Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes are the perfect way to use up leftovers after a big holiday gathering. Add Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs to transform this classic dish into something new.

It’s easy to make too many mashed potatoes. They are beloved by many, but the plethora of dishes on the holiday table means that there isn’t a lot of plate real estate for mashed potatoes. Sure, leftovers are great. I am a huge fan of leftovers! But sometimes… they need a little something extra. In this case, that something extra is cheese and breadcrumbs.
I prefer a thicker mashed potato, so if you have a silkier mash, then you might need to add additional cheese, breadcrumbs, or egg. (Oh no! More cheese!) Play around with the consistency until it forms a patty that will stick together.
These leftover mashed potato pancakes don’t need much more of a review than the words of my husband and favorite taste-tester: “These taste like a drive-through hashbrown, but in a good way, and much better.”
I’ll take it.

Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes
Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes are the perfect way to use up leftovers after a big holiday gathering.
What You'll Need
- 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs divided
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
What to Do
- In a mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, parmesan cheese, egg, and ¼ cup of breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly. The mixture should be somewhat stiff and easy to form into patties. If it is still too “sticky” add some additional breadcrumbs.
- Form the mixture into 6 equal sized patties, about ¾” thick.
- Place the remaining breadcrumbs on a plate or shallow bowl. Coat each side of the mashed potato patties with the breadcrumbs, patting them in slightly.
- In a large nonstick skillet, add enough olive oil to generously coat the bottom. Heat on medium-high until the oil shimmers.
- Add the patties to the hot oil. Be careful -- the oil may spatter! Cook the patties 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and heated through.
- Remove the patties from the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste.
I love this idea! While I love mashed potatoes, I tend to not eat the leftovers, and something like this would be perfect. I would love these for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
These sound so good! I actually don’t love regular mashed potatoes because of the texture, so I feel like making them crispy is the way to make me enjoy them! 😀
I hear ya! Crispy is always better 🙂
You can’t beat some crispy fried potato, these look lovely.
I just love doing this with my mashed potatoes. It’s a great way to use them up 🙂
Love this delicious idea! And these look so tasty too!
I make these all the time! Nana always made them for breakfast. I’ve never coated them with breadcrumbs before frying though. I’ll have to try that!
I just made these. I added a half cup of leftover corn to the mix. The interior was creamy, the exterior was crispy and they tasted fantastic