garlic to the mashed potatoes and mix. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Overseason slightly as we’ll be adding flour and egg in the next step.
- Add a beaten egg and mix. Then, add the flour. Start with 1/2 cup of plain flour. You should get a consistency that holds its shape when being fried. Add more flour as needed (up to 1 cup total).
- Shape the cakes (about 1/4 cup of the mixture per potato cake) and cover them in panko breadcrumbs.
- Add 1 cup of sunflower oil (or another neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil) to a frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, turn the heat down to medium, add the potato cakes, and shallow fry until golden for about 3-4 minutes on the first side. Flip carefully using two spatulas (so as not to splash oil) and cook on the second side for another 3-4 minutes until golden and cooked through. Then, remove them to dry on a wire rack or a plate with paper towels to absorb the extra oil. Repeat with the second batch of potato cakes.
- Stack the potato cakes and serve while warm.
Want to make these hearty potato pancakes next time you have leftover mash? Don’t forget to save this recipe to one of your boards.
