These cheesy potato pancakes have become our go-to way to use up leftover mashed potatoes and turn them into something everyone gets excited about. After making batch after batch and watching oliver and his friends eat entire plates of these crispy, cheesy pancakes, I've got the recipe down perfectly for that combination of crispy outside and gooey, melted cheese inside. It's not complicated - just leftover potatoes mixed with cheese and a few simple ingredients, then fried until golden brown.
Why You'll Love These Cheesy Potato Pancakes
I've made this Cheesy Potato Pancakes for so many different situations now, and it never lets me down. What I love most is how it takes something boring like leftover mashed potatoes and turns them into something that feels like a real treat. oliver used to complain whenever we had leftover potatoes because he was tired of eating the same thing, but now he actually asks me to make extra mashed potatoes just so we can have these pancakes the next day.
The taste is exactly what you want from comfort food - crispy and golden on the outside with that perfect melted cheese throughout. They're filling enough to be a meal on their own, but they also work great as a side dish when you want something more interesting than regular potatoes. Plus, they're one of those recipes where if you mess up the timing a little bit or use different cheese than what I suggest, they still turn out good. I've burned them slightly, used whatever cheese was in the fridge, and made them bigger or smaller depending on how hungry everyone was, and they always end up tasting fine.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love These Cheesy Potato Pancakes
- Ingredients For Cheesy Potato Pancakes
- How To Make Cheesy Potato Pancakes Step By Step
- Equipment For Cheesy Potato Pancakes
- Storage Tips
- Smart Swaps for Cheesy Potato Pancakes
- Tasty Twists on Cheesy Potato Pancakes
- Top Tip
- FAQ
- Time to Turn Those Leftovers Into Gold!
- Related
- Pairing
- Cheesy Potato Pancakes
Ingredients For Cheesy Potato Pancakes
The Base:
- Leftover mashed potatoes
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Eggs to bind everything together
- All-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper
For Extra Flavor:
- Green onions or chives
- Garlic powder
- A little bit of sour cream
- Maybe some bacon bits if you have them
For Cooking:
- Vegetable oil or butter for frying
- Whatever oil you usually use for cooking
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Cheesy Potato Pancakes Step By Step
Step 1 - Mix Everything Together:
- Put cold mashed potatoes in a big bowl
- Add shredded cheese and mix well
- Crack in eggs and stir until combined
- Add flour, salt, and pepper
Step 2 - Check the Consistency:
- The mixture should hold together when you squeeze it
- If it's too wet, add more flour
- If it's too dry, add another egg
- It should feel like thick cookie dough
Step 3 - Shape the Pancakes:
- Scoop out portions with your hands
- Form into patties about the size of your palm
- Don't make them too thick or they won't cook through
- Set them on a plate while you heat the pan
Step 4 - Cook Them Up:
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat
- Don't make it too hot or they'll burn outside and stay raw inside
- Fry for 3-4 minutes on the first side
- Flip carefully and cook another 3-4 minutes
Step 5 - Serve Hot:
- Drain on paper towels if they're greasy
- Serve immediately while the cheese is still melty
- They get less crispy as they cool down
Equipment For Cheesy Potato Pancakes
- Large mixing bowl
- Non-stick or cast iron skillet
- Spatula for flipping
- Measuring cups
- Something to scoop with
Storage Tips
Counter Storage (same day only):
- Keep them on a plate covered with foil
- They're best eaten right away while crispy
- Don't stack them or they'll get soggy
- After a few hours they lose their crunch
Fridge Storage (2-3 days):
- Let them cool completely first
- Store in containers with paper towels
- The paper towels soak up extra grease
- Reheat in a pan, not the microwave
Reheating Tips:
- Pan fry them again for a few minutes
- Oven works too at 350°F for about 10 minutes
- Microwave makes them soggy and gross
- Add a little oil to the pan when reheating
Make-Ahead Strategy:
- You can mix the batter and keep it in the fridge
- Don't form the patties until you're ready to cook
- The mixture gets better after sitting overnight
- Just cook them fresh when you want to eat
Smart Swaps for Cheesy Potato Pancakes
Potato Options:
- Mashed potatoes → Leftover baked potatoes (mash them up first)
- Cold potatoes → Room temperature (add extra flour)
- Smooth → Chunky mashed potatoes (gives more texture)
- Plain → Seasoned leftover potatoes (adjust salt)
Cheese Choices:
- Cheddar → Monterey Jack or Swiss
- Shredded → Block cheese you grate yourself
- Regular → Pepper jack (if you like it spicy)
- Dairy → Plant-based cheese (for people who can't have dairy)
Binding Alternatives:
- Eggs → Flax eggs (for people who don't eat eggs)
- All-purpose flour → Gluten-free flour
- Regular flour → Cornstarch (makes them crispier)
- Fresh eggs → Egg substitute from a carton
Flavor Add-Ins:
- Green onions → Regular onions (cook them first)
- Fresh herbs → Dried herbs (use way less)
- Sour cream → Greek yogurt
- Bacon bits → Ham pieces or skip the meat
Tasty Twists on Cheesy Potato Pancakes
Loaded Version:
- Add crispy bacon bits
- Mix in sour cream
- Top with green onions
- oliver thinks these are the best thing ever
Mexican Style:
- Use pepper jack cheese
- Add diced jalapeños
- Mix in some taco seasoning
- Serve with salsa and sour cream
Herb Garden:
- Fresh chives mixed in
- Parsley for color
- A little garlic powder
- Makes them taste fancy
Breakfast Style:
- Make them smaller like silver dollar pancakes
- Serve with scrambled eggs
- Add some breakfast sausage pieces
- Perfect for weekend mornings
Korean Inspired:
- Add a little soy sauce to the mix
- Serve with spicy mayo
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds
- Different but really good
Veggie Packed:
- Grated carrots mixed in
- Chopped spinach (squeeze out water first)
- Corn kernels
- Makes you feel better about eating fried potatoes
Top Tip
- These cheesy potato pancakes are really meant to be eaten fresh and hot - they lose most of their good stuff once they cool down and get soggy, so don't expect leftovers to be as good as fresh ones.
