Pioneer Woman Potato Balls

Pioneer Woman Potato Balls are made with cold mashed potatoes, savory shredded cheese, flour, eggs, and a crispy Panko breading. The result is a perfect, bite-sized sphere that is golden brown and crunchy on the outside and warm, cheesy, and creamy on the inside. They are the perfect appetizer or side dish for a holiday meal and make about 18 balls.

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• Pioneer Woman Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe
• Pioneer Woman Sheet Pan Shrimp
• Gordon Ramsay Paella Recipe

💛Why You Will Love This Potato Balls Recipe:

• The Perfect Leftover Hack: This is the absolute best way to transform leftover mashed potatoes. It turns a simple side dish into a decadent, appetizer-worthy treat, ensuring nothing goes to waste.
• Ultimate Texture Contrast: Every bite is a journey: you get the shatteringly crisp crunch of the Panko exterior, followed by the soft, warm, and gooey melted cheese and creamy potato interior.
• Crowd-Pleasing Comfort: These are pure comfort food. The familiar flavor of cheesy mashed potatoes, combined with the novelty of the crispy, fried shell, makes them an instant favorite with both children and adults.
• Easy to Make Ahead: You can prepare and bread the potato balls hours—or even weeks—in advance and keep them in the freezer. Just fry them straight from frozen for a quick, impressive appetizer.

🥔 Pioneer Woman Potato Balls Ingredients

For the Filling:

• 4 cups leftover mashed potatoes, must be cold
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, or a blend
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Breading and Frying:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil, for deep frying

🧆 How To Make Pioneer Woman Potato Balls

1. Mix the filling: In a large bowl, combine the cold mashed potatoes, shredded cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until the cheese is evenly distributed.
2. Scoop and roll: Use a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure to scoop the potato mixture. Use your hands to quickly roll the mixture into small, tight balls (about 1 1/2 inches wide).
3. Chill the balls: Place the rolled potato balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover them and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This is crucial for holding their shape during frying.
4. Set up the breading station: Prepare three shallow bowls: one with the flour, one with the beaten eggs, and one with the Panko breadcrumbs.
5. Coat the balls: Take one potato ball at a time. Roll it in the flour, shaking off any excess. Dip it fully into the egg wash, then press it firmly into the Panko breadcrumbs to ensure a thick, even coating.
6. Fry until golden: Fill a deep, heavy pot with about 2 inches of vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). Carefully drop the potato balls into the hot oil in small batches. Fry for 3-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are deep golden brown.
7. Drain and serve: Remove the balls with a slotted spoon and drain them immediately on a plate lined with paper towels. Serve hot.

💭 Recipe Tips

• The Mash Must Be Cold: Do not use fresh, warm mashed potatoes. Cold potatoes contain firm starches that help the balls hold their shape and prevent them from melting or disintegrating when they hit the hot oil.
• Use Panko for Crunch: Panko is a Japanese breadcrumb that is flakier and lighter than standard breadcrumbs. It is the secret to achieving that superior, shatteringly crispy exterior when frying.
• Fry in Small Batches: Frying too many balls at once will drop the temperature of your oil drastically. Low oil temperature causes the food to absorb grease and become soggy instead of crisp.
• Adjust the Seasoning: The final flavor depends on how well-seasoned your original mashed potatoes were. Taste the potato mixture before rolling and add extra salt, pepper, or onion powder if needed.

🍗 What To Serve With Potato Balls?

These crunchy cheesy balls are the perfect comfort food side dish serve them with a pot roast, a holiday ham or simple baked chicken. They are also incredible as an appetizer dipped in a side of ranch dressing, sour cream mixed with chives, or a rich, homemade gravy.

🎚 How To Store Leftovers Potato Balls?

• Refrigerate (Cooked): Once completely cool, store leftover cooked potato balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freeze (Uncooked): You can freeze the breaded but uncooked potato balls. Place them on a tray and freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag. When ready to cook, fry them directly from frozen (do not thaw) and add 2-3 minutes to the frying time.

