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These ham and cheese mashed potato croquettes are golden and crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, and the perfect way to use up leftover mashed potatoes and ham. They come together in about 25 minutes with just a handful of ingredients you probably already have on hand.
If leftover potatoes are your starting point, you might also love these Mashed Potato Puffs or these Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Ham.
- Using up leftover ham? Check out my collection of Leftover Ham Recipes for more ideas.
3 Tips That Really Matter For Croquettes
A few things that make a real difference with this recipe:
- Mix with your hands, not a spoon. Overmixing makes mashed potatoes gummy and starchy. Use your hands to fold the mixture together until just combined.
- Thicker mashed potatoes hold together better. If your mixture feels too soft to shape, work in extra flour one tablespoon at a time until it holds when pressed.
- Watch your oil and your timing. Test the oil by sprinkling in a few drops of water. If they sizzle, it’s ready. Fry time varies by stove and pan, so start checking at 2 to 3 minutes per side.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How to Make Mashed Potato Croquettes
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
This recipe is as straightforward as it gets. You can start with leftover mashed potatoes, fold in the mix-ins, shape, and fry. Here’s how to do it well.
Step 1: Mix the Potato Mixture
Add the mashed potatoes, ham, cheese, garlic powder, chives, and flour to a large bowl. Use your hands to fold everything together until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
Use a cookie scoop to portion the mixture into even pieces before shaping. It keeps the croquettes a consistent size so they cook evenly.
Step 2: Shape the Croquettes
Lightly flour your hands and divide the mixture into 16 small flat disks, about half an inch thick. If the mixture is sticking or won’t hold shape, work in a bit more flour.
A Note on Shape: These can also be shaped into balls if you prefer. Just be ready to rotate them during frying so all sides get golden.
Step 3: Heat the Oil
Heat about a quarter inch of vegetable or canola oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Cast iron works great here.
Test the oil by sprinkling in a few drops of water. Sizzling means it’s ready.
Step 4: Fry in Batches
Add the croquettes to the pan in a single layer with a little space between each one. Don’t crowd the pan or they’ll steam instead of crisp.
Fry, flipping once, until deep golden brown on both sides. Start checking around 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Baked option: For a baked version, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Dip the shaped croquettes in a whisked egg wash, then in breadcrumbs. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes until golden. The breadcrumb coating is key for color and crispness in the oven.
Step 5: Drain and Cool
Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Let them cool for about 5 minutes before serving. They firm up slightly as they cool and are best eaten warm.
Serve with ranch, barbecue ranch, or sriracha mayo for dipping.
Storage Tips
Storage, Freezing, and Make Ahead
Refrigerate: Store leftover croquettes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat: For the best results, reheat in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes per side to bring back the crispy exterior. The microwave works in a pinch but the crust will soften.
Freeze: These freeze beautifully before frying. Shape the croquettes and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for one hour until firm, then transfer to a zip-top freezer bag. Store for up to 6 months. Fry directly from frozen using the same method, adding about 1 to 2 minutes per side. No thawing needed.
Make Ahead: The potato mixture can be made and shaped a day ahead. Lay the croquettes on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely, and refrigerate until ready to fry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my potato croquettes fall apart?
The most common culprit is too much moisture in the mashed potatoes, or not enough flour. If the mixture won’t hold a shape when you press it, add flour one tablespoon at a time until it does. Also make sure you’re mixing with your hands and not overmixing, which can make the potatoes gluey and harder to bind.
Can you make potato croquettes with instant mashed potatoes?
Yes. Instant mashed potatoes work well here, especially because they tend to be thicker and drier than homemade, which actually makes shaping easier. Prepare them as directed, let them cool, and use in place of leftover mashed potatoes.
How long do potato croquettes take to cook?
About 2 to 4 minutes per side, depending on your stove and pan. Oil temperature matters a lot. If the croquettes are browning too fast on the outside before cooking through, lower the heat slightly and give them more time. Start checking at 2 to 3 minutes per side and pull them when they’re deep golden brown.
More Ways to Use Ham and Potatoes
- Loaded Mashed Potato Puffs
- Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
- Ham and Cheese Sliders
- Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
- Ham and Cheese Quiche
Mashed Potato Croquettes
Ingredients
- 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
- 1 cup finely diced ham
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus more for your hands
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil, for frying
Instructions
- Mix the filling. Add mashed potatoes, ham, cheese, garlic powder, chives, and ½ cup flour to a large bowl. Use your hands to fold everything together until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Shape the croquettes. Lightly flour your hands. Divide the mixture into 16 small flat disks, about ½ inch thick. Use a cookie scoop to portion evenly before shaping.
