This potato cheese balls recipe is hands-down one of the best things I've ever made, and I am obsessed. They are hot, creamy, cheesy, crunchy, and everything you could ever want in a snack! Dunk or drizzle them with ranch, Sriracha aioli, or your favorite sauce!
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Because these are so simple and easy to make, it doesn't take much convincing to get me to make batch after batch whenever I'm entertaining. These are very inexpensive to make and will definitely be a hit with all your friends and family.
If you like my mom's potato chop recipe, you'll love these meatless potato balls! Potato cheese balls are essentially a fun, cheesy spin on croquettes.
I like to add jalapeño to mine for a little heat and added crunch, but they're just as delicious without them! I usually serve them with a homemade ranch dressing for a nice cool contrast to the hot & spicy potato balls.
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This potato cheese balls recipe is an easy-to-make snack perfect for parties, holidays, or any time you entertain guests!
- They can easily be prepared and frozen for later enjoyment.
- The cook time is very minimal, and the balls only need to fry for about 60 seconds.
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Yellow potatoes: Russet potatoes can be substituted, but as they are larger than yellow potatoes, you should use 3 rather than 6. Instant mashed potatoes also work very well!
- Potato starch: Corn starch works just as well.
- Panko bread crumbs: I love the unique crunch of Panko, but you can use your preferred brand or homemade bread crumbs.
- Asadero cheese: Asadero, also known as Oaxaca cheese, is my favorite cheese for melting. If you can't get your hands on some, you can stick with mozzarella or cheddar cheese.
- Fresh Jalapeños: This ingredient is totally optional! Some other great options would be pickled jalapeños or serranos. If you'd like to add a little extra texture without adding any heat, try adding in some sliced green onions, bell peppers, or cooked bacon bits!
🥔 How To Make Potato Cheese Balls
Step 1: Peel the potatoes, then cut them into fourths and rinse them in cold water to remove excess starch. Boil them in a large pot for 10 minutes or until tender, then mash until smooth.
Pro Tip: I like to use a food processor to speed up the process and ensure a smooth and uniform consistency.
Step 2: Add potato starch, flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, red pepper flakes, ½ cup of Panko, and ½ cup of Asadero cheese to a bowl. Mix until combined.
Step 3: Combine the cheese mixture with the mashed potatoes and mix until the consistency is similar to dough. In a separate bowl, combine jalapeños, mozzarella, and the remaining Asadero cheese and mix thoroughly.
Step 4: Take a handful of the potato mixture and flatten it into a thin patty that's roughly 4" wide. Put a spoonful of the cheese mix in the center, then fold the edges closed. Use your palms to roll it into a ball, and make sure there's a good seal to prevent cheese from oozing out while cooking.
Repeat this process until you've used up all the potato dough (this recipe yields roughly 15 potato cheese balls).
Pro Tip: If the dough is too sticky, you can add a little more flour until it becomes workable. I also like to coat my hands in flour to make the rolling process easier.
Step 5: Whisk two eggs in a bowl, and pour the Panko into another. Coat the balls in egg, then roll them in the Panko breadcrumbs until they're completely covered.
Step 6: Fill a small pan halfway with oil and heat to 350-375° F. Fry the bottom half of each ball over medium-high heat for about 30 seconds or until golden brown. Flip them over and fry for another 30 seconds. When they're evenly cooked, take them out and let the excess oil drain on a paper towel.
Pro Tip: When you cut or bite into them, the outsides should be light and crunchy, and the insides should be warm and creamy with perfectly melted cheese.
🍯 Serving Suggestions
Drizzle potato balls with ranch, tomato ketchup, lemon garlic aioli, or your favorite sauce. Sprinkle a little fresh or dried parsley to garnish and enjoy!
You may also enjoy these crispy and gooey ham hock croquettes, or see this baked potato bar toppings post for more ways to enjoy potatoes!
