Cheesy Parmesan Potato Balls Recipe
Deliciously crispy on the outside and cheesy on the inside, these Cheesy Parmesan Potato Balls combine creamy mashed potatoes with melted mozzarella, Parmesan, and a flavorful garlic butter seasoning. Perfect as a snack or appetizer, they’re fried to golden perfection and garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan for a savory bite.
- Author: Emma
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 14 potato balls 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Mashed Potato Mixture
- 800 grams cooked potatoes (about 5–6 medium, or 5 cups mashed)
- 70 grams Parmesan cheese (about ¾ cup grated)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Filling and Coating
- 50 grams mozzarella cheese (½ cup cubed)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch
- Breadcrumbs (enough to coat all balls)
- Sunflower oil (enough to fill the pan halfway)
Garnish
- Freshly chopped parsley
- Extra Parmesan cheese
- Prepare and mash potatoes: Peel, wash, and cut the cooked potatoes into even pieces. Mash them together with Parmesan cheese, butter, garlic powder, and salt until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Form potato balls with mozzarella center: Using a cookie or ice cream scoop, portion the mashed potatoes. Take a cube of mozzarella and place it in the center of each portion, then cover with more mashed potato and gently shape into a smooth, round ball to enclose the cheese.
- Coat the potato balls: Roll each potato ball first in cornstarch to ensure the coating sticks, then dip in the beaten egg, and finally coat evenly with breadcrumbs for a crispy exterior.
- Optional freezing step: For better shape retention during frying, optionally freeze the coated balls for a few minutes before cooking.
- Fry the potato balls: Heat sunflower oil in a pan to fill halfway. Fry the potato balls in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd, until they become golden brown and crisp on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per batch.
- Drain excess oil: Transfer the fried balls onto paper towels to absorb any excess oil and maintain crispiness.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle the hot potato balls with freshly chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese before serving to enhance the flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Allow mashed potatoes to cool slightly before shaping to prevent burning your hands.
- If the mashed potatoes feel too wet or sticky, incorporate an additional tablespoon of cornstarch to improve firmness.
- Serve immediately after frying for the crispiest texture, or pair with your preferred spicy dipping sauce.
- Using room-temperature mashed potatoes makes shaping the balls easier and neater.
- For an extra crunchy coating, double-coat the balls by repeating the egg dip and breadcrumb coating before frying.
- Fry in small batches to maintain oil temperature and ensure perfectly crisp results.
- Drain the fried balls on paper towels to remove excess oil and keep them from becoming soggy.
- Experiment with adding spices to the mashed potato mixture or the breadcrumb coating to customize the flavor.
Keywords: Parmesan potato balls, cheesy potato bites, fried potato snacks, mozzarella stuffed potato balls, crispy potato appetizers, garlic Parmesan potatoes