- Heat the oil. Pour oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron recommended) to about ¼ inch deep. Heat over medium to medium-high heat. Test by sprinkling a few drops of water into the pan. If they sizzle, the oil is ready.
- Fry in batches. Add croquettes in a single layer with space between each. Fry, flipping once, until deep golden brown on both sides, about 2 to 4 minutes per side. Do not crowd the pan. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Rest and serve. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with ranch, barbecue ranch, or sriracha mayo for dipping.
Notes
- Mix with your hands to avoid overworking the potatoes, which can make them gummy.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the mixture before shaping for evenly sized croquettes.
- Keep croquettes at about ½ inch thick. Thicker patties take longer to cook through.
- Do not crowd the pan. Leave space between croquettes so they crisp on all sides.
- Fry time varies by stove and pan. Start checking at 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Baked Option: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Dip shaped croquettes in egg wash, then in breadcrumbs. Bake on a parchment-lined sheet for about 15 minutes until golden.
- Cheese: Cheddar is classic, but swiss, gruyere, or parmesan all work well with ham.
- Chives: Green onions are a good substitute.
- Ham: Leftover holiday ham, a ham steak, or deli ham all work. Chop into very small pieces.
- Add flour one tablespoon at a time until the mixture holds its shape when pressed.
- Very creamy or thin mashed potatoes need more flour. You can also add one egg to help bind.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet for best crispness.
- To freeze: arrange shaped (uncooked) croquettes on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze up to 6 months. Fry directly from frozen using the same method, adding 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
I tried the recipe, and the croquets are very tasty. 4 minutes on each side is way too long, at least that was how they cooked up for me. The first 4 that I cooked I noticed that they were burned on the outside after about 3 minutes. The second batch I made was just under 2 minutes on each side and they were golden and crispy. That is the only change that I would suggest.
Thanks for your feedback. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
The initial recipe seems simple enough, but unfortunately it’s TOO simple. I was a little suspect, and my suspicious became true when the little croquette patties wouldn’t hold together while frying in the pan. The flour consistency was fine when initially mixed, and formed nice easy to handle croquettes. They suffer from missing ingredients mixed in (like egg and other binders) plus a modest coating (egg, milk, breadcrumbs, etc.) to help brown easier and hold it together when trying to flip.
delicious! I add half an onion very finely diced and the family love them.
I’m trying to use up food we have, I even used the forever in the freezer ham. These were absolutely amazing. Everything came together in a couple of minutes….SO GOOD!!!!
Nice! Thanks for stopping by to share Amy.
Excellent recipe! Easy and delicious. Definitely keeping this one.
Thank you Kristen!
Delicious! I followed the instructions but I did double the recipe exactly. I also used the author’s suggestion to dip in egg wash and panko before frying for extra crunch. My family loved them too. I served them with a salad and dipped mine in a sriracha sauce. My family dipped in bbq. This morning I crisped one up under the broiler and ate it with a poached egg on top. So good and easy to prep ahead. They are extremely filling. I did use a garlic herb jack cheese as I was trying to use it up. Next time I might use a cheddar as recommended with a kick to it. Thank you!
You are so welcome Rj! Love your feedback, thanks for stopping by.
Hi! I want to make some to freeze for later on. Am I reading the instructions correctly on how long to cook from frozen? It says as “fry as directed from frozen”. Does that mean to fry 4 minutes per side until golden, same as if they weren’t frozen? Making sure I didn’t miss something in the instructions. Thanks!!
It may take longer than 4 minutes, but you fry them with the same method.
I used leftover mashed sweet potatoes with panko crumbs and added 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper and some crushed pineapple along with 1/4 cup diced coleslaw mix. Baked them and served with a pea shoot salad with a honey mustard vinaigrette.
Awesome feedback Roni! Thanks for stopping by.
Enjoyed the recipe ingrediencies. It was food I found in my kitchen, easy to make, and loved that it was decent in the amounts of sugar and sodium. Not at hard to follow directions to make. My family enjoyed it. For me it was a great recipe to share. Thanks for sharing!
You are so welcome Mary! Thanks for stopping by.