After a big Thanksgiving feast, you might end up with extra food on your hands. So I’m here with some inspiration for re-purposing a classic dish (mashed potatoes) into a brand new (but just as delicious) dish: leftover mashed potato pancakes!
(See also: How to Have a Stress-Free Holiday Eating Experience)
Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes
These mashed potato pancakes are an awesome use for leftover mashed potatoes (like my healthy mashed potatoes or spiced mashed sweet potatoes).
They’re super easy to make, and they taste a lot like latkes. They also make an excellent base for a post-Thanksgiving brunch. I love them with a fried egg on top! Golden, crispy perfection.
The texture of these mashed potato pancakes is perfectly creamy and rich like you’d expect from mashed potatoes, but fluffy and crispy on the outside like you’d expect from pancakes. Mmmm.
They smell and taste a lot like latkes, so they would make a great replacement for latkes if you want to serve potato pancakes as an appetizer but don’t want to deal with all the work of grating potatoes.
Or, there’s always brunch, which you guys know is my absolute fave. Everything is delicious with a fried egg on top, right? Sautéed kale and mushrooms were an excellent addition, too.
Mashed Potato Pancake Ingredients
Here are the ingredients for the mashed potato pancake base:
- leftover mashed potatoes
- eggs
- whole wheat flour
- green onions
- olive oil (or vegetable oil)
If you’re not an onion fan, you are welcome to leave those out and make this a 3 ingredient recipe. Also, for a gluten free variation, an all purpose gluten free flour will work just as well as the whole wheat flour.
As always, feel free to mix up the toppings with whatever you like!
How to Make Mashed Potato Pancakes
These are as easy to make as normal pancakes. Start by mixing together your mashed potatoes, eggs, flour, and green onions until combined. Then, in a large skillet, drizzle a little olive oil and turn to medium-high heat.
Next, drop 6 mounds of batter into the hot skillet (a little less than 1/2 cup each). Cook until golden brown on one side (~4 minutes), then flip and cook until cooked through (another ~3-4 minutes).
That’s it! Serve warm, optionally topped with sauteed veggies and a fried egg (if eating for brunch/breakfast). Would also be delicious topped with sour cream and applesauce or smoked salmon.
The full recipe is at the bottom of this post. Let me know if you make them! Enjoy! 🙂
What’s your favorite way to enjoy Thanksgiving leftovers? I’m also partial to the turkey and cranberry sandwich.
Here are more tasty recipe ideas for Thanksgiving leftovers to try!
Looking for more healthy holiday recipes? Check these out:
- Leftover Turkey and Wheat Berry Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
- Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
- Healthy Mashed Potatoes
- Spiced Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Savory Cranberry Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Vegan Cranberry Quinoa Salad
Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes
Not sure what to do with all those leftover mashed potatoes (regular or sweet)? Try these leftover mashed potato pancakes. They make an excellent base for a post-Thanksgiving brunch!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
- olive oil or vegetable oil, as needed
Instructions:
- Mix together mashed potatoes, eggs, flour, and green onions until evenly combined.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat with a drizzle of oil.
- Drop batter onto the hot skillet in 6 mounds (about a scant 1/2 cup each). Cook until golden brown on the first side, about 4 minutes, then flip and cook until cooked through, another 3-4 minutes.
- Serve topped with sauteed veggies and a fried egg for breakfast or as an alternative for latkes as an appetizer.
