Potatoes–if you are like me, then you probably love potatoes in whatever form. Whether they are made into french fries, into chips, into mashed potatoes, or literally whatever you can think of, it still very much brings you heavenly flavor.
Now here’s another popular choice, for all the cheesy people (well, cheese lovers) out there–the Cheesy Potato Balls! Really, if you ever try to think anything that’s bad about cheese and potatoes, you will think of nothing. This is the best.
In this article, say goodbye to sad days because you will learn how to make potato balls, and they are here to make your frowns into smiles…in mere seconds, probably, since you’re going to munch it all one go.
Kidding aside, this is a perfect appetizer–or maybe a midnight snack–because, just because. Read on to learn some tips and trivia about this cheesy potato goodness.
What are Cheesy Potato Balls?
These small irresistible pieces of cheesy potatoes are croquettes that’s crispy on the outside, and chewy and cheesy on the inside. Croquettes–in essence–are typically a cylinder or sphere-shaped side dish or a snack that’s made out of fillings which are breaded and deep fried. In this case we use mashed potatoes with a cheese core that makes your mouth water just thinking about it.
Croquettes is a type of food which originated in the country of France way back in the 19th century. But as time went on, the first chefs who made this masterpiece went on around the world and passed this recipe to other chefs. Today, there are a lot of variations when it comes to making croquettes as the multitude of different food cultures clash together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Potato
Try to find potatoes that are similar in size so that it will cook evenly at the same time.
Cheese
We will be using regular processed cheddar cheese for this recipe. Some local brands you could use are Eden, Kraft, Cheezee, Ques-O, Danes, and the likes.
Breadcrumbs
We will be using Panko breadcrumbs for because of the texture. If you don’t have one, you can crush crackers or use the regular bread crumbs.
Optional Ingredients
While this recipe gives you cheesy potato balls which are sure to make your mouth drool, here are some ingredients which can make your croquettes even more delicious.
When creating the mashed potato mixture, you can add in some bacon and chopped green onions into the mix to add more texture and flavor.
Dips
For the dip, you can use basic ones like ketchup, or anything you have in mind which can complement the cheesy flavor of these croquettes.
Aside from these, we will also be using other regular pantry ingredients like flour, eggs, salt, black pepper, and cooking oil. If you are filling up your pantry, here’s a handy shopping guide:
Equipment You’ll Need
- Frying Pan- We will be using a regular shallow frying pan here since we will just be pan frying our shaped potato balls.
- Masher- Having a masher will add convenience during the mashing part of the potatoes. But if you don’t have one, you can also use a fork.
In need of kitchen tools and equipment? Read this before you buy:
How to Make Cheesy Potato Balls
Making these bunch of cheesy potato goodness is quite easy. Once you got the ingredients prepared all you’re going to do is to create a mixture out of the ingredients, shape the mixture into spheres or balls and coat with batter, and then proceed to deep fry them. Before you even know it you’ll be gobbling down this highly appetizing treat.
If you need to mash the potatoes beforehand, a good tip is to boil the potatoes first after peeling. This is to make them tender before mashing. Once done, proceed to lightly mashing them and making sure that no lumps will be formed. It is a good idea to have a cold mashed potato since it’s a lot easier to shape. So if you have time, you can make them a day prior to cooking and refrigerate overnight.
When coating the potato balls in the three different ingredients, you can cover your hand in flour to avoid having these ingredients stick to your hands. Another method you can do is to use two different hands in handling the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients, so you can keep your workstation–and your hand–clean.
How To Serve Cheesy Potato Balls
Cheesy potato balls taste best when it freshly cooked. Serve this as an appetizer to a multiple course meal or as a quick snack. You may also want to serve this with a dipping sauce. Ketchup, mayonnaise, mayo-ketchup, and garlic mayo are some good options.
Other Cheesy Recipes
- Homemade Cheesy Corned Beef Pie Recipe
- Filipino Cheese Donut Recipe
- Milky Cheesy Shakoy (Bicho-Bicho) Recipe
For a quick reference about this recipe, see the recipe table below:
Cheesy Potato Balls Recipe
Equipment
- Frying Pan
- Masher optional
Ingredients
- 3 pcs large-sized potato, mashed (see mashed potato tips above)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 pcs egg
- 7 pcs small cubed cheddar cheese
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 cups cooking oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the mashed potato, 1 egg, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.
- Scoop a part of the mashed potato (about 1 tablespoon) mixture and flatten it, forming a small pancake. Place the cheddar cheese cube in the center and wrap the mixture around the cheese, forming a ball. Repeat the process for the rest of the mixture.
- In three separate bowls, add-in flour, 1 whisked egg, and breadcrumbs. Dip the potato balls in flour, then whisked egg, and then breadcrumbs.
- In a medium cooking pan, pour-in and heat the cooking oil in medium to high heat.
- Add-in the potato balls. Deep-fry for 3 to 5 minutes or until nicely browned.
- Use paper towels to drain excess oil and transfer to a serving plate with a dip of your choice. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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