- If you need to keep them longer, the fridge works for a couple days, but let them cool off completely first. I always put paper towels in the container with them because it soaks up the extra grease and keeps them from getting too nasty. When you want to eat them again, reheat them in a pan with a little oil - don't use the microwave because it makes them soggy and weird. The oven works too if you want to reheat a bunch at once.
- You can make the batter ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, which actually makes it easier to work with because it gets thicker overnight. But don't form the patties until you're ready to cook them, or they'll start falling apart. The mixture holds together better after it's been sitting for a while, so if you're planning ahead, mix everything up the night before and just cook them fresh when you want to eat.
FAQ
How do you keep potato patties from falling apart?
Make sure your mashed potatoes are cold and not too wet. Add enough flour to bind everything together - the mixture should hold its shape when you squeeze it. Don't flip them too early either - let them get really golden on the first side before you try to turn them over.
What are the ingredients in Korean cheese potato pancakes?
Korean versions usually have grated potatoes instead of mashed, plus cheese, scallions, and sometimes corn. They often use a batter more like regular pancakes. These cheesy potato pancakes are more like American comfort food - simpler ingredients but just as good.
What are the three ingredient cheesy potatoes?
That's probably talking about a casserole, not pancakes. For these cheesy potato pancakes, you need at least potatoes, cheese, eggs, and flour to make them hold together. You could skip some of the extras, but you really need those four basics to make them work right.
What are the ingredients for potato pancakes?
Regular potato pancakes are usually just grated potatoes, eggs, flour, and seasonings. These cheesy potato pancakes use leftover mashed potatoes instead of grated ones, plus cheese for extra flavor. Both are good, but this version is way easier if you already have leftover potatoes.
Time to Turn Those Leftovers Into Gold!
Now you've got everything you need to make perfect cheesy potato pancakes - from getting the mixture just right to timing the flips perfectly. These pancakes have been a lifesaver for me on so many nights when I had leftover mashed potatoes and needed to turn them into something everyone would actually want to eat. oliver went from groaning about leftover potatoes to asking me to make extra just so we can have these pancakes the next day.
Want more easy comfort food that everyone will love? Try our Easy Honey Butter Chicken Recipe that turns regular chicken into something that tastes like it came from a restaurant. If you're in the mood for something quick and warming, our Quick Ramen Noodles Recipe Ready in 15 minutes! transforms cheap packets into something that actually satisfies you. And when you want another hearty potato dish, our Easy Cheesy Ranch Potatoes and Sausage makes a complete meal in one pan!
Share your Cheesy Potato Pancakes success! We love seeing your crispy creations and hearing about how you used up your leftovers!
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Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Cheesy Potato Pancakes
Cheesy Potato Pancakes
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl (For mixing the batter)
- 1 Skillet (non-stick or cast iron) (For frying the pancakes)
- 1 Spatula (For flipping pancakes)
- 1 Measuring cups (For accurate ingredient portions)
- 1 Scoop or large spoon (For shaping pancakes)
Ingredients
- 2 cups Leftover mashed potatoes - Cold works best
- 1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese - Or any cheese you like
- 1 Egg - Add a second egg if mixture is too dry
- ⅓ cup All-purpose flour - Add more if mixture is too wet
- ½ teaspoon Salt - Adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper - Or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Green onions or chives - Optional, for extra flavor
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder - Optional
- 1 tablespoon Sour cream - Optional, adds creaminess
- 2 tablespoon Bacon bits - Optional, or use chopped cooked bacon
- 3 tablespoon Vegetable oil or butter - For frying, or any neutral cooking oil
Instructions
- Combine mashed potatoes, shredded cheese, egg, flour, salt, and pepper.
- Adjust texture with more flour or egg as needed.
- Add optional flavor boosters like green onions, garlic powder, or bacon.
- Shape into patties and fry until golden brown on each side.
- Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
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