Air Fryer Mashed Potato Balls

Hot, crispy, and cheesy air fryer mashed potato balls are the best appetizer or side dish. Mashed potato balls are crispy on the outside and cheesy, creamy, and soft on the inside. You’ll be amazed by the perfectly crunchy texture with less oil. And for me, cheese pull is the best part of this recipe.

A great way to use the leftover mashed potatoes to make a completely new recipe. Besides potato balls, I like making potato pancakes from mashed potatoes. These mashed potato recipes are surely a hit for kids and a picky eaters.

These air fried mashed potato balls can also be made without breadcrumbs if you are avoiding gluten. Or you can simply use gluten-free breadcrumbs for the recipe. These mashed potato balls are the perfect side dish or an appetizer for parties or you can enjoy them anytime as a snack.

Why you’ll love this recipe?

• Best use of leftover mashed potatoes.
• The air fryer mashed potato balls recipe is super easy and quickly gets ready.
• A perfect vegetarian appetizer, side dish, or snack.
• Healthier compared to the deep-fried version.

How to make air fryer mashed potato balls?

Making mashed potato balls in an air fryer is super easy and quick. It is a delicious recipe with minimal ingredients and effort. I would highly recommend this recipe for those who have kids they’ll love them.

Ingredients for air fryer mashed potato balls:

• 1 cup mashed potato
• 2-3 spring onions chopped
• Mozzarella cheese cubes
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Vegetable oil

Instructions for air fryer mashed potatoes:

1. Take a large mixing bowl to add mashed potato, chopped spring onions, garlic powder, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Mix them until well combined.
2. 
3. Take 3 bowls to add cornstarch, bread crumbs, and flour separately.
4. Add a little amount of water to make cornstarch slurry and keep aside.
5. Lightly rub your hands with oil and take a scoop of the mashed potato mixture with a spoon or an ice cream scoop.
6. Flatten it into a disk shape and add a cube of mozzarella cheese to the center. Then form into a ball by covering the cheese completely.
7. 
8. Put it in the flour bowl, coat them, and tap out the excess flour. Then dip it into the cornstarch slurry. And transfer it to the breadcrumb and coat them