Mashed Potato Pancakes for breakfast are the perfect way to add some comfort to your morning routine! Use leftover mashed potatoes or instant potatoes for a quick and hearty touch to your next breakfast or brunch plate.

Overhead image of Potato Pancakes for Breakfast on a brown plate with dipping sauce

Why You’ll Love This Perfect Potato Transformation

Quick. These pancakes with a creamy center and crispy edges are ready in under 10 minutes (when using instant mashed potatoes or leftovers).
Easy. Either whip up some instant mashed potatoes or pop some leftover homemade mashed potatoes out of your fridge for a side dish with minimal prep.
Budget-friendly. Not only are these potato cakes made from affordable ingredients, but they’re also a wonderful way to repurpose and stretch leftovers.
Comforting. Packed with creamy mashed potato and butter flavor, they’re an absolute hug on a plate.

Whether you’re trying to recreate one of your grandma’s favorite comforting favorites from your childhood, or you want to try something new, these Mashed Potato Pancakes for breakfast are sure to please even the pickiest eaters.

What Do Mashed Potato Pancakes Taste Like?

You know that deliciously crispy bite of potato you get when baby potatoes are cooked in a cast iron skillet? Or how about a pillowy potato wedge? Imagine that perfectly flavor-packed bite with a creamy center and crispy texture made even easier right at home!

Do You Have To Eat Them For Breakfast?

Who am I to tell you when the right time to eat any food you love is? Our family adores eating these for breakfast in place of hashbrowns or a hash. That doesn’t mean that’s the best time to enjoy them! Whip up a stack for brunch. Even better, enjoy them with a salisbury steak or chicken fried chicken for the perfect southern-inspired side dish.

What Is The Difference Between A Potato Cake And A Latke?

A potato pancake is a broader term for a side dish compared to a latke. This Mashed Potato Pancake recipe is made with mashed potatoes, egg, and other ingredients to intensify the flavor, without any notable dietary restrictions.

Latkes are a specific Jewish potato pancake that can be made with shredded potatoes, similar to a hashbrown. Commonly, you will find the recipe to include matzo flour to use as a binding agent, and they can also include onion. They are also fried in oil instead of butter to honor Hanukkah traditions.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Mashed Potatoes– Get as creative as you want here. I like to use leftover homemade mashed potatoes, but not everyone has time for that. Don’t be afraid to grab that pouch or box of potato flakes and whip up some instant ones. I promise that with everything you add in, they’ll be just as good!
All Purpose Flour– Helps hold the potato cakes together while they cook and gives them a little more body.
Egg– Mixing in an egg helps keep the potato cakes together while you’re frying them for the perfect texture and easy cooking.
Sour Cream– This ingredient is optional, but I love the tang this adds to the bite. You can swap out Greek yogurt or even a little bit of mayo for the same effect.
Cheese– Melty cheese also works as a binder, but also becomes tiny little flavor bombs inside of your Mashed Potato Cakes as they fry up in your pan.
Butter (or oil)– I prefer to fry my potato pancakes in butter for the perfect crispy edges. If you’re prone to burning butter when pan-frying, try adding a splash of oil in with it. It’ll allow you to turn your pan up a little higher to speed up the cooking process.
Seasonings– Just a little salt and pepper is all you need. Feel free to add a sprinkle of garlic powder, rosemary, or fresh parsley for freshness.

How To Make Mashed Potato Pancakes For Breakfast

Batter for Potato Cakes mixed together in a large bowl

Make the batter. Pour the leftover or prepared instant mashed potatoes into a bowl with all purpose flour. Crack an egg, add a dollop of sour cream, a hearty sprinkle of cheese, and generously season.

Five Potato Pancakes frying in a skillet

Heat the pan. Add butter to a skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, use a scoop to portion the mashed potato batter into the pan. Use the bottom of a spatula to gently flatten them. I prefer smaller potato cakes, so a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop works perfectly. Allow the “batter” to cook for 2-3 minutes or until a crust begins to form around the edges.

Finish cooking. Flip the potato pancakes and allow them to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until crispy on both sides and warmed through.

Close up image of Potato Pancakes with dipping sauce

Serve and enjoy! Serve your potato pancakes with your favorite sweet or savory dippers and enjoy.

Tips And Tricks

These Potato Pancakes are such a simple recipe, but there are a few tips and tricks to make them turn out great! Remember, even if they aren’t the prettiest thing on your table, they’ll still taste great!

Use a cookie scoop. Keeping the tater cakes evenly sized will ensure they cook evenly.
Be patient. It’s tempting to try to flip these to make sure they don’t burn. Lift the very edge of the potato cakes before flipping to make sure there’s a golden crust formed, so they don’t fall apart and create scrambled potatoes.
Use medium-low heat. If your skillet is too cool, a crust won’t form on the outside to hold them together and create that irresistible crust. If your skillet is too hot, you’ll burn your butter and your potato pancakes.

Variations

If you’re ready for a tasty twist on this comfort food classic, try one of these yummy variations with your next brunch or as a quick side dish for dinner:

Make them spicy. Stir in some crushed red pepper or a squirt of sriracha for a touch of heat.
Add green onion. To add a fresh touch, dice up some green onions and toss them into your batter.
Load them up. Chop up some cooked bacon for an additional salty and savory bite.

What To Eat With Potato Cakes

These Mashed Potato Pancakes with leftover mashed potatoes are the perfect southern side dish. While they’re great for breakfast, you can also enjoy them with any gravy-coated dinner course. Here are a few of our favorite pairings:

Biscuits and Gravy
Salisbury Steak
Chicken Fried Steak
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Egg and Kielbasa Skillet

How Long Do They Last?

These Homemade Potato Cakes last up to four days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. When you’re ready to enjoy them, toss them back into a skillet over medium heat to crisp up the edges until they are warmed through.

Can You Freeze Them?

If you can’t eat your leftover Instant Potato Cakes within a few days, they freeze well. Allow them to cool completely and store them in a freezer safe container with a piece of parchment paper separating them for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to enjoy them, allow them to defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat them using the instructions provided above.

Potato Cakes with leftover potatoes stacked on a brown plate

More Of Our Best Breakfast Recipes

If you loved having Mashed Potato Pancakes for breakfast as much as our family does, make sure you share it with your friends on social media so they can try it too! Don’t forget to save this recipe so you can make it again next time you need a hearty addition to your breakfast plate.