This Crispy potato lollipop is one of the quick appetizers. These mashed potato balls hardly takes 10 minutes to prepare these lollipops if you have leftover/ cooked potatoes ready.
Potato Lollipop (Mashed Potato Balls)
Simply mix the mashed potatoes with seasoning and breadcrumbs, shape them into balls, coat them in breadcrumbs, and then fry them to make these bite-sized party appetizers. You can also bake them or air fry them for 10 - 12 minutes at 400 F (200C).
If you have some overnight leftover cooked potatoes, you can prepare these appetizers in less than 15 minutes. This is vegan but you can also add cheese to it if you are not vegan.
Cook Potatoes For Lollipops
To boil potatoes, you can use a pressure cooker, a manual, or an electronic instant pot. You can also simmer them in a pot on the stovetop till they are cooked tender. For that, peel off the skin first, dice it into pieces, and boil till it's cooked.
Pierce a fork, if it enters smoothly, the potatoes are done. Remove from heat and drain out from hot water. Now refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes minimum. The more the better. Cold potatoes are better for binding since they turn starchy and can stick together better.
How to make potato lollipops aka mashed potato balls?
Ingredients List
Potatoes - Boil them before and make sure to cool them before you start mixing other ingredients.
Cornstarch - This is gluten-free and helps in binding the potatoes and spices.
Refined flour - Required to make a slurry.
Breadcrumbs - To bind and to coat.
Seasonings - Oregano, chili flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper.
Instructions
Take mashed potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add in all seasonings, and breadcrumbs (regular). Mix well making a soft dough-like mixture. Make sure the potatoes are cooled down to room temperature while adding other ingredients.
Divide the whole mixture into equal-sized small roundels (lemon-sized). Refrigerate for some time. This will help in setting the potato mixture.
In the meanwhile prepare a slurry of flour and cornstarch. Keep the panko bread crumbs ready in another plate/ bowl for coating. Season the breadcrumbs with a pinch of salt and a pinch of Italian seasoning.
In this stage, you can keep the potato balls in a freezer-friendly pouch or container and freeze for up to 2 - 3 weeks. Whenever required, remove from the freezer and keep at room temperature for 5 minutes and follow the rest of the steps.
Now take out the prepared balls and dip them into the slurry first. Then take it out from the slurry and roll it on the bread crumbs nicely coating it uniformly.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Drop the prepared potato balls one by one gently. Don't overcrowd the pan. Make in batches of 8 - 10 maximum at a time. Fry till you see it's golden and looks crunchy.
Crispy potato balls are ready. You can shape into desired shapes as well in place of simple balls. Serve these crispy potato balls or potato lollipops with any dips of your choice.
Potato Lollipop aka Mashed Potato Balls
Crispy Potato Lollipop (Mashed Potato Balls)
Equipment
- 1 large Mixing Bowl
- Deep Frying Pan or air fryer/oven
- 2 deep plates or large plates
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes Boiled, cooled, mashed
- 1 cup Refined vegetable oil or canola oil for deep frying/ shallow frying
- ยผ cup breadcrumbs
Seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder or minced garlic 3 cloves
- ยผ tsp cayenne pepper optional
- 2 tsp red chilli flakes
- 1 tsp salt or as per taste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning or any seasoning of choice/ oregano+ basil
For Slurry
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour for slurry
- 2 tbsp cornstarch for slurry
- 3 tbsp water
For Coating
- ยฝ tsp Italian seasoning
- ยฝ cup panko breadcrumbs for coating
Instructions
- Take mashed potatoes in a large mixing bowl.
- To this add breadcrumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper (chili powder), Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt.
- Mix them well.
- Then greese your palms and make small (lemon-size) balls from the mixture.
- Place them on a clean tray and cover it with cling wrap and refrigerate for 20 - 30 minutes.
- Then remove from the refrigerator and remove the wrap.
- Make slurry by mixing refined flour, corn starch with 4 - 5 tbsp water. It should be of flowing consistency just for coating purpose.
- In the meantime take breadcrumbs on a plate.
- Add chili flakes and Italian seasoning to it. Mix well.
- Dip the potato balls into the slurry and roll it on the panko breadcrumbs mixture.
- Repeat this for each ball and keep them aside.
- Heat enough oil in a pan for deep-frying.
- Deep fry or shallow fry them till it turns golden and crisp.
- Serve hot with any dip of your choice.
Video
Notes
- Keep potatoes boiled and cool them before starting the process. This will reduce the preparation time as well.
- Add grated carrots, corn, etc to make it a healthier option for kids and toddlers.
- Adjust the spiciness as per the taste preference.
- The cooking time above is excluding the refrigerating time.
Nutrition
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David K Carrington
You mention cheese several times, seemingly at random. But it's not in the ingredients list or the step-by-step instructions.
Ipsa Faujdar
Hi David, I just revisited the post to understand your concern. Just to clarify, at one place I have mentioned cheese that is optional and you can add it to the potato mixture. Since this is a vegan appetizer, I have not added cheese to it and so it's not there in the ingredients or in the instructions. I have specified with (vegan cheese optional) in the post description for more clarity. I hope you will try the recipe and enjoy.