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How to fry leftover mashed potatoes

How to fry leftover mashed potatoes

When it comes to cooking in the contemporary age, most people look for delicious food that can be quickly prepared.

Between work, school careers, volunteering, and socializing, people often look for clever ways to make their kitchen last longer throughout the week.

Plus, with the cost of living rising in most countries around the world, stretching your budget a little further will help you save a few pennies for a rainy day.

Potatoes have long been a favorite in most homes. Whether fried into chips, mashed or baked, they are often the heart of delicious, mouth-watering meals.

Even if you have picky eaters, mashed potatoes are something most people love to eat. Its smooth texture and simple, yet appetizing flavor appeal to young and old alike.

If mashed potatoes are a regular in your house, you are likely often faced with the task of how to reuse leftovers.

Cold, leftover mashed potatoes are often incredibly dry and unappetizing, which can cause many people to throw them away after a day or two.

So how do you fry leftover mashed potatoes? Mashed potatoes are best fried on the fire. Using a neutral vegetable oil for frying in the pan, along with a few drops of extra liquid in the form of milk or milk alternatives to help reconstitute the potatoes, helps turn these leftovers into a crispy, golden snack.

Leftover mashed potatoes can be turned into an exciting new meal or side dish, saving you from having to cook for lunch the next day. Read on to find out more about how to fry leftover mashed potatoes.

How to fry leftover mashed potatoes

When it comes to leftover mashed potatoes, there are a few tricks that will make your leftover potatoes deliciously palatable or downright unpalatable.

To eat delicious mashed potatoes on the second or third day, you have to make sure that the consistency is right and that they are heated and cooked properly.

If the mashed potatoes are too dry, it can taste like cardboard, and you won’t get past the first bite.

On the other hand, mashed potatoes that are too boiled and soggy can be watery and tasteless, making any accompanying food unappetizing as well.

In fact, many professional kitchens also make mashed potatoes ahead of time for a few days and reheat them when needed.

Step by Step

To fry the mashed potatoes on the stove, follow these steps:

  1. Put the stove on medium heat and place a non-stick pan on the resistance
  2. Pour in enough frying oil (use an oil with a high smoke point) to cover the bottom of the pan
  3. Layer the mashed potato in thin layers over the pan (as if you were making French fries)
  4. Let cook on one side until golden brown, then flip.
  5. Serve it hot!

Other Ways to Fry Leftover Mashed Potatoes

While traditional frying is often done on the stove, there are plenty of modern ways to fry and heat mashed potatoes that can put a healthier spin on your meal.

Oven

Like our frying method, baked potato cakes are a great idea if you want to include less oil.

Set your oven to 400°F.

Add flour, seasonings and lots of cheese to taste. Next, shape your mashed potatoes into patties.

Depending on the size of your burgers, they will need to bake for 10-15 minutes.

One way to check if they are done is to see that they look golden brown on the outside (if they get too golden and start to look brown, they have been baked too long and may taste burnt).

air fryer

You can also make mashed potato pancakes in the air fryer. They are a great way to use leftover potatoes in a new way. They are crispy on the outside and creamy and fluffy on the inside.

They’re great as a single dish or as a side dish, and it’s a method worth mastering.

With two cups of mashed potatoes, add cheddar cheese to taste, a little spring onion, an egg and a couple of tablespoons of flour. Make sure it comes together well, then make pancake shapes out of the mixture.

To ensure they hold their shape in the air fryer, you can place the pancake shapes in the freezer for 10 minutes.

They will then be ready to go into the air fryer. Cook them for 10 minutes, then flip them over and cook them for about 5 more minutes.

In the microwave

Done just right, leftover mashed potatoes can be microwaved.

  • Add a little milk, butter and cream to a microwave-safe dish and stir well
  • Cover with a paper towel to catch any splattering mashed potatoes as it heats.
  • Microwave on full power for 30 second increments until hot

As long as you keep an eye on it while it’s heating up in the microwave so it doesn’t overheat.

Leftover Mashed Potatoes Recipe Ideas

There’s no reason leftover mashed potatoes should just reincarnate as mashed potatoes one more time. There are many potentially exciting ideas you can try to give your mashed potatoes an exciting twist and a twist.

Read on for some mouth-watering tips to help fill out your weekly meal plan:

1. Mashed Potato Pie

Burgers made from leftover mashed potatoes are incredibly versatile. They can be served with meat or chicken or with a number of vegetables. Mashed potato burgers are also a great alternative to meat.

To get a delicious potato burger, mix the mashed potatoes with flour, onion, egg, black pepper and salt. Make sure everything is well mixed.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Carefully place a patty-shaped portion of the mixture in the skillet. Fry until golden. Remove it and drain it.

2. Mashed Potato Sandwich Filling

Heat a frying pan and add a few drops of oil. Add some spices and flavors to taste. This can include chili flakes, salt, and pepper.

Add the onions and garlic, and cook them for about 2 minutes. Next, add the potatoes. Stir well so it doesn’t burn or stick to the pan.

Once it’s all mixed, it should be a golden yellow color. You can add salad and cheese to taste.

3. Indian potato curry

There is nothing like a delicious curry. You only need a handful of spices like cumin, turmeric, chili, coriander, and mustard seeds.

Start by adding a few drops of oil to the pan. Fry the cumin and mustard seeds. When they start to crackle, add the potatoes and the rest of the spices. Mix well and add 1/2 cup of water and 1-2 tablespoons of yogurt.

The result should be a sensationally creamy curry that can be served with rice or naan.

4. Potato paste filling

There is nothing quite as delicious as a cheesecake. Although the name is misleading, the main ingredient in these cakes is, in fact, the potato.

Just add butter, add generous amounts of cheese, and mix it into your mashed potatoes. You can also add a splash of milk or cream to get a smoother texture.

Roll out some puff pastry squares and fill them with the cheese/potato filling on one side. Fold them and seal them with a little milk or egg. Put them in the oven and bake them until golden, about 10-12 minutes.

Once baked, you will have a delicious crispy potato-filled puff pastry to enjoy. These dumplings can also be frozen and baked at a later time.

Conclution

Potatoes are highly prized around the world in a variety of cuisines. Mashed potatoes, in particular, make a great garnish for any meal.

Whether paired with a steak or grilled chicken or even a bean burger, mashed potatoes are comforting and delicious.

If your family likes mashed potatoes, you can make a large batch and refrigerate.

Leftover mashed potatoes are also incredibly versatile. If fried properly, they can make a new and equally delicious meal in a matter of minutes. They can be a pie crust or a pie filling, or they can also be made into burgers or pancakes.

Whether you want to feed your family on a budget or make your kitchen last for days, learning how to fry mashed potatoes can free up your time and wallet.