Fried mashed potatoes are the best way to use leftovers, period

Now that Thanksgiving is over, you might find yourself with a hefty dose of mashed potatoes left over in your freezer. And while there’s nothing more delicious than a big bowl of creamy taters, you might be bored of these plain old mashed potatoes.

If you relate to this, consider FRIED mashed potatoes. Yes, fried mashed potatoes. Whether they’re shaped into a ball or fried flat like pancakes, this might be the best way ever to repurpose leftover mashed potatoes.

Over at Spicy Southern Kitchen, leftover mashed potatoes are transformed into something swoon-worthy thanks to the addition of crumbled bacon, jalapeno pepper, seasonings and cheddar cheese. This delightful mixture is then shaped into balls and popped in the fridge to firm up for a while, after which you fry them on the stove in a Dutch Oven.

Christin, the blogger behind Spicy Southern Kitchen, uses Panko breadcrumbs to give her fried potato balls a crunchy exterior, but you can use any type of breading or even crushed up corn flakes.

Over at Delish, they skip the breading altogether and just fry the potato directly in the oil. They also make latke-like cakes, rather than forming the mashed potatoes into balls. The addition of hot sauce takes the flavor to the next level.

Just A Taste takes a similar approach, but their savory cakes use a bit more cheddar cheese. You can serve them with sour cream or, in keeping with the latke theme, use a sweet dip like applesauce.

Or if you really want to take things to the next level of flavor, consider this recipe for Fried Mashed Potato Gravy Bombs from Thrillist.

Watch their prep video below:

How clever is that? It’s also a useful way to use up any leftover gravy you might have after the holidays. Who knew that leftovers could be better than the holiday meal itself!?