An easy, delicious way to turn leftover mashed potatoes into crispy, golden comfort food.
There’s something about old-fashioned cooking that I just love. Nothing fancy, no long list of ingredients, just good homemade food made with what you already have in the kitchen.
And one of my favorite ways to use leftover mashed potatoes is to turn them into potato pancakes.
I don’t mean the kind made with grated raw potatoes. These are made with mashed potatoes left over from another meal.
I add a little flour, an egg, and some finely diced onion. And yes, I love onions, so of course they’re going in there!
Then I spoon the mixture into my cast-iron skillet, flatten each pancake a little, and fry until golden brown.
The outside gets crispy while the inside stays soft and tender.
Why I Love Making These
For one thing, I hate wasting perfectly good food.
Leftover mashed potatoes don’t have to be reheated and served exactly the same way the next day. With just a few ingredients, they become something completely different.
They’re also inexpensive, filling, and easy to make.
And since I love cooking in cast iron, it’s another excuse to pull out my favorite skillet.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cold leftover mashed potatoes
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
- ¼ cup finely diced onion
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1–2 tablespoons cooking oil, or enough to lightly coat the skillet
Makes approximately 6–8 small pancakes, depending on size.
How to Make Mashed Potato Pancakes
1. Mix the ingredients
Place your cold leftover mashed potatoes in a mixing bowl.
Add the egg, flour, and finely diced onion. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
Stir until everything is combined.
The mixture should be thick enough to hold together when spooned into the skillet. If your mashed potatoes are particularly soft, add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time.
2. Heat the cast-iron skillet
Place your cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom.
Allow the skillet and oil to heat before adding the potato mixture.
3. Spoon and flatten
Spoon portions of the potato mixture into the skillet, leaving a little room between each pancake.
Use the back of your spoon to gently flatten them.
I like mine fairly thin so there’s plenty of surface area to get golden and crispy.
4. Cook until golden brown
Let the pancakes cook undisturbed for approximately 3–5 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown and firm enough to turn.
Carefully flip each pancake once and cook the other side for another 3–5 minutes.
The exact time will depend on the thickness of your pancakes and the heat of your skillet.
My Favorite Cooking Tool: I love making these potato pancakes in my cast-iron skillet. It gives them those delicious golden, crispy edges. If you’re interested in cooking with cast iron, you can check out the Lodge cast-iron skillet I use.
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5. Serve warm
Transfer the finished pancakes to a paper towel-lined plate if needed to absorb any extra oil.
Serve them while they’re warm and crispy.
A Few Tips
Cold mashed potatoes work best. They’re usually firmer and easier to work with than freshly made mashed potatoes.
Don’t add too much flour. You want the pancakes to hold together, but you still want that soft mashed potato center.
Dice the onions finely. Small pieces mix evenly into the potatoes and cook more easily.
Be patient before flipping. Let the bottom develop a golden crust so the pancake is less likely to fall apart.
Adjust for your leftovers. Mashed potatoes made with extra milk or butter may need a little more flour.
Simple Food, Good Memories
Some of my favorite things to cook are the recipes that don’t require a trip to the grocery store.
They’re the kinds of dishes people have been making in home kitchens for generations, using leftovers and a little creativity.
These mashed potato pancakes are one of those recipes.
A few simple ingredients, a hot cast-iron skillet, and something delicious comes out of what might otherwise have been forgotten in the refrigerator.
And if you’re anything like me, you might find yourself making extra mashed potatoes just so you’ll have leftovers!
If you love simple potato recipes as much as I do, you might also enjoy my Fried Potatoes and Onions in Cast Iron recipe. It’s another easy, old-fashioned favorite!
Do you make potato pancakes with leftover mashed potatoes? And are you an onion lover like me? I’d love to hear how you make yours!