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
When choosing the right cheese for any kind of cheese ball, you want to pick a cheese suited for melting. Mozzarella, cheddar, Oaxaca, and provolone are the best stringy melters (who doesn't love a satisfying cheese pull)? Then we have our creamy melters like American, Jack, Munster, Havarti, Fontina, and Gouda. You want to avoid using non-melters like feta, goat cheese, cotija, etc., because these can separate or curdle.
In order to make potato cheese balls, you need to use potatoes with a high starch content (think russet, Idaho, yellow potatoes) or instant mashed potatoes. You'll also need a cheese that is good for melting, and bread crumbs for coating the potato balls.
First, you'll cook and mash the potatoes, then combine them with corn starch or flour until they become doughy. Next, you'll take some of the dough and add cheese to the center and roll it into a ball between your palms. Then you'll need to coat the balls in a binding agent like eggs or flour mixed with water, and coat them in bread crumbs. Deep fry them in neutral oil and enjoy!
Potato balls are made of mashed potatoes, usually stuffed with cheese, and coated with bread crumbs. They typically include gluten in the form of flour and bread crumbs, but they could be made gluten-free by substituting those ingredients. They're usually deep-fried in oil, but they can also be cooked in the air fryer or the oven.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- I love all the cheeses, and I encourage you to experiment with adding all your favorites. One thing to note, however, is that you should stick with cheeses that melt easily and avoid non-melters like feta, goat cheese, cotija, etc., because these can separate or curdle.
- If you prefer, you can use small cubes of cheese rather than shredded cheese.
- For deep frying, I recommend using corn oil, peanut oil, or vegetable oil.
- You really only need to cook these for about 60 seconds each. They can overcook very quickly, so keep a close eye on them!
- Because this recipe yields 15 potato cheese balls, I like to freeze some of them to enjoy later.
🥟 More Potato Recipes
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Peel the potatoes then cut them into fourths and rinse them in cold water to remove excess starch. Boil them in a large pot for 10 minutes or until tender, then mash until smooth.
- Add potato starch, flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, red pepper flakes, ½ cup Panko, and ½ cup of Asadero cheese to a bowl. Mix until combined.
- Combine the cheese mixture with the mashed potatoes and mix until the consistency is similar to dough. In a separate bowl, combine jalapeños, mozzarella, and remaining Asadero cheese and mix thoroughly.
- Take a handful of the potato mixture and flatten it into a thin patty that's roughly 4" wide. Put a spoonful of the cheese mix in the center, then fold the edges closed. Use your palms to roll it into a ball, and make sure there's a good seal to prevent cheese from oozing out while cooking. Repeat this process until you've used up all the potato dough (this recipe yields roughly 15 potato cheese balls).
- Whisk two eggs in a bowl, and pour the Panko into another. Coat the balls in egg, then roll them in the Panko breadcrumbs until they're completely covered.
- Fill a small pan halfway with oil and heat to 350-375° F. Fry the bottom half of each ball over medium-high heat for about 30 seconds or until golden brown. Flip them over and fry for another 30 seconds. When they're evenly cooked, take them out and let the excess oil drain on a paper towel.
- Drizzle with ranch or your favorite sauce. Sprinkle a little dried parsley to garnish and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- I like to use a food processor to speed up the potato mashing process and ensure a smooth and uniform consistency.
- If the dough is too sticky you can add a little more flour until it becomes workable. I also like to coat my hands in flour to make the rolling process easier.
- I love all the cheeses, and I encourage you to experiment with adding all your favorites. One thing to note, however, is that you should stick with cheeses that melt easily and avoid non-melters like feta, goat cheese, cotija, etc. because these can separate or curdle.
- If you prefer, you can use small cubes of cheese rather than shredded cheese.
- For deep frying, I recommend using corn oil, peanut oil, or vegetable oil.
- You really only need to cook these for about 60 seconds each. They can overcook very quickly, so keep a close eye on them!
- Because this recipe yields 15 potato cheese balls, I like to freeze some of them to enjoy later.
Debbie says
Can you cook these in a airfryer?if so how?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Debbie,
We haven't tried making them in an air fryer but you should be able to do so. I would spray or brush them with oil and air fry between 375 to 400 degrees F until golden brown on the outside and the cheese inside has melted.