Can these crispy mashed potato balls be made in an air fryer?

Yes, you can make these potato balls in an air fryer. I recommend freezing them for 20 minutes before placing in the air fryer at 350F, spraying with some oil, and frying until they are golden on all sides. You may need to flip them over halfway through.

Can these fried mashed potato balls be made ahead of time?

You can prepare these balls ahead of time, but I recommend not to fry them until you are ready to serve them. Instead, you can keep the fully assembled balls in the fridge for 1-2 days, or in the freezer for several weeks. Just make sure they are properly covered. If frozen, let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then fry.

How to store crispy fried mashed potato balls?

You can keep these balls in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or in the fridge for 5 days. To reheat, I recommend using an air fryer or the oven at 350F until they are fully warmed up.

Can I skip the cheese in the middle?

Yes, you can skip the mozzarella cheese in the middle, but don't skip the parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese.

Can I use bread crumbs instead of crackers?

Yes, you can use panko bread crumbs instead of crackers, but I recommend giving crackers a try! They taste a lot nicer.

Why did my balls burst during frying?

This can happen if the balls aren't well coated, or the mozzarella cube isn't in the middle, so be careful during assembly. This can also happen if the temperature on one side of the ball is very different from the other side during frying. To prevent this, I recommend you keep flipping the balls every 1 minute so both sides heat evenly. Also be very gentle when flipping and handling the balls during the frying process.

Crispy Fried Mashed Potato Balls

Description

These fried mashed potato balls have a crispy coating made using crackers instead of bread crumbs, a soft and creamy mashed potato interior, and a cheesy center.

Ingredients

Mashed potato filling:

500g potatoes (2-3); Russet or Yukon Gold
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature (113g)
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
2-4 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Crispy coating:

1 1/4 cup crushed crackers (original, salted flavor)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp chili flakes

Assembly:

1 8oz block of mozzarella cheese, cut into large cubes (mine were about 3/4" each)
2 large eggs

Frying:

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Instructions

Peel and cube the potatoes. Boil them in water, completely submerged, until they are just tender (they should not be mushy)
Drain the potatoes once they are boiled. Transfer to a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher
Add all the other ingredients: cheddar cheese, cream cheese, salt, pepper, chili flakes, garlic powder, chopped parsley and flour, and mix to combine
The mixture should be soft and slightly sticky but firm enough that it can be handled and turned into balls. You can adjust the amount of flour but don't add too much more. If the potatoes still feel too sticky, refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes
Using a 2" cookie scoop, scoop up the potato mixture. Place it in your palm and gently press a mozzarella cube in the middle. Form it into a ball, trying your best to keep the cheese in the center and an even thickness of potato all around. Scrape your hands between each ball, and continue until all potatoes are done. You should have 10 balls in total
Place the balls on a sheet with parchment paper, and place in the freezer for 30 minutes
In a separate bowl, add the crushed crackers, parmesan and chili flakes, and mix until combined
Break the eggs and whisk them thoroughly in another bowl
Once the potato balls are out of the freezer, start coating them. Dunk each ball into the egg, followed by the crackers, followed by the egg and the crackers again, so they are double coated. Make sure to get all sides thoroughly coated with each turn and press the crumbs in gently. Place the balls back on the tray as your assemble, and transfer to the fridge while you heat up the oil
In a heavy bottomed skillet, heat 2" of vegetable oil until it is hot (about 330F, should not be too hot)
Fry the potato balls in 2-3 batches for about 6-8 minutes each until they are deep golden and crispy. You want to gently flip the balls over every minute or so, so that all sides are cooking evenly. This will prevent the balls from bursting open
Dab off any excess oil from the balls with a paper towel
Serve while still hot with any sauce of your liking!

Notes

If you don't have experience frying, I recommend frying one ball as a test first. This will give you an idea of how long to fry and at what temperature
Make sure you are very gentle and carefully flip the balls every ~1 minute or so while frying

Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Category: Side
Cuisine: American