Transform leftover mashed potatoes into crispy Baked Mashed Potato Croquettes for the perfect appetizer or side dish that everyone will love. No one will guess these crispy croquettes were baked!
I love the challenge of creating new dishes from leftovers. When it comes to mashed potatoes, we can never have enough. That’s why I usually end up with a container full of leftover mashed potatoes which are perfect for making potato croquettes. This is definitely one leftover that never goes to waste!
We all know that potato croquettes are usually fried. But no one will ever guess that these golden, crispy potato croquettes were baked! Read on for my tips on how to make the best baked croquettes.
A Sicilian street food
But first, did you know that potato croquettes are a popular Sicilian street food? They are usually called crocche di patate. But in Palermo they are also known as cazzilli, referring to a part of the male anatomy. You can look that one up if you need to! They are always fried and are breaded or simply dredged in flour and then fried.
Crocche di patate or cazzilli are also sometimes served in a panini along with panelle or chickpea fritters, another favorite Sicilian street food.
The secret to crispy baked potato croquettes:
I used cold leftover mashed potatoes straight out of the fridge. If you don’t have leftover mashed potatoes, boil 1 kg potatoes (about 2 lbs), rice them and place them in the refrigerator to cool completely before shaping. My mashed potatoes were obviously seasoned with butter and salt so be sure to season your potatoes if you are boiling them purposefully to make this recipe.
You’re probably wondering how I got that golden color and crisp texture without frying them. So here’s my secret: they are double dredged in egg wash and breadcrumbs.
Just look at that crust and creamy, cheesy interior!
Do not skip this very important step otherwise you’ll have soft croquettes that break apart when you try to turn them over while baking.
The baking sheet must be well greased. You don’t need all the oil that frying requires but I generously greased my parchment paper with approximately 2 tablespoons of olive oil. This gives them that beautiful color that you definitely want as well as a crispy coating. I also lightly drizzle the tops of the croquettes with olive oil before placing them in the oven.
Finally, a higher cooking temperature is a must. They are baked at 400F for about 20-22 minutes, no longer. If you keep them in the oven for much longer they will begin to crack. They will without a doubt still be delicious, however they may begin to crack on the sides.
How to make Baked Mashed Potato Croquettes:
You’ll find the complete detailed and printable recipe card at the end of the post, but for now let me guide you step by step through this recipe.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
- mashed potatoes
- Pecorino/Parmigiano grated cheeses: as my mother always does, I use a combination of both Pecorino and Parmigiano cheeses but you can use only one if you prefer
- fresh chopped parsley
- eggs
- dry unseasoned breadcrumbs
- olive oil
In a large bowl combine the mashed potatoes, grated cheese, parsley and an egg. I use my hands to thoroughly mix all ingredients together. Add salt, if needed.
Scoop out approximately 1/4 cup of potato mixture and roll in the palms of your hands to shape into a sphere.
Prepare 2 bowls for dredging: in the first beat an egg with a tablespoon of water. In the second, place the breadcrumbs. Dredge first in the egg wash, allowing the excess egg to drip off. Then dredge all sides in the breadcrumbs. Dredge a second time in the egg wash and breadcrumbs.
Place on a well greased parchment paper covered baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil over the top of the croquettes.
Bake in a 400F preheated oven for 10 minutes, then flip and bake for another 10-12 minutes until golden. Serve hot.
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350F oven until warmed through.
Serve as an appetizer or side dish and be sure to let me know how much you enjoyed these croquettes by rating them in the recipe card below. Feel free to Pin the recipe for later. Buon appetito!
Ingredients
- 4 cups mashed potatoes
- 3/4 cup combination of grated Parmigiano and Pecorino Romano cheeses
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup dry unseasoned breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Grease generously with 2 tbsp olive oil. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the mashed potatoes, grated cheese, parsley and an egg. I use my hands to thoroughly mix all ingredients together. Add salt, if needed.
- Scoop out approximately 1/4 cup of potato mixture and roll in the palms of your hands to shape into a sphere.
- Prepare 2 bowls for dredging: in the first beat an egg with a tablespoon of water. In the second, place the breadcrumbs. Dredge first in the egg wash, allowing the excess egg to drip off. Then dredge all sides in the breadcrumbs. Dredge a second time in the egg wash and breadcrumbs.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the croquettes lightly with the remaining olive oil.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then flip and bake for another 10-12 minutes until golden. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
This is exactly the recipe I had been looking for for a long time. Several times I tried to ‘improvise’ and the results were very good, but still only reheated mashed potatoes with eggs and cheese mixed in, not the ‘croquettes’ I ate at home decades ago. [In plain English: now I can have real ‘croquettes de pommes de terre’ before I die — no rush though! … my Christmas present to myself!]
I forgot to say ‘Thank you!’. Sorry!
Hi Francoise, thank you, I do hope you enjoy them!
they were delicious. just like my gram made
Would love to make these as a side for Thanksgiving, but will have a lot going on that morning. Is is possible to have these prepared the night before and just bake them later the next day?
Hello Jo, great question. Yes this would definitely work! I’ve done the same thing with other recipes such as arancini and it’s fine. Have a great thanksgiving!
Can you freeze these before you cook and cook at a later time?
Hello Gigi, yes in fact croquettes can be frozen before cooking them. Be sure to wrap them well in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. I would freeze them for up to 1 month. Hope you enjoy them!
I had trouble with these . My mashed potatoes were cold but not stiff enough. They fell apart while dredging. Despite this i did manage to brush with egg mixture and coat with bread crumbs while holding in my hand. Double dredging was not possible and it turns our was not necessary. They did nevertheless turn out quite well. I was able to cook them a bit longer because the potatoes were so moist . Next time i will try adding a stick of cheddar to the center see if that is feasible. Keep up the good work!
Hi Tom, sorry to hear that! Were they cold enough? Sometimes I have them in the fridge from the previous day. They can be delicate and that’s why I found that double dredging helps them retain their shape. Nonetheless I’m glad you enjoyed them. I like your idea of adding some cheddar in the center, I think mozzarella would also be good. Thanks for your comment!
They look delicious! I always use leftover mashed potatoes to make gnocchi, but I should try making these croquettes next time!
Hi Pat, leftover mashed potatoes for making gnocchi is a great idea. Definitely one of my favorite foods! But if you want to make something a bit faster, these croquettes are it. Thanks for your comment!
Oh yum! Can’t wait to try these! My Czech grandmother would takeleftover mashed potatos and add eggs, flour, minced onion, parsley, salt and make little patties and fry them up in a frying pan. Delicious, but not really company food, better for leftovers night at home. . But these croquettes will make a delightful and surprising company snack! Can’t wait to taste the Parmesan in these! Thanks Nadia! And a good Lenten recipe too!
Hi Annie, that sounds delicious as well! The parmesan cheese definitely makes a big difference in this recipe, you really want to taste the cheese. Enjoy!