🥵 How To Reheat Leftovers Potato Balls?

To revive these potato balls, you need to use dry heat to re-crisp the Panko coating, which is lost upon cooling.

Note: Never use the microwave. It will make the crispy coating soft and the potatoes rubbery.

1. In the Air Fryer (The Best and Fastest Method)

This is the perfect way to bring back the original crunch.

• Preheat: Set your air fryer to $350^{circ}text{F}$ ($175^{circ}text{C}$).
• Heat: Place the potato balls in the basket in a single layer.¹
• Cook: Heat for 5 to 7 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. They are ready when the exterior is crispy and the cheese inside is melted again.

2. In the Oven (For Larger Batches)

This is the most reliable method for heating a large amount at once.

• Preheat: Set your oven to ²$350^{circ}text{F}$ (³$175^{circ}text{C}$).⁴
• Prep: Place the balls on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. This ensures air circulates around the bottom.
• Bake: Heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the filling is steaming hot. If reheating from frozen, add 3-5 minutes to the cooking time.

FAQs

More Recipes:

• Pioneer Woman Wild Rice Casserole
• Pioneer Woman Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe
• Pioneer Woman Strawberry Jam

Potato Balls Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 ball

• Calories: 210 kcal
• Total Fat: 13g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Cholesterol: 30mg
• Sodium: 280mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 19g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 1g
• Protein: 5g

Pioneer Woman Potato Balls

Recipe by Imen DridiCourse: Sides, Appetizers, Dinner, LunchCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Beginner

Servings

18

servings

Prep time

50

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

210

kcal

Pioneer Woman Potato Balls are made with cold mashed potatoes, savory shredded cheese, flour, eggs, and a crispy Panko breading. The result is a perfect, bite-sized sphere that is golden brown and crunchy on the outside and warm, cheesy, and creamy on the inside. They are the perfect appetizer or side dish for a holiday meal and make about 18 balls.

Ingredients

• 4 cups leftover mashed potatoes, must be cold

• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, or a blend

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• For the Breading and Frying:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs

• Vegetable oil, for deep frying

Directions

• Mix the filling: In a large bowl, combine the cold mashed potatoes, shredded cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until the cheese is evenly distributed.
• Scoop and roll: Use a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure to scoop the potato mixture. Use your hands to quickly roll the mixture into small, tight balls (about 1 1/2 inches wide).
• Chill the balls: Place the rolled potato balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover them and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This is crucial for holding their shape during frying.
• Set up the breading station: Prepare three shallow bowls: one with the flour, one with the beaten eggs, and one with the Panko breadcrumbs.
• Coat the balls: Take one potato ball at a time. Roll it in the flour, shaking off any excess. Dip it fully into the egg wash, then press it firmly into the Panko breadcrumbs to ensure a thick, even coating.
• Fry until golden: Fill a deep, heavy pot with about 2 inches of vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). Carefully drop the potato balls into the hot oil in small batches. Fry for 3-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are deep golden brown.
• Drain and serve: Remove the balls with a slotted spoon and drain them immediately on a plate lined with paper towels. Serve hot.

Notes

• The Mash Must Be Cold: Do not use fresh, warm mashed potatoes. Cold potatoes contain firm starches that help the balls hold their shape and prevent them from melting or disintegrating when they hit the hot oil.
  Use Panko for Crunch: Panko is a Japanese breadcrumb that is flakier and lighter than standard breadcrumbs. It is the secret to achieving that superior, shatteringly crispy exterior when frying.
  Fry in Small Batches: Frying too many balls at once will drop the temperature of your oil drastically. Low oil temperature causes the food to absorb grease and become soggy instead of crisp.
  Adjust the Seasoning: The final flavor depends on how well-seasoned your original mashed potatoes were. Taste the potato mixture before rolling and add extra salt, pepper, or onion powder if needed.