Potato Chop Recipe

This Middle Eastern Potato Chop Recipe features crispy potato croquettes, filled with perfectly seasoned ground beef, Italian parsley, and onion filling. Serve these tasty potato patties with a Middle Eastern Salad, and plenty of Pickled Turnips!

About This Recipe

I first shared this recipe in my cookbook, Mom's Authentic Assyrian Recipes, which I published in 2008.

The name "Potato Chop" doesn't exactly sound Assyrian, does it? To be precise, these meat-filled potato croquettes are called "Poteta Chap" in Assyrian.

The word for "potatoes" in Assyrian is "Kirtopeh." However, it is possible that Assyrians picked up this term during the British colonization of Iraq during WWI. Or it could very well be the Arabic word for "potatoes," which is "batata."

The second part of the name, however, makes a little more sense. The word "chap" sounds similar to "Chapeh," which means "Clapping" in Assyrian. When making Potato Chop, you use a clapping motion to shape the patties. So the name of this recipe would be a description of how these potato patties are made.

Why This Recipe Works

Potato Chops are super easy to prepare, especially when you prepare them my way, with boxed mashed potatoes instead of boiling and peeling potatoes, which takes way too much effort!

Since meat and potatoes are pretty filling, all you need is a few Potato Chops and a salad and you will be left satisfied. The patties can be prepared ahead of time and reheated, a few at a time, as needed.

What You Need For This Recipe

Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions

• Potatoes: Although most potato chop recipes use potatoes, I've found boxed mashed potatoes are a million times easier to work with and taste just as good.
• Meat: You can use beef, lamb, turkey, venison, or whatever meat you prefer. Traditionally, beef or lamb are used.
• Spices: I like to add salt, black pepper, paprika, allspice, and cayenne. If you prefer mild food, you can omit the cayenne pepper.

How to Make This Recipe

STEP 1: Cook filling ingredients (ground meat, onions, spices, and parsley) then cool.

STEP 2: Mix the entire box of Idaho Potato Flakes, eggs, salt, and warm water by hand to form the potato dough.

STEP 3: Stuff a golfball-sized ball of the potato dough with one heaping tablespoon of filling. Flatten the filled dough balls between your palms into a disc, using a back-and-forth clapping motion.

Pro Tip: Wetting your hands first is helpful.

STEP 4: Heat vegetable oil to 375 degrees F or until bubbles form as soon as you add the patties to the oil. Brown a few patties at a time in the oil, turn when the edges begin to brown. It should take approximately 2 minutes per side.

STEP 5: Drain potato chops on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining potato chop.

Different Ways to Make Potato Chops

Breaded Potato Chop

Although my potato chop recipe has never contained bread crumbs, some do add them (my sister, Rosa, for example).

This is done by first dipping the potato chop in eggs, and then into breadcrumbs. Mom would have never approved of this method. Honestly, I've tried making them both ways, but I prefer them without breadcrumbs.

While the bread crumbs give you a slightly crunchier texture, the potato chop leave behind burned crumbs in the oil. These crumbs then stick to the other potato chop being fried. The end results are not very attractive.

Vegetarian Potato Chop... Say What? 

So I've shared before that both of my kids are picky eaters. And when I say "kids," I'm talking 20 and 24-year-olds! But I'm a sucker for altering the recipes to please everyone in the house (I don't recommend doing that unless you love cooking).

In order to get my daughter, Nena, to eat Potato Chop, I replace the meat filling with cheddar cheese. What's better than cheesy potatoes, right? If you have picky eaters or vegetarians at home, try these Cheese-Filled Potato Chops!

Using Potatoes Instead of Potato Flakes

Even though this recipe is perfect just the way it is, there are those who might prefer using the method their moms used to make Potato.

If this describes you, here are the steps to making the potato dough using real potatoes. The filling mixture will be the same.

• Boil approximately 2 lbs. of Russet or Idaho potatoes (approximately 6 large potatoes) until tender, drain, and cool.
• Peel potatoes, then use a potato ricer, or masher to mash the potatoes.
• Add 2 Tablespoons of starch, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 egg to the mashed potatoes.
• Knead the dough until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
• Assemble the patties as described in the recipe card instructions below.

Baked Potato Chop

You can bake Potato Chop as well, but just so you're aware, they definitely taste better fried! There is also a chance that the patties might open up as they bake. But to give this a try, follow these simple steps:

1. Place the Potato Chop on a greased baking sheet.
2. Brush the tops with vegetable oil.
3. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes, or until golden in color.

For an even easier version, divide the potato mixture in half. Press half of the dough inside a buttered baking dish. Spread the meat mixture evenly over the potatoes.

Carefully spread the remaining potato dough over the filling mix, and brush the top with melted butter. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes.

Recipe FAQs

Recipe Pro Tips

• If you are left with extra filling, wrap it in a tortilla, Pita Bread, or mixed it in with rice for a delicious, easy meal.
• Potato Chops can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until you are ready to fry or bake them.
• Store cooked potato chops in an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• Potato Chops can also be cooked in an air fryer with excellent results. Just brush the patties with vegetable oil and air fry until brown and crispy on both sides.

Other Meat-Filled Potato Patty Recipes

I am always amazed at how similar recipes are prepared by various cultures. This Potato Chop recipe is certainly no exception.

Recently, I asked Chef Mireille about a possible similar Indian recipe, also called "Potato Chop."

Although she wasn't personally familiar with that recipe, she introduced me to a Cuban meat-filled potato patty recipe called "Papas Rellanas."

These patties look identical, but the meat filling is spiced differently. Come to think of it, what is a Shepherd's Pie if not a larger, baked version of Potato Chop?

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This recipe was originally published on 3/10/2019 and edited on 11/21/19 by reducing the amount of onion by half.