The photo appears to show mashed-potato patties made with potato, egg, grated cheese and fresh parsley, shaped into thick rounds and pan-fried until golden. The image doesn’t provide exact quantities, so the recipe below is a reliable version designed to produce the same thick, cheesy patties.
Recipe at a glance
Makes: 6–8 patties
Prep: 20 minutes
Cooking: 15–20 minutes
Total: ~40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
Main mixture
500 g potatoes — about 3–4 medium potatoes
1 large egg
100 g grated cheese — mozzarella, cheddar, Gouda or a combination
½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
2–3 tbsp breadcrumbs — see low-carb alternatives below
½ tsp salt, or to taste
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder — optional
¼ tsp paprika — optional
For frying
2–3 tbsp vegetable oil, olive oil or butter/oil mixture
Optional additions
1 small green chili, finely chopped
1–2 tbsp chopped spring onion
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp chili flakes
1 tbsp grated Parmesan for extra flavor
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Cook the potatoes
Peel the potatoes and cut them into similar-sized chunks.
Place them in a saucepan and cover with cold water.
Add a little salt.
Bring to a boil and cook for approximately 12–18 minutes, until a fork easily passes through the potatoes.
Important:
Don’t overcook them until they’re waterlogged.
Drain very well.
Return the potatoes to the hot saucepan for 1–2 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. This allows excess moisture to evaporate.
This step helps prevent soft, falling-apart patties.
2. Mash
Transfer the hot potatoes to a bowl.
Mash until mostly smooth.
For the texture shown in your picture, leave a very small amount of potato texture rather than making a completely smooth purée.
Don’t use a blender or food processor—the potatoes can become gluey.
3. Add the cheese
While the potatoes are still warm, add:
100 g grated cheese
½ cup chopped parsley
salt
black pepper
garlic powder, if using
paprika, if using
Mix well.
The cheese should begin melting into the potatoes.
4. Add the egg
Allow the potato mixture to cool for about 5 minutes.
Add 1 large egg.
Mix thoroughly.
Why wait?
If the potatoes are extremely hot, they can partially cook the egg before it’s incorporated.
5. Add the binder
Add 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs.
Mix.
Check the consistency.
You should be able to take a handful and form it into a ball without it immediately falling apart.
If it’s too soft or sticky, add another 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs.
Don’t add too much.
Too many breadcrumbs will make the patties dry and dense.
6. Shape the patties
Divide the mixture into 6–8 portions.
Roll each portion into a ball.
Flatten into thick discs approximately:
1.5–2 cm thick
The patties in the photograph are relatively thick, which helps produce the soft cheesy center and browned exterior.
Place them on a parchment-lined plate or tray.
7. Chill — recommended
Refrigerate the shaped patties for 20–30 minutes.
This isn’t absolutely necessary, but it makes them much easier to fry without breaking.
For particularly soft mixtures, chilling for 45 minutes is even better.
8. Pan-fry
Heat a non-stick or well-seasoned skillet over medium heat.
Add approximately 1–1½ tbsp oil.
When hot, carefully place the patties into the pan.
Don’t overcrowd the pan.
Cook for approximately:
3–5 minutes on the first side
until deeply golden brown.
Carefully turn.
Cook another:
3–4 minutes
until the second side is golden.
If they’re browning too quickly, reduce the heat to medium-low.
The secret to the crispy outside
Don’t use extremely high heat.
You want enough heat to create a golden crust while allowing the inside to become hot and the cheese to melt.
Medium heat = better result.
High heat can burn the outside before the center is properly heated.
Extra-Cheesy Version
For patties resembling the very thick ones in the picture, use:
500 g potatoes
1 egg
120–150 g cheese
½ cup parsley
2–3 tbsp breadcrumbs
seasoning
You can also put a small cube of mozzarella in the center of each patty.
How:
Take some potato mixture.
Flatten it.
Put a small mozzarella cube in the middle.
Cover completely with more potato mixture.
Seal the edges.
Flatten gently.
Fry.
You’ll get a melted cheese center.
Herb & Garlic Version
For a more flavorful version, add:
½ cup fresh parsley
2 chopped green onions
1 garlic clove, finely minced
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp chili flakes
½ tsp black pepper
This is excellent with yogurt or raita.
Pakistani-Style Version
You can easily adapt this to a more Pakistani flavor.
Add:
1–2 green chilies, finely chopped
½ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp chaat masala
fresh coriander instead of—or together with—parsley
a little chopped green onion
Then serve with mint raita or green chutney.
Can I Make Them Without Breadcrumbs?
Yes.
Option 1 — Cornstarch
Use 1–2 tbsp cornstarch.
This gives a fairly crisp exterior.
Option 2 — Oat flour
Use 2–3 tbsp finely ground oats/oat flour.
Option 3 — Almond flour
Use 2–3 tbsp finely ground almond flour.
This is useful for a lower-carb version, but remember that potatoes themselves are high in carbohydrates, so replacing breadcrumbs doesn’t make the overall recipe keto.
Option 4 — No binder
If your potatoes are dry and the mixture holds together well, you can omit the binder completely.
Chilling becomes more important.
Can I Use Leftover Mashed Potatoes?
Yes—and they’re actually excellent for this recipe.
Use approximately:
500 g cold mashed potatoes
Then add the egg, cheese, parsley and seasoning.
Because leftover mashed potatoes may already contain butter, milk and salt, adjust the additional ingredients accordingly.
Air-Fryer Method
You can make these with much less oil.
