Potato Cheese Balls
These potato balls are crunchy on the outside but creamy and cheesy on the inside. You can serve these potato balls as a party snack to please the crowd, especially on game day!
Equipment
- a 9-inch skillet or sauce pan
Ingredients
- 1 pound russet potatoes, (peel, wash, and cut into ½-inch cubes)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, (melted)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- black pepper, (to taste)
- 1 whole egg
- 2 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
- 8 oz mozzarella or cheddar cheese block, (cut into ¾-inch cubes)
Breading:
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko breadcrumb, (use a rolling pin to crush the breadcrumb)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 whole eggs, (lightly beaten)
Frying:
- 2 cups vegetable or canola oil , (add more as needed)
Instructions
- Cook potatoes. Place chopped potatoes into a microwave-safe bowl. Cover it with microwave-safe plastic wrap, pierce the film, and cook for 10 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Season and chill the mashed potatoes. Add butter, heavy cream, black pepper, and salt. Stir to combine and mash until smooth. Let it cools down at room temperature. Transfer the mixture to a fridge for 1 hour (or up to overnight), or in the freezer for 30 minutes, until cold. Remove from the fridge. Add chives and egg, then stir to combine.
- Shape into balls. Use a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to portion the potato balls. Flatten the portions into a pancake-like shape, then place a cube of cheese in the center. Wrap the potato mixture around the cheese and gently roll it with your hands until each one is a smooth potato ball.
- Breading. Place flour in the first bowl. Beat the eggs in the second bowl. Mix panko breadcrumbs with salt in the third bowl/plate. Dip the potato balls in the flour then shake off any excess. Next, dip them in the egg and again shake off any excess. Coat the potato balls with panko breadcrumbs then, gently shake off excess.
- Fry. Heat oil in a large deep skillet over moderately high. Bring the oil to 350°F (hot but not smoking), then cook the potato balls, turning occasionally for about 2-3 minutes or longer or until fully browned on all sides. Transfer to a wire rack set over paper towels to remove excess grease.
Notes
Servings. This recipe is enough to make 12 large-sized or up to 20 medium-sized potato balls. For medium-sized balls, cut the cheese into ½-inch cubes.
Make ahead. You can make the mashed potatoes a day in advance.
Storing. Let the potato balls cool down to room temperature, no longer than 2 hours. After that, wrap the potato balls in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container. Properly stored, they can last up to 4 days in the fridge.
Reheating. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the fried potato cheese balls on a large baking sheet and cook for 10-20 minutes until crispy, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Nutrition
Calories: 478kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 7gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 35gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 367mgPotassium: 202mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 346IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 118mgIron: 1mg
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