Potato Croquettes Recipe
Mar 25, 2024, Updated May 23, 2024
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These potato croquettes are irresistibly crispy and packed with flavor. They’re made with mashed potatoes loaded with bacon, chives, and cheddar cheese, rolled into balls, coated in breadcrumbs, fried until golden, and served with garlic aioli.
Crispy Potato Croquettes Recipe
There’s nothing quite like a crispy fried ball of cheesy potato goodness! Potato croquettes are one of the best ways to use leftover mashed potatoes, turning them into a crunchy, cheesy appetizer everyone loves. Add bacon and chives to the mix and serve them with an irresistible garlic aioli, and you’ve got the perfect bite.
Whether you’re hosting a party, planning a game day spread, or just craving a fun appetizer, my crispy potato croquettes are always a crowd favorite.
What Are Potato Croquettes?
Potato croquettes are bite-sized balls made with seasoned mashed potatoes that are breaded and fried until crispy. They’re crunchy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside, often filled with ingredients like cheese, bacon, herbs, or vegetables.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Potato Croquette Recipe
- Crispy Outside, Cheesy Inside. Each croquette fries up golden and crunchy on the outside while staying soft, creamy, and loaded with melted cheddar on the inside.
- Loaded With Flavor. Mashed potatoes, crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, and chives make every bite rich and tasty.
- Perfect Party Appetizer. These bite-sized potato croquettes are ideal for game day, holiday gatherings, or anytime you need a delicious finger food.
Ingredients for Potato Croquettes
For the mashed potatoes
- Russet potatoes – Yukon gold potatoes are also okay to use.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter to better control the flavor.
- Whole milk – Half and half will also work.
- Sour cream – Cream cheese softened at room temperature is okay to use.
- Cooked, crumbled bacon – Crisped-up, finely diced ham is a good substitute.
- Herbs and seasonings – Fresh chives and chopped parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – You could also use shredded Parmesan.
For the breading
- Vegetable oil – Or another neutral frying oil.
- All-purpose flour – The flour helps to absorb moisture from the potato mixture, resulting in a crispier bite.
- Eggs – Beaten eggs help the coating adhere to the potato mixture.
- Plain breadcrumbs – Don’t use panko; you can use seasoned or unseasoned bread crumbs.
To make the aioli
- Mayonnaise – Use full-fat mayonnaise.
- Garlic – I used fresh garlic, but ½ teaspoon of garlic powder works, too.
- Fresh lemon juice – Fresh is always best.
- Smoked paprika – Add a little cayenne for more heat.
How To Make Potato Croquettes
- Make the aioli. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce, cover, and chill in the fridge.
- Boil the potatoes. Add the potatoes and salt to a pot and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 12 minutes.
- Make the mashed potatoes. Mash the potatoes, then mix in the milk and sour cream, bacon, chives, parsley, cheese, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Cool at room temperature.
- Prep. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper and another with paper towels and heat 3 inches of vegetable oil to 375°F.
- Form the croquettes. Form the mashed potato mixture into 1½-inch balls and arrange them on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Dredge. Fill a bowl with flour, another with beaten eggs, and another with breadcrumbs. Dip each croquette in the flour, then in the egg, and then in the breadcrumbs, and return each to the baking sheet.
- Cook. Fry the croquettes in batches until golden brown, turning periodically. Transfer to the baking sheet lined with paper towels.
- Serve. Serve the potato croquettes warm, not hot, with aioli.
Recipe Tips
- Salt the water. Well-salted water helps season the potatoes from the inside, so your croquettes don’t taste bland.
- Get the oil temperature right. Oil that is too hot will burn the croquettes, and oil that is too cool will make the croquettes soggy. Use a candy thermometer to get the oil to 375°F before you begin frying.
- Don’t crowd the frying oil. Cooking too many croquettes at once will cause the hot oil to cool, leaving you with greasy croquettes. Fry in batches, bringing the oil back up to temperature between each batch.
- Use leftover mashed potatoes. Potato croquettes are one of the best ways to use leftover mashed potatoes. Just make sure the potatoes are chilled so they’re easier to roll into balls.
Variations
- Different dipping sauce. Serve the croquettes with sour cream, or spice up the aioli with hot sauce or cayenne, or try a new sauce altogether.
- Try a different protein. Swap bacon for sautéed ham, ground beef, or smoked salmon, or add extra cheese for a meatless option.
- Use sweet potatoes. Substitute potatoes with sweet potatoes.
- Italian flair. Use basil and mozzarella instead of chives, parsley, and cheddar, and dip in marinara. Or use rice and make arancini instead!
- Mushrooms. Replace the bacon and cheddar with sautéed mushrooms, leeks, and crumbled goat cheese.
What to Serve with Potato Croquettes
- Dipping sauces: Smoky garlic aioli, blender hollandaise, or honey mustard sauce all pair beautifully with crispy potato croquettes.
- Salads: A light salad balances the richness. Try my La Scala chopped salad or green goddess salad recipe.
- Party appetizers: Serve these croquettes alongside bacon and chives cheese balls or classic deviled eggs for an easy appetizer spread.
