Skip to Content

Easy Gluten Free Mashed Potato Pancakes Recipe

Leftover mashed potatoes are a rare event in our home. But when it does occur, we must make our favorite Gluten Free Mashed Potato Pancakes!

Crispy-ish on the outside and tender, leftover creamy mashed potatoes on the inside. 

What is better than leftover mashed potatoes after they've been dredged in gluten free bread crumbs, fried and smothered with dairy free sour cream, diced green onions, and crispy, crunchy bacon.

Y'all, these flavors are wonderful together. And you can enjoy them for breakfast, lunch, supper, or even as an appetizer.

Some homeamde mashed potato pancakes.
Jump to:

Why Make These Potato Pancakes

  • You are using leftovers as part of the recipe, helping to reduce food waste
  • They are gluten free and dairy free
  • It's an insanely easy recipe to follow for perfect golden brown potato cakes
  • ​Perfect kind of recipe to scale if you have more leftover mashed potatoes
  • This recipe will only take minutes to pull off. 

Ingredients Notes

This section is where we like to share the brands of the ingredients that we used. Get more info on these simple ingredients in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. 

  • oil for frying - you can use whatever oil you prefer. Olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, etc.
  • leftover mashed potatoes - if you need a delicious gluten free and dairy free recipe for the best CREAMY mashed potatoes, use this one!
  • egg, optional 
  • shredded dairy free cheese, optional
  • seasonings such as parsley or dill, salt and black pepper
  • gluten free flour blend- you can use your favorite blend. We like Beth's BlendsBob's Red Mill 1-1 Baking Mix, and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Flour 
  • dairy free bread crumbs, optional. But Ian's panko breadcrumbs work great and are one of our favorites for this recipe
  • topping ideas: gluten free bacon, dairy free sour cream (we like to use Tofutti or WayFare Foods), and green onions
A pile of homemade gluten free mashed potato pancakes.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

Large Frying Pan or Griddle

Mixing bowl

Measuring Cups and Spoons

Wooden Spoon

Slotted spatula/serving spoon 

How to Make Gluten Free Mashed Potato Pancakes

  1. Pour oil into a large non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat. You want the oil to cover the entire pan well.
  2. In a large bowl, combine leftover refrigerated mashed potatoes with your spices. And an egg if needed and cheese.
  3. Combine the potato mixture well.
  4. If the mixture is loose or not holding its shape add in a Tablespoon of gluten-free flour. Add in another if needed.
  5. Roll the mixture into small balls (about ¼ cup). Take each ball, flatten with the palm of your hand.
  6. Dredge patties on both sides in gluten free bread crumbs if using.
  7. Place potato patty directly into your hot pan or griddle.
  8. Add mre oil as needed and fry until golden brown on both sides, usually 4-5 minutes per side.
  9. Remove from hot oil and set on a paper towel to soak up excess grease as it cools. 
  10. Garnish with toppings if desired, and enjoy. 
Gluten free mashed potato balls on a cutting board.

Storage

Leftover savory pancakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

These are the perfect side dish to use for breakfast, lunch or even dinner when you're trying to use up what you have in the fridge. 

How do you reheat leftover mashed potato pancakes?

Reheating your leftover mashed potato pancakes is super easy! Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the pancakes directly onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 5-10 minutes, flipping them halfway through.

You'll know they're done when they are nice and toasty on both sides again!

Can I freeze mashed potato pancakes? 

Yes, mashed potato pancakes can be frozen. After frying the patties, let them cool to room temperature before transferring them to a freezer-safe bag or container.

When ready to use, thaw the pancakes in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven or microwave.

Using the oven will result in crispier potatoes- the microwave may make them soggy. 

A mashed potato pancake in the bread crumbs.

Tips

  • ​We like to use a ¼ cup measuring cup to help scoop out the potatoes and so we know they will all be similar in size. 
  • When storing, we like to store them in a single layer and use parchment paper or paper towels in between layers if needed.
  • It's important to keep a few ingredients in mind if you're using a different mashed potato recipe. If your mashed potatoes weren't made with an egg, make sure to add one. You will most likely need to add gluten free flour to thicken up the dough as well.
  • This is the perfect recipe to make use of any Thanksgiving leftovers, any other holiday leftovers or anytime you have lots of leftover mashed potatoes. 
What can I do if I have loose mashed potatoes?

