These potato cheese balls happened because Emma wanted "something cheesy and crunchy" for her after-school snack, but all we had were leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge. "Can we make them into balls like meatballs but with cheese?" she asked while poking at the cold potatoes. That simple question from my seven-year-old turned into our most requested appetizer for parties and family movie nights.
Why You'll Love These Potato Cheese Balls
These potato cheese balls fixed our biggest snack problem - Emma wanting something good but me not wanting to buy expensive frozen junk that tastes like nothing. If you've ever opened your fridge and stared at leftover mashed potatoes wondering what to do with them, you'll love how this turns them into something everyone fights over. The crispy coating gives way to creamy Potato Cheese Balls and gooey melted cheese that makes even picky eaters happy. What makes these so great is that you can make a huge batch and freeze them for whenever you need a quick snack or appetizer.
Emma's friends always ask if we have "those cheese ball things" when they come over, and other parents want to know how I get my kid to eat potatoes without whining. Plus they use stuff you probably already have in your kitchen - no special trips to the store for weird stuff. The best part? They're actually filling, unlike most snacks that leave you hungry five minutes later. Emma can eat three of these and be satisfied until dinner, which saves me from the constant "I'm hungry" complaints all afternoon.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love These Potato Cheese Balls
- Essential Ingredients for Potato Cheese Balls
- How To Make Potato Cheese Balls Step By Step
- Smart Swaps for Potato Cheese Balls
- Variations
- Equipment For Potato Cheese Balls
- How to Store Your Potato Cheese Balls
- What to Serve With Potato Cheese Balls
- Top Tip
- Grandma's Secret Fix Passed Down for Generations
- FAQ
- Time to Get Frying!
- Related
- Pairing
- Potato Cheese Balls
Essential Ingredients for Potato Cheese Balls
The Potato Base:
- Mashed potatoes
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic powder
The Cheesy Center:
- Mozzarella cheese
- Cheddar cheese
- Cream cheese
The Crispy Coating:
- Breadcrumbs
- Beaten eggs
- Extra flour for dusting
For Frying:
- Vegetable oil
- Enough to cover the balls halfway
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Potato Cheese Balls Step By Step
Prep the Mixture:
- Mix cold mashed potatoes with flour and cornstarch
- Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder
- Stir until it holds together but isn't sticky
- If too wet, add more flour
Shape the Balls:
- Scoop out potato mixture with ice cream scoop
- Flatten in your palm
- Put cheese cube in the middle
- Roll into a ball, sealing the cheese inside
- Make sure no cheese is peeking out
Set Up Coating Station:
- Flour in one bowl
- Beaten eggs in another bowl
- Breadcrumbs in third bowl
- Line them up for easy dipping
Coat Each Ball:
- Roll in flour first
- Dip in beaten egg
- Roll in breadcrumbs until covered
- Set on plate while you finish the rest
Fry Them Up:
- Heat oil to 350Ā°F
- Fry 3-4 balls at a time
- Turn them once when golden brown
- Takes about 3-4 minutes total
- Drain on paper towels
Smart Swaps for Potato Cheese Balls
Potato Changes:
- Leftover mashed ā Instant mashed potatoes
- Regular ā Sweet potatoes (cook first)
- Plain ā Seasoned mashed potatoes
- Fresh ā Day-old mashed (actually better)
Cheese Switches:
- Mozzarella ā Any melty cheese
- Cheddar ā Pepper jack for spice
- Cream cheese ā Regular cheese only
- Cubes ā Shredded (easier to seal)
Coating Options:
- Breadcrumbs ā Crushed crackers
- Panko ā Regular breadcrumbs
- Plain ā Seasoned breadcrumbs
- Store-bought ā Homemade crumbs
Cooking Methods:
- Deep frying ā Baking at 400Ā°F
- Oil frying ā Air fryer (way less messy)
- Hot oil ā Shallow pan frying
- Fresh ā Freeze first, then fry
Variations
Bacon Crazy:
- Crispy bacon bits
- Cheddar cheese mix
- Chive sprinkles
- Ranch dip on the side
Italian Style:
- Mozzarella center
- Parmesan coating
- Italian herbs
- Marinara for dipping
Spicy Version:
- JalapeƱo pieces
- Pepper jack cheese
- Paprika coating
- Cool sour cream dip
Breakfast Style:
- Hash brown potato base
- Breakfast sausage bits
- Sharp cheddar
- Maple syrup drizzle
Sweet Potato:
- Sweet potato base
- Mild cheddar
- Cinnamon touch
- Honey mustard dip
Equipment For Potato Cheese Balls
- Big mixing bowl
- Potato masher or ricer
- Ice cream scoop (for same-size portions)
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
How to Store Your Potato Cheese Balls
Before Frying (2 days):
- Put them on a tray
- Cover with plastic wrap
- Keep in fridge
- Fry straight from cold
After Frying (3 days):
- Cool completely first
- Store in fridge
- Reheat in oven at 350Ā°F
- Don't use microwave (gets soggy)
Freezer Storage (1 month):
- Freeze before frying
- Put on tray first, then bag
- Fry straight from frozen
- Add 2 extra minutes cooking time
Reheating Tips:
- Oven works best
- 350Ā°F for 5-10 minutes
- Don't stack them
- Check they're hot in the middle
What to Serve With Potato Cheese Balls
These little guys go with pretty much everything, but here's what works best in our house. For game day or parties, I like to put them out with buffalo chicken dip, ranch and blue cheese for dipping, plus some celery sticks and hot wings. If we're doing them as a dinner side, they're great with grilled chicken or steak, a simple green salad, and some roasted vegetables. Emma always asks for them with his chicken nuggets and mac and cheese, which is basically a carb overload but makes him happy.
