Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes (One Pan)

Quick and easy one pan savory leftover mashed potato pancakes recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Ready in 30 minutes. They are crispy and golden brown on the outside but soft on the inside. Enjoy them for breakfast, brunch or even a main course because they are very filling.

When you have a big family dinner or a feast on Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter, you are bound to have leftovers. My favorite thing to do is to use them creatively and develop new recipes such as this Instant Pot Ham Bone Soup (With Leftover Ham) or this Leftover Turkey Quesadilla (One Pan) or even these Shredded Turkey Tacos (With Thanksgiving Leftovers). Last year, I made way too much mashed potatoes at a dinner party. The next day, I turned them into these savory pancakes and they have become a family favorite now.

Jump to:

• Key ingredients
• Variations
• How to make easy one pan leftovers mashed potato pancakes recipe from scratch?
• What to serve with savory pancakes?
• Tips and techniques
• Recipe FAQs
• Storage
• More one pot potato recipes
• Recipe

Key ingredients

• Potatoes- You will be needing leftover mashed potatoes for this recipe.
• Cheese- It needs to be shredded and you can use mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan or cheese blends.
• Flour- I like to use all-purpose flour but for a gluten free version, gluten free flour can be used.
• Salt and pepper- This adds a little bit of flavor.
• Onions- These must be finely chopped but you can use green onions, white onions, red onions or even yellow onions.
• Oil- You need something neutral tasting like vegetable, canola or corn oil.

Variations

• Try sweet potatoes- Use leftover One Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes for a different flavor profile.
• Give it a flavor twist by using cauliflower- You can use my leftover One Pot Mashed Garlic Cauliflower.
• Make mini versions- Those would be great as bite sized appetizers.
• Adjust seasonings- I only add salt and pepper. However, depending on the seasonings you used in your leftover mashed potatoes recipe, you may need to add more seasonings into the mixture give it more flavor.
• Try other cheese flavors- Mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan or Mexican cheese blends are all good options for this recipe. A little bit of feta also tastes delicious. You can use a variety of cheeses together or just stick to one flavor.
• Add bacon- Mix in 2-3 tablespoon fried bacon bits in the mixture.
• Add a meat filling- When you flatten the mixture, add 1-2 tablespoon of my One Pot Mexican Ground Beef (Taco Meat) or Instant Pot Sloppy Joes or One Pot BBQ Shredded Beef or even Instant Pot Shredded Beef. Then, cover with additional potato mixture and pan fry until crispy.

How to make easy one pan leftovers mashed potato pancakes recipe from scratch?

1. Prepare pancake mixture- By mixing together mashed potatoes, shredded cheese, onions, egg, flour, salt, pepper.
2. Form balls- And flatten them.
3. Pan fry them- Until golden brown on both sides.

What to serve with savory pancakes?

• To keep it light and simple, serve with sauces like sour cream, chili sauce, sriracha sauce, horseradish sauce, yogurt, One Bowl Tzatziki Sauce or Easy Blender Zhoug Sauce or my Blender Basil Pesto Sauce. If you prefer dips, then I suggest trying this Creamy Dill Dip or Homemade Veggie Dip or my favorite French Onion Dip.
• Make it a filling meal by serving alongside proteins such as smoked salmon, Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin or Slow Cooker Ham or this Slow Cooker Mississippi Roast or Instant Pot Italian Beef. You can even serve alongside this One Pan Roast Turkey Breast or this Instant Pot Chicken Curry.
• Serve as a side with soup such as One Pot Roasted Red Pepper Soup or One Pot Vegetable Beef Soup or even this One Pot Split Pea Soup.

Tips and techniques

• If you like these pancakes super crispy- Press these pancakes in breadcrumbs instead of flour.
• Don't omit the egg- That's what binds everything together.
• Size and thickness can vary- This will will depend on how big or small you roll the mixture into balls and how much you flatten them. I like them thinner but everyone has their own preference.
• Make them gluten free- Replace all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour.
• Make sure the oil is hot before you start pan frying- Or else they won't brown well and they will also absorb a lot of oil and become greasy.
• Adjust mixture consistency- Since everyone's mashed potatoes have a different consistency. Some like it super creamy and "wet" and others like it really thick, you would need to make some adjustments to get the perfect consistency. If the pancake mixture is looking too dry and crumbly, add a little milk. If it's looking very "wet," add flour (1 tablespoon at a time) until the mixture thickens and it's easier to hold together in the patty shape.
• Don't deep fry these pancakes- They are supposed to be pan fried.
• Don't use instant mashed potatoes- Their consistency is so thin and a lot of flour needs to be added to make the mixture easier to handle.
• Use freshly shredded cheese- Because the packaged versions are coated in cornstarch which adds an odd after-taste. 
• Use full fat cheese- Because it tastes the best and also melts the best. 
• Do not over-crowd the pan- To allow the pancakes cook evenly. 
• Don't keep flipping the pancakes over and over again- Because that can cause them to break and fall apart. 
• Use disposable plastic gloves- This is really helpful when making the round patty shapes because it prevents a sticky mess. 

Recipe FAQs

Storage

• Refrigerate- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days but tastes best when made fresh. 
• Freeze- This is not recommended since it just doesn't taste as good upon thawing.
• Room temperature- These can stay out for 2-3 hours.
• Make ahead- I recommend making the mixture a day in advance and refrigerating it but please pan-fry on the actual day you are planning on serving them.

More one pot potato recipes

• Instant Pot Potato Soup (Creamy)
• One Pot Potato Fritters (Aloo Pakora)
• Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes (One Pan)
• Microwave Baked Potatoes (One Pot)
• Crispy Sauteed Potatoes (One Pot)

Recipe