Easy potato croquettes, crisp outside and soft inside
Easy homemade potato croquettes with a crisp coating and soft centre, perfect for a starter or casual dinner.
Looking for a crowd-pleasing starter that does not keep you in the kitchen for hours? Homemade potato croquettes are exactly what you need.
This recipe is designed to be easy from start to finish. The mixture comes together with pantry staples, shapes in minutes and fries in a regular pan without any special equipment. The result is a golden, crisp coating that wraps a soft, savoury centre.
Three things make this recipe reliable. Yellow-fleshed potatoes hold their texture well and absorb less water. Parmigiano adds flavour without making the mixture heavy. And letting the mash cool slightly before working it in prevents the croquettes from breaking apart in the oil.
If you want to get ahead, shape them a few hours in advance and keep them in the fridge ready to fry. They also freeze brilliantly from raw and go straight into the hot oil from the freezer, making them one of the most practical things you can have on hand.
Serve them hot with a yogurt dip, a herb mayonnaise or just a squeeze of lemon. They work as a starter, an aperitivo snack or a side dish alongside something light.
Ready to get started? Here is the full recipe for easy potato croquettes.
To make this recipe
A small selection of handy tools to keep within reach. Some links may be affiliate links.
Large non-stick pan
Useful for cooking and sautéing ingredients evenly without overcrowding the surface.
Digital kitchen scale
In leavened recipes and baked goods, it lets you accurately weigh flour, liquids, and yeast.
Steps
- Boil the potatoes in their skins starting from cold water so they cook evenly all the way through.
- Once tender, drain well, peel while still hot and mash them immediately with a potato ricer or a sturdy fork.
- Spread the mash out on a plate or wide bowl and leave it to cool for a few minutes so the excess moisture can escape.
- Add the egg, grated Parmigiano, breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
- Mix until you get a compact, shapeable mixture. If it feels too soft, work in an extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs.
- Scoop small portions and roll them into oval croquettes, keeping them roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
- Roll each croquette in the reserved breadcrumbs, pressing lightly with your hands so the coating sticks all over.
- Heat the oil in a deep-sided frying pan and fry a few croquettes at a time — do not crowd the pan or the temperature will drop.
- Turn them gently once the underside is golden and keep frying until they are evenly coloured on all sides.
- Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately, while the outside is still crisp and the inside soft.
Helpful tips
You can shape the croquettes up to 12 hours ahead and keep them covered in the fridge — they hold their shape well and fry beautifully straight from cold.
If the mixture feels too wet, give the mashed potatoes a few extra minutes to release steam before adding the other ingredients.
To freeze, arrange the raw croquettes on a lined tray until solid, then transfer to freezer bags. Fry straight from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the cooking time.
For a richer flavour, stir a handful of finely diced mortadella or a couple of tablespoons of ricotta into the mixture.
Average nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 118 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 14.0 g
- Sugars
- 1.0 g
- Protein
- 3.0 g
- Fat
- 5.5 g
- Saturated fat
- 1.7 g
- Fiber
- 1.4 g
- Sodium
- 150 mg
You might also like
Related recipes
Selected based on the same practical features as this recipe.
Baked Eggplant Meatballs, Easy and Full of Flavor
Baked eggplant meatballs that are crisp on the outside and soft in the middle, easy to make and perfect as a vegetarian starter or light dinner.
Water-based bundt cake without milk
An easy milk-free bundt cake, light and soft, ideal for everyday breakfast.
Umbrian torta al testo, soft and ready to fill
An Umbrian flatbread cooked in a pan, soft inside and lightly golden outside, ideal for many savoury fillings.