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Cheesy Garlic Parmesan Potato Balls

These crispy Cheesy Garlic Parmesan Potato Balls are a nice balance of garlicky mashed potatoes and melty, gooey cheese that is fried to crispy perfection!
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Chill Time1 hour
Servings: 5 Balls

Ingredients

Garlic Mashed Potatoes 

  • 1 pound 454g russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks, potatoes weighed after being peeled
  • 2 heaping tablespoons fresh finely minced garlic about 10 to 12 cloves
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

Breadcrumb Coating and Filling

  • 1 1/2 cups Japanese style panko or regular breadcrumbs
  • 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup filtered water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 10 1/2 inch mozzarella cheese chucks

Frying and Serving 

  • 2 to 3 cups neutral flavored oil i.e. avocado or vegetable oil
  • parmesan cheese grated
  • fresh parsley finely chopped

Instructions

  • Fill a large pot with water, add in the potatoes and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook the potatoes until fork tender, about 10 minutes or longer as needed. Drain and spread out the cooked potatoes on a baking sheet to cool, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  • As the potatoes cool, prepare the garlic. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter. Add in the garlic and cook while stirring until the garlic starts to soften and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove cooked garlic from the heat and set aside to cool.
  • Once the potatoes are fully cooled, transfer it into a mixing bowl and mashed until smooth. Mix in the cooled garlic, parsley, parmesan cheese and seasonings (onion powder, salt and ground white pepper) to combine.
  • Evenly divide the mashed potatoes into 10 balls. I used a 1.5 ounce (3 tablespoons) cookie scoop which yielded 10 balls. Working with one ball at a time flatten into a flat disk, place a piece of cheese in the center and, and enclose to form a ball. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Cover baking sheet with filled potato balls with plastic wrap and place in the freezer to firm up for 1 hour.
  • Setup breading station. In bowl 1, add the flour. In bowl 2, add the eggs and water and whisk to combine. In bowl 3, mix together the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and seasonings (onion powder, garlic powder, salt and ground white pepper). Retrieve potato balls from the freezer.
  • Working with one ball at a time, coat in the flour, then the egg mixture and lastly in the breadcrumbs mixture. Do a second coat but time only coat the breaded ball in the egg and back into the breadcrumbs mixture. Transfer breaded potato ball to a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining balls.
  • Heat up oil in a deep bottom pan to 350F. In batches, fry the potato balls, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, about 4-5 minutes or longer as needed. Transfer fried potato balls to a wire cooling rack placed over a paper towel lined baking sheet to catch any excess oil. (Use a fry thermometer, if you have one. You want to maintain the oil temperature between 325 and 350F as you fry each batch of potato balls.)
  • Top potato balls with finely chopped parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve immediately while still warm as is or with your favorite sauce. Enjoy!