Big bowls of mashed potatoes, doused with butter, are the most reassuring food in the world.
You can’t have a dinner without them; they’re the classic accompaniment. Despite my undying affection for mashed potatoes, I must admit that they may get tedious after a time.
That’s why it always gives me a thrill to think of a novel approach to using up leftover mashed potatoes; doing so makes them taste so much better.
Presenting these mashed potato puffs that are both crunchy and fluffy, creamy and cheesy.
When I originally built them, I didn’t have any choice but to. I needed to find something to do with the large batch of mashed potatoes that had been sitting in my fridge for a while.
The idea of reheating them never appealed to me, so I decided to try this puff recipe instead. How fortunate that I did!
The moment I took the first baking sheet of potato puffs from the oven, I knew I had hit the mother lode. The surface was a crispy golden brown, and the inside was a quiche-like, almost soufflé-like, light and airy treat. On the other hand, they were really delicious because of the melted cheese that was distributed throughout.
These potato puffs were irresistible—cheesy, creamy, and crispy—and we couldn’t stop eating them! They had an amazing texture and were quite delicious. That batch, needless to say, was gone in an instant.
From that point on, these cheese mashed potato puffs became an absolute must-have for my household’s method of using leftover mashed potatoes.
They are a delightful side dish that I sometimes whip up for special occasions or weeknight dinners. On other occasions, I’ll whip up a batch to enjoy as a tempting appetizer.
These potato puffs will be a hit with guests in any presentation. The combination of the crunchy, cheesy outside and the creamy potato within brings back so many fond memories.
Imagine mashed potatoes and tater tots combined—that’s how good they are!
Three beaten eggs are required.
Two cups of room temperature mashed potatoes
2/3 cup chopped Monterey Parmesan cheese
*Add more chopped fresh chives to taste and 1/4 cup for garnish.
According to personal preference, season with salt and pepper.
Serve with sour cream, if desired.