Irish Potato Cakes

Irish Potato Cakes are a delicious way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. If you don't have any leftover mashed potatoes, it is well worth making up a batch just for these potato cakes. 

These Irish potato cakes, or potato pancakes, are creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside. 

Potato pancakes are quintessential Irish pub food. My husband is Irish (from Dublin), and one of his favorite dishes was his mom's Irish potato cakes. Every time we visited his parents, his mom always made us these, and they were always such treat. As an Irishman, he loves potatoes. The stereotype is true, at least in our house. 

In fact, when I made the mashed potatoes for these potato cakes and tucked them into the fridge for later, he immediately noticed them. I assured him that potato cakes were in his future as long as he kept his hands off the mashed potatoes. 

These potato pancakes are so easy to make too. You just mix some flour into already prepared mashed potatoes, Scoop the mixture into a skillet, and heat them in some melted butter until the outsides are brown and crispy. 

These are great for a hearty bacon and egg breakfast or topped with chopped red onions, capers, sour cream, and smoked salmon (like a bagel!). I had some with homemade ketchup. Ah-maze-ing.

Make Ahead Tip:

These potato cakes can be made in advance, and then refrigerated. Simply reheat them in a lightly buttered skillet or your oven or toaster oven. 

Variations:

You can also add an egg to the mixture if you like to bind the potatoes together, especially if your mashed potatoes are very creamy. If you do use egg, keep the ratio to 1 egg to every three cups of mashed potatoes. If you are making less, just use a portion of a whisked egg and save the rest for making scrambled eggs. 

Feel free to experiment with various add-ins such as chives, scallions, chopped cooked bacon, and even some grated cheddar. 

Note: If you do make mashed potatoes specifically for these potato cakes, be sure to add half and half, butter, and salt and pepper to the potato mixture as you normally would. Then, let the mashed potatoes cool before adding the flour and egg. 

Irish or St. Patrick's Day-themed breakfast recipes for Sunday Funday!

• 2 Ingredients Irish Shrimps Pastry Turnovers from Sneha's Recipe
• Dark Chocolate Chunk Baileys Cream Scones  from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Irish Banger Skillet from Culinary Cam
• Irish Cream French Toast Casserole from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Irish Mushroom Toast from Palatable Pastime
• Green Eggs & Ham Bake from Amy's Cooking Adventures

More Tasty Irish Recipes: 

• Fisherman's Pie
• Oat and Potato Bread
• Colcannon
• Colcannon Cakes
• Irish Leek and Potato Soup
• Smoked Trout and Horseradish Pate
• The Waterford Blaa
• Cheesy Potato Soup with Irish Ale from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Irish Chocolate Stout Cake from Sugar Loves Spices
• Instant Pot Irish Stew with White Cheddar Crust from A Day In The Life On The Farm
• Irish Baked Eggs with Spinach from Tara’s Multicultural Table
• Dublin Coddle from Kitchen Frau
• Irish Parsnip Soup from Curious Cuisinière

Irish Potato Cakes

Yield: 12 potato cakes

Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min

Irish Potato Cakes are a delicious way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. If you don't have any leftover mashed potatoes, it is well worth making up a batch just for these potato cakes.

Ingredients

• 3 cups leftover prepared mashed potatoes
• 1 cup flour
• 1 egg, whisked, optional
• 4 tablespoons butter
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Mix the mashed potatoes with the flour and optional egg.
2. Melt the butter in a skillet until bubbly. Scoop the potatoes with a half cup cookie scoop onto the surface of the skillet and gently press down with an oiled spatula. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Pan fry the potatoes for several minutes over medium low, until browned. Flip the potato cakes over, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and continue to cook until the other side has browned. Repeat with the rest of the potatoes.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

117

Fat (grams)

4 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

3 g

Carbs (grams)

17 g

Fiber (grams)

1 g

Net carbs

16 g

Sugar (grams)

0 g

Protein (grams)

3 g

Cholesterol (grams)

24 mg

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2018/03/irish-potato-cakes.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

potatoes, potato cakes

side dish, breakfast

Irish

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Updated March, 2024 with new photos and information. Originally posted March, 2018.