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Cheesy Parmesan Potato Balls Recipe

4.5 from 107 reviews

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.

Ingredients

Scale

Mashed Potato Mixture

  • 800 grams cooked potatoes (about 56 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

Instructions

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Optional freezing step: For better shape retention during frying, optionally freeze the coated balls for a few minutes before cooking.
  5. 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.
  6. Drain excess oil: Transfer the fried balls onto paper towels to absorb any excess oil and maintain crispiness.
  7. 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