- Cocktails: A Campari Spritz or another light cocktail makes the perfect match for these crispy bites.
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Potato Croquettes
Crispy potato croquettes made with mashed potatoes, bacon, cheddar, and chives, breaded and fried until golden and served with smoky garlic aioli.
Ingredients
For the aioli
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
For the mashed potatoes
- 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper,, to taste
To bread and fry the croquettes
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 cups unseasoned breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Make the aioli. Whisk together the mayo, garlic, lemon juice, and smoked paprika. Cover and let the sauce chill in the fridge while you make the croquettes.
- Boil the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a pot, cover them with water, and add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 12 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain the water from the potatoes.
- Mash the potatoes. Use a fork or a potato masher to mash the potatoes.
- Doll things up. Slowly mix in the butter, milk, and sour cream until the liquid has absorbed into the potatoes. Mix in the bacon, chives, parsley, cheese, and garlic powder. Taste the mashed potatoes and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Cool. Allow the mashed potatoes to cool to room temperature.
- Prep. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper and another with paper towels. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, heat 3 inches of vegetable oil to 375°F. I highly suggest using a candy thermometer to measure the temperature.
- Form the croquettes. While the oil is heating up, form the mashed potato mixture into 1.5-inch balls and arrange them on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Set up the dredging station. Place 3 shallow bowls in a row. Fill the first with flour, the middle with the beaten eggs, and the last with breadcrumbs.
- Dredge. Dip each ball in the flour (to coat), then in the egg (to coat), and then in the breadcrumbs (to coat). Press down on the breadcrumbs to adhere better. Then, return it to its place on the baking sheet. Repeat until you have breaded all of the croquettes.
- Fry the croquettes. Fry the croquettes in batches until golden brown, turning with a spider skimmer periodically. Transfer the fried croquettes to the baking sheet lined with paper towels. Let them cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve. Serve the potato croquettes warm, not hot, with the prepared aioli.
Equipment
Notes
- Bake them in the oven: Preheat the oven to 400˚F, arrange the croquettes on a baking sheet, and bake them for 15 minutes or until golden and crispy.
- Cook them in the air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 400˚F, coat the basket with cooking spray, arrange the croquettes in the basket, about one inch apart, and cook them for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Shake the basket halfway through cooking.
- Proper Cooking: Fry the croquettes in batches without crowding so they cook evenly and don’t fall apart.
- Use Leftovers: Use leftover mashed potatoes instead of making them from scratch.
- Serving: Serve the cheesy potato croquettes immediately for best taste; refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days or freeze for 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1croquette dipped in sauce | Calories: 162kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 223mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 193IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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Proper Storage
- Fridge: Potato croquettes are best served immediately. Allow leftovers to cool to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Allow the croquettes to thaw in the fridge, if applicable. Arrange them on a sheet pan and bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until warm. You could also reheat them in the basket of an air fryer at 350°F for 3-5 minutes or until heated through.
Love
Thank YOU! ๐
The breading doesnโt stay on the mashed potatoes when fried and it took so long to make them! Iโm so disappointed because I love all your recipes but this one is a no.
Oh no! I’m really sorry to hear you had trouble with this! ๐ It’s a pretty basic recipe that’s been around for ages, nothing fancy or new about it. I’m not sure what went wrong, but if you’re up for trying again, here’s a couple of things that might help:
Pop them in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour before you fry them. This can help them stick together better.
Use plain, fine breadcrumbs instead of homemade or chunky ones. This makes a difference in how well the breading sticks.
When breading, do it in this order: flour, then egg, and breadcrumbs last. Press the breadcrumbs onto the croquettes so they stick on well.
Also, try not to crowd them in the pan when you’re frying. They cook more evenly this way, and the breading is less likely to fall off.
I hope this helps. Again, so sorry it didn’t work out.
Thank you so much for your reply Katerina! Itโs possible that my breadcrumbs were too chunky and I didnโt press them into the potatoes. Despite my fail at making them, I will say that they still tasted amazing! Iโm going to try the air fryer method as well. I still have a few rolled up in the fridge.
Can these be cooked in an air fryer?
Absolutely! Start by preheating your air fryer to 400ยฐF. Lightly coat the basket with cooking spray and arrange the croquettes so thereโs a bit of space around each one. Don’t crowd the basket – you will need to cook them in batches. Let them cook in the air fryer for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until they turn a nice golden color and get crispy. Halfway through, give the basket a shake to help them cook evenly.
Hi Katerina, I would love to make this recipe for an appetizer party Iโm invited to. Unfortunately I canโt serve them immediately. Is there any way to warm them before serving once I arrive. Thanks, June
Hi June!
Yes, you can pop them in an air fryer and reheat them for about 3 to 5 minutes at 350หF or in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes at 350หF.
What do you do with the butter in the ingredients list? It’s not in the recipe otherwise.
Hi!
Thanks for catching that! You want to mix it into the potatoes together with the milk and sour cream (step #4). I’ve updated the recipe card.
Could these croquettes be done in an air fryer? If so, at what temperature and for how long?
Yes, you can air fry them at 400หF for around 5 to 7 minutes or until golden and crispy. Shake the basket about halfway through cooking.