Instructions
Preheat air fryer to:
190°C / 375°F
Lightly brush or spray the patties with oil.
Air fry for approximately:
8–10 minutes
Flip.
Cook another:
5–8 minutes
until golden brown.
Exact time varies with thickness and the air fryer.
Oven-Baked Method
Preheat:
200°C / 400°F
Place patties on a parchment-lined baking tray.
Brush both sides lightly with oil.
Bake:
15 minutes
Flip.
Bake another:
8–12 minutes
until golden.
For a darker crust, use the oven’s broiler/grill for the final 1–2 minutes, watching carefully.
What to Serve With Them
Simple
Sour cream
Greek yogurt
Garlic yogurt
Tomato ketchup
Hot sauce
Pakistani-style
Mint chutney
Coriander chutney
Mint raita
Tamarind chutney
Complete meal
Serve 2–3 patties with:
fried/poached egg
salad
cucumber
tomatoes
yogurt sauce
Quick Garlic Yogurt Dip
Mix:
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 small garlic clove, grated
1 tbsp chopped parsley/coriander
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
Mix and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Excellent with the hot potato patties.
Approximate Nutrition
For the basic recipe using:
500 g potatoes
1 large egg
100 g mozzarella
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
2 tbsp oil absorbed during cooking
parsley
and 8 patties, approximate nutrition is:
Nutrient Whole recipe Per 1 of 8
Calories ~1,250–1,350 kcal ~155–170 kcal
Protein ~45–50 g ~6 g
Fat ~65–70 g ~8–9 g
Total carbohydrates ~100–110 g ~13–14 g
Fiber ~9–11 g ~1–1.5 g
Net carbohydrates ~90–100 g ~11–12.5 g
These are estimates, not laboratory values. Cheese type, potato variety, amount of oil actually absorbed and patty size can change the numbers considerably.
utrition & Allergy Information
Gluten
The potatoes, egg, cheese and herbs are naturally gluten-free.
However: ordinary breadcrumbs contain wheat/gluten.
For gluten-free patties, use certified gluten-free breadcrumbs, gluten-free oats/oat flour, or another suitable binder.
Nuts
The basic recipe contains no nuts.
If using almond flour, it becomes a tree-nut-containing recipe.
Eggs
Contains egg.
Dairy
Cheese contains dairy.
If using butter or yogurt for serving, there will be additional dairy.
Wheat
Only present if conventional breadcrumbs are used.
Vegetarian
Yes, assuming vegetarian cheese is used.
Vegan
Not as written because it contains egg and dairy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my patties falling apart?
Usually the mixture is too wet.
Try:
Drain potatoes very thoroughly.
Allow them to steam-dry.
Add 1 extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs/flour.
Chill the shaped patties before frying.
Don’t flip them too early.
Why are they mushy inside?
The most common reasons are:
potatoes contained too much water
patties are too thick
heat is too high
they weren’t cooked long enough
too much cheese/moisture was added
Cook over medium to medium-low heat and give the center time to heat through.
Why did the cheese leak out?
If you’re putting cheese inside the patties, make sure the potato mixture completely surrounds it.
There should be no cracks.
Chilling before frying also helps.
Can I use cheddar?
Yes.
Cheddar gives a stronger flavor and excellent browning.
Mozzarella gives a more stretchy/melty center.
A combination of:
50% mozzarella + 50% cheddar
is particularly good.
Can I use Parmesan?
Yes, but don’t replace all the mozzarella with Parmesan.
Parmesan has much less moisture and melts differently.
Try:
75 g mozzarella + 25 g Parmesan.
Can I prepare them ahead of time?
Yes.
Shape the patties and refrigerate them, covered, for up to approximately 24 hours before cooking.
This is actually convenient for breakfast or meal prep.
Can I freeze them?
Yes.
Freeze the uncooked shaped patties on a tray until firm.
Then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag/container.
Put parchment between layers.
For best quality, use within approximately 2–3 months.
You can also freeze cooked patties.
Can I fry them from frozen?
Yes, but use medium-low heat so the center has time to warm through.
They will take longer than refrigerated patties.
How do I make them extra crispy?
Use:
dry potatoes
a thin coating of breadcrumbs
enough oil to contact the surface
medium heat
don’t overcrowd the pan
For an especially crispy crust, lightly coat the outside of each patty in breadcrumbs immediately before frying.
Can I use sweet potato?
Yes.
Sweet potato makes a softer, slightly sweeter patty.
You may need a little more binder because sweet potatoes can be softer.
Can I use cauliflower instead of potato?
Yes, but don’t substitute it 1:1 by volume without removing moisture.
Cook the cauliflower, then squeeze out as much water as possible.
The resulting patties will be considerably lower in carbohydrates than potato patties.
Are these keto?
The original potato version is not keto-friendly.
Potatoes contain substantial starch.
Using almond flour instead of breadcrumbs reduces a small amount of carbohydrate, but it doesn’t make potato patties keto.
For genuinely low-carb patties, use cauliflower or another low-starch vegetable as the main ingredient.
Best Version for the Exact Look in Your Photo
I’d use:
500 g potatoes
1 large egg
100–120 g mozzarella + cheddar
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2–3 tbsp breadcrumbs
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
2–3 tbsp oil for frying
Cook the potatoes until just tender, steam-dry them thoroughly, mix everything together, shape into thick 1.5–2 cm rounds, chill for 20–30 minutes, and pan-fry over medium heat until deeply golden on both sides.
With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.
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