This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.

Fried mashed potato balls are a fun appetizer or snack and a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. The potato balls are coated in bread crumbs and then fried until golden and crispy. They’re great plain or with a dipping sauce on the side.

Crispy bite-sized mashed potato balls filled with creamy mashed potatoes. Don’t these just sound delicious?

These were really easy to make. You can use any sort of mashed potatoes, just make sure they aren’t too thin or runny otherwise, it will be hard to roll them into balls and fry them.

I bought a pre-made package of creamy mashed potatoes that had some potato chunks, but you can also use leftover mashed potatoes.

You roll them, double coat them in egg and bread crumbs, and then fry them. I was really pleased with how well the ball shapes held up. I was a little worried they’d lose their shape since they were so soft, but they came out quite nice.

You can even dip them in some gravy and other sauce, but they taste great on their own. I’ll definitely be making these again.

Ingredients

Cold mashed potatoes
Italian style bread crumbs
Large eggs
Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and place the breadcrumbs in a separate bowl.

Pour the oil into a pan. You should have at least 1″ of oil. Heat it over medium-high heat and, once it’s hot, adjust the heat to medium.

Roll a spoonful of the mashed potato mixture into a ping-pong-sized ball. You can also use a small cookie scoop.

Roll it in the egg and then dredge it in the bread crumbs. Do these steps again so the ball is double breaded. Repeat with the rest of the mashed potatoes.

Carefully place the breaded balls into the hot oil. Fry them for a few minutes, turning them as needed until they are evenly dark golden brown.

If the coating browns too fast, reduce the heat. You want the inside of the ball to heat up before the breading turns too brown. It can help to use a deep-fry thermometer to measure the heat.

Fry the mashed potato balls in batches. Don’t overcrowd the pan or they won’t cook evenly. Once they are cooked use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. This will absorb the excess oil. Serve them warm.

How to Serve Them

You can garnish them with freshly ground black pepper and chopped herbs like parsley or chives.

They’re delicious plain, but they are great with dipping sauces, too. Try ranch dip, sour cream, aioli, warm gravy, or even BBQ sauce or salsa.

Recipe Tips

I think bacon would be really good in the breading. You can fry some, finely chop it and then mix it into the breadcrumbs so it’s part of the coating.

If you want cheesy fried mashed potato balls, try stirring some shredded cheddar cheese into the cold mashed potatoes.

I’ve only made these with dried breadcrumbs, but panko should work, too. Just be sure it sticks well to the balls when you roll them in it.

These made the perfect snack while we watched TV this past weekend. I will make them again when I have mashed potatoes on hand.

More Appetizer Recipes