The key is having good dipping sauces because these potato cheese balls are even better when you can dunk them in something tasty. Sour cream with chives is my favorite, but spicy mayo and barbecue sauce are big hits too. Since they're pretty rich and filling, I try to balance them out with lighter stuff like fresh vegetables or fruit salad. Emma thinks I'm crazy for wanting vegetables when there are fried cheese balls on the table, but trust me, your stomach will thank you for not going completely overboard.
Top Tip
- These potato cheese balls taste way better fresh, but if you have to store them, never put hot ones straight in the fridge - they'll get all mushy and gross. I learned this the hard way when I made a huge batch for Emma's birthday party and stuck them in the fridge while they were still warm. When I went to reheat them the next day, they had turned into these sad, soggy lumps that nobody wanted to eat. Emma was so disappointed, and I felt terrible.
- Now I always let them cool completely on the counter first, then store them properly. The texture stays so much better, and they actually reheat nicely instead of turning into disappointing mush. It takes maybe 20 minutes for them to cool down, but it's totally worth the wait. I usually clean up the kitchen while they're cooling, so the time goes by fast anyway.
- The other thing I've figured out is that if you're planning to make these ahead of time, it's way better to prep them and freeze them before frying. That way you can just pull out however many you need and fry them fresh. They taste just as good as if you made them from scratch that day, and you don't have to deal with the whole reheating situation. Emma always gets excited when he sees me pulling a bag of these out of the freezer because he knows fresh, hot potato cheese balls are coming.
Grandma's Secret Fix Passed Down for Generations
My grandmother had this weird thing she did with potato cheese balls that nobody understood until years later. Every time she made them, she'd add a spoonful of instant mashed potato flakes to the mixture, even though she was already using real mashed potatoes. We all thought she was going a little crazy, mixing store-bought flakes with perfectly good homemade mashed potatoes. But those flakes were her secret weapon.
Turns out those instant potato flakes soak up any extra moisture that would normally make the balls fall apart. Grandma figured this out back in the 1970s when she was trying to make these for a church potluck and kept having the same problem I had - everything just crumbling into mush. She grabbed a box of instant potatoes from her pantry and threw in a handful, and suddenly her potato cheese balls held together like magic.
FAQ
What is a potato cheese ball?
A potato cheese ball is basically mashed potatoes mixed with cheese, rolled into balls, and fried until crispy. The outside gets golden and crunchy while the inside stays creamy with melted cheese. They're like the perfect combination of mashed potatoes and fried cheese - comfort food heaven.
Why are my potato balls falling apart?
Usually it's because the potatoes are too wet or you didn't let them cool enough before adding the cheese. Watery potatoes won't hold together, and hot potatoes will melt the cheese too fast. Make sure to drain your potatoes really well and let them cool down before mixing everything together.
Are potato balls healthy?
They're definitely more of a treat than health food since they're fried and loaded with cheese. But they do have some good stuff - potatoes give you vitamins and fiber, and cheese adds protein and calcium. Just don't eat them every day, you know?
Which cheese is best for cheese balls?
Cheddar works great because it melts well and has good flavor. Mozzarella gives you that cheese pull when you bite into them. I like mixing both - cheddar for taste and mozzarella for the stretchy cheese effect that makes Emma lose his mind with excitement.
Time to Get Frying!
Now you've got all the secrets to making potato cheese balls that actually stay together instead of falling apart in a sad, cheesy mess. Emma and I have perfected this recipe through lots of trial and error, and trust me, once you nail the technique, these little golden balls of happiness will become a family favorite.
Want more crowd-pleasing recipes? Try our Easy Sushi Bake Recipe that's perfect for when you're craving sushi but don't want to deal with rolling. Our Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe is a holiday must-have that even green bean haters will love. And for ultimate comfort food, our Best Beef Stroganoff Recipe delivers all that creamy, hearty goodness your family craves!
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Potato Cheese Balls
Potato Cheese Balls
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl (Large enough to combine ingredients)
- 1 Potato masher (Or fork, for mashing consistency)
- 1 Ice cream scoop (For even-sized portions)
- 1 Baking sheet (For holding coated balls)
- 1 Parchment paper (Prevents sticking)
- 1 Frying pan (Or deep fryer)
- 1 Slotted spoon (For removing fried balls)
- 1 Paper towel-lined plate (For draining excess oil)
Ingredients
Potato Base
- 2 cups Mashed potatoes - Cold leftover preferred
- 2 tablespoon All-purpose flour - More if needed
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- Ā½ teaspoon Salt Adjust to taste
- Ā½ teaspoon Garlic powder - Optional
- Ā¼ teaspoon Black pepper - Optional
Cheesy Center
- Ā½ cup Mozzarella cheese - Cut into small cubes or shredded
- Ā½ cup Cheddar cheese - Shredded or cubed
- 2 tablespoon Cream cheese - Optional for creaminess
Coating
- Ā½ cup All-purpose flour - For dusting
- 2 Eggs - Beaten
- 1 cup Breadcrumbs - Regular or seasoned
For Frying
- As needed Vegetable oil - Enough to cover balls halfway
Instructions
- Mix mashed potatoes, flour, cornstarch, and seasonings together.
- Scoop the mixture, flatten, place cheese, and roll into balls.
- Set up flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs for coating the balls.
- Roll each ball in flour, dip in egg, then coat with breadcrumbs.
- Fry the balls until golden brown, then drain on paper towels.
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