Crispy Mashed Potato Fries
These crispy mashed potato fries are an easy homemade potato snack made with just a few simple ingredients. Russet potatoes are boiled until tender, mashed until smooth, mixed with a little cornstarch, then shaped into long fries and pan-fried until beautifully golden.I kept seeing versions of mashed potato fries all over YouTube and thought they looked fun to try. They were definitely an easy winner. The outside gets crisp and golden while the middle stays soft and fluffy, almost like mashed potatoes tucked inside a fry.One warning though — eat these hot. They are at their absolute best straight from the frying pan. No leftovers allowed!
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Colander
- Large mixing bowl
- Potato masher, ricer, or electric hand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Large non-stick frying pan
- Tongs or chopsticks for turning the fries
- Plate lined with paper towel for draining
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes large
- ¼ cup (Scant) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cooking oil or enough to lightly coat the frying pan
- Extra salt and black pepper for serving
Instructions
Peel and cut the potatoes.
- Peel the russet potatoes and cut them into medium-sized chunks. Try to keep the pieces fairly even so they cook at roughly the same speed.
Boil until fork-tender.
- Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a fork.
Drain the potatoes really well.
- Drain away all the cooking water and let the potatoes sit for a minute or two. This little rest lets some of the extra moisture steam away and helps create a better texture for shaping the fries.
Mash until smooth.
- Transfer the cooked potatoes to a bowl and mash until mostly smooth with no large chunks remaining. They don’t need to look perfectly whipped. Just make sure there aren’t big pieces that could make the fries break apart.
Add the cornstarch, salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle in just under ¼ cup cornstarch, along with the salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix until the mashed potatoes come together into a soft, workable potato dough.
Shape the mashed potato fries.
- Take small portions of the potato mixture and gently roll them into long fry shapes on a clean work surface. Keep them fairly similar in thickness so they cook evenly. Mine weren’t perfectly identical, and that really doesn’t matter.
Heat the frying pan.
- Add enough cooking oil to lightly coat the bottom of a non-stick frying pan. Heat over medium heat until the oil is hot.
Pan-fry until golden and crispy.
- Carefully place the mashed potato fries into the hot pan in a single layer. Leave a little space between each one so they fry rather than steam.
Let the first side develop a crust.
- Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes before turning. Don’t rush this part. Giving the fries time to develop a golden crust makes them much easier to turn without breaking.
Turn and brown all sides.
- Gently rotate the fries using chopsticks or tongs and continue cooking until the outside is golden brown and crispy on all sides.
Season and serve immediately.
- Remove the fries from the pan and sprinkle with extra salt and freshly ground black pepper while they are still hot.
For the best crispy mashed potato fries, drain the russet potatoes really well before mashing and let the shaped fries cook undisturbed for a couple of minutes before turning. That first golden crust helps them stay together and gives the outside its best crisp texture.
Notes
- Use russet potatoes for the best texture. Russets mash up light and fluffy, which makes them a great choice for crispy mashed potato fries with soft centres and golden edges.
- Drain the potatoes really well. Extra moisture can make the mashed potato mixture sticky and harder to shape. Let the boiled potatoes sit for a minute or two before mashing.
- Use just under ¼ cup cornstarch. This helps the mashed potato fries hold their shape and gives them that crisp exterior once they hit the hot pan.
- Mash until mostly smooth. A few tiny potato bits are fine, but large chunks can make the fries crack or break while shaping.
- Shape the fries while the mixture is still slightly warm. It is easier to work with, but not so hot that it sticks to your hands.
- Keep the fries close in size. They do not need to be perfect, but similar thickness helps them cook evenly and brown at the same rate.
- Do not flip too soon. Let the first side develop a golden crust before turning. This makes the crispy potato fries much easier to handle.
- Cook in a single layer. Give the fries a little room in the pan so they crisp instead of steam.
- Season right away. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper while the fries are still hot so the seasoning sticks well.
- Serve immediately. These homemade mashed potato fries are best hot and fresh, when the outside is crisp and the inside is still soft and fluffy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 294kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 592mgPotassium: 888mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!