Potato Croquettes

 Here's an easy recipe for potato croquettes that are crispy, flavorful, and fun to eat. A mixture of mashed potatoes, parmesan cheese, and parsley are formed into balls, lightly breaded, and fried until golden. They make an irresistible appetizer or accompaniment to a main meal, and they're ready in just 35 minutes!

These potato croquettes are one of those comforting, satisfying snacks that everyone loves. Mashed potatoes mixed with cheese and herbs, rolled into cute little balls, breaded, and fried until golden brown? Heck yes!

Potato croquettes are a popular snack that takes different forms around the world. There are the Japanese korokke, the Dutch kroketten, and the Spanish croquetas de jamòn. No one can resist these!

This simple Italian-inspired recipe for potato croquettes is flavored with parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, and parsley. They have a wonderfully crispy exterior and soft center. Serve them as a snack or side dish on their own or with a simple tasty dip.

What is a potato croquette?

The term ‘croquette' refers to any main ingredient that's breaded and baked or fried until crispy. It comes from the French word ‘croque' which translates to ‘crunch'. Often croquettes are shaped into cylinders or ovals but we found it easiest to shape them into balls for this recipe.

Potato croquettes ingredients

These easy homemade potato croquettes are made with simple ingredients, and no fancy potato ricer is needed. Here's everything you need to make them:

• Mashed potatoes – the best type of potato to use for croquettes are russet potatoes because they become dry and fluffy when cooked. Make sure the mashed potatoes are completely cold or you will have trouble forming the croquettes. You can use leftover mashed potatoes but if they are quite soft you will need to use flour to help bind them together.
• Parmesan cheese – parmesan cheese adds richness and a cheesy flavor. You can also use pecorino romano if you prefer.
• Onion + garlic – potatoes on their own aren't super flavorful so minced onion and garlic give these croquettes a flavor boost.
• Parsley – we mix some minced fresh parsley into the croquettes and sprinkle some on for serving.
• Eggs – eggs act as a binder for the mashed potatoes giving them form and structure.
• Salt + pepper – for seasoning, to taste.
• Panko – panko breadcrumbs are a type of Japanese breadcrumb traditionally used as a coating for deep-fried foods. We prefer them over regular breadcrumbs for the crispy texture they offer. Use gluten-free panko if needed.
• Flour – we use all-purpose flour for coating the croquettes before frying them. Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend if needed.
• Oil – any high-heat vegetable oil will work for frying like avocado oil, grape seed, or sunflower oil.

How to make potato croquettes

This potato croquettes recipe is a much-loved snack or appetizer that's easy to make in just a few simple steps:

• Mix together the mashed potatoes with the parmesan cheese, onion, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, and one of the eggs.
• Set up the egg, flour, and panko in three small shallow bowls.
• Use your hands to form small balls with the potato mixture, dipping them first in flour, then egg, and finally panko.
• Fry them in oil until they're light brown, making sure to not crowd the pot. You may need to work in batches.
• Carefully remove them from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Enjoy!

Dips to serve with potato croquettes

You can serve these potato croquettes on their own, or with a variety of different types of dips. Here are a few of our favorites:

• For a spicy dip mix up a sriracha mayo with some mayonnaise, sriracha, minced garlic, lemon juice, and sea salt. Or try our chipotle mayo recipe.
• Try them with our delicious garlic scapes aioli!
• Make a simple sour cream dip with some chopped chives and paprika.