If your mashed potatoes are loose and not holding their shape add one tablespoon of gluten-free flour at a time until you reach the desired texture and consistency.

You should only need maybe 2-4 if it's really loose.

Can I use instant mashed potatoes? 

We wouldn't recommend using instant mashed potatoes to make mashed potato pancakes using this mashed potatoes recipe.

Can I make this with sweet potatoes? 

Certainly! Mashed sweet potato pancakes would be delicious! Just check on consistency and alter as necessary when mixing the dough in the large mixing bowl.

Variations

Looking to change up the flavor profile a bit? Try adding in some more spices or herbs.

You can easily make this with garlic powder, onion powder, some nutritional yeast if you don't like the shredded dairy free cheese.

You can also add some fresh herbs like parsley or rosemary. 

Make vegan gluten-free potato pancakes. The egg that is optional is the only thing that is really making this not an easy vegan potato pancakes recipe already, so if you don't want to use the egg you don't have to.

We haven't tried it, but we have readers who have used an egg replacer in its place because of allergies. If you wanted to, you could try adding in some flax egg or other replacement. 

More mashed potato recipes

If you enjoyed these gluten free mashed potato pancakes, you'll love these other mashed potato pancakes that use the same yummy base recipe!

  • the perfect mashed potatoes you need. You will enjoy these creamy potatoes.
  • shepherd's pie (cottage pie) recipe you'll fall in love with. This delicious filling and creamy potato topping combine to form the ultimate comfort meal. 

So the next time you have leftover mashed potatoes, fry them into the most delicious pancakes. You will love this new meal idea so much that you'll find yourself making extra mashed potatoes with this recipe in mind.

A pile of homemade gluten free mashed potato pancakes.

Mashed Potato Pancakes

Turn your ordinary mashed potatoes in to delicious mashed potaot pancakes
No ratings yet
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Servings: 6 pancakes
Author: Eating Gluten and Dairy Free

Ingredients

  • oil for frying
  • 3 cups mashed potatoes refrigerated
  • 1 egg optional - see post for details
  • ½ cup shredded dairy free cheese optional
  • seasonings such as parsley or dill and salt and pepper to taste
  • 1-3 Tablespoons gluten free flour optional, add one tablespoon at a time
  • ½ cup dairy free bread crumbs optional, see post for brand suggestion
  • topping ideas: gluten free bacon, dairy free sour cream, and green onions optional

Instructions

  • Pour oil into a large non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat. You want the oil to cover the entire pan well.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine refrigerated mashed potatoes, spices. And an egg if needed and cheese.
  • Combine the mixture well.
  • If the mixture is loose or not holding its shape add in a tablespoon of gluten free flour. Add in another if needed.
  • Roll mixture into small balls (about ¼ c). Take each ball, flatten with the palm of your hand.
  • Dredge patties on both sides in gluten free bread crumbs.
  • Place directly into hot pan or griddle.
  • Fry until golden brown on both sides, usually 4-5 minutes per side.
  • Add in more oil as needed.

Nutritional Disclaimer

These Nutritional Facts are ESTIMATED. Your actual nutritional info with this recipe may vary depending on the brands you choose. “Eating Gluten and Dairy Free” is not a registered dietician or nutritionist. The provided nutritional info above is based on a generic calculator, if you want more accurate info, use your nutritional calculator of choice where you can choose brands and get more info that way.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram and Pinterest to keep up with all our new recipes. Tag us if you make the recipe on IG or share your thoughts by commenting on the pin on Pinterest. If you try this recipe, feel free to give it 5 🌟 below

Eat Well and Feel Well

Pin It For Later

Stack of potato pancakes topped with dairy free sour cream, diced green onions and bacon.

Share for others and save for later!

Recipe Rating