Recipe
These Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes make an amazing side dish or light dinner or lunch. These are the perfect way to enjoy those leftover potatoes that are sitting in your fridge and the flavour combinations are endless. You can get creative with the seasonings and add-ins in this recipe, but here is the one I like. Next time you make mashed potatoes, add a couple extra potatoes to the pot so you can make these for another meal.
Loaded Mashed Potato Cakes
• 2 cups cold mashed potatoes
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup of flour
• 6 strips bacon
• 1 medium onion, chopped
(or ¼ cup of green onion)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped or 1 tsp dried
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped or 1 tsp dried
• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp butter or margarine
Fry the bacon until crispy and drain on a paper towel until cool. Crumble into small bits. Place the bacon bits into a large bowl. Pour off all but 2 tbsp of bacon grease from the frying pan and cook the garlic, and white onion if using, over medium heat until translucent. (If using green onion, no need to precook). Add to the bacon bits along with remaining ingredients (except butter/margarine) and blend well with a spoon or your hands (it’ll be sticky). Wash and dry your frying pan, then melt 1 tbsp of butter or margarine in it over medium heat. Scoop up about 1/4 of a cup of the potato mixture and form it into a ball. Place it in the hot pan, flattening it out until it’s about 1/2 – 3/4″ thick. Fry for about 3 minutes on each side, until they are lightly golden brown. For best results, serve immediately, while hot and crispy. Top with green onions, sour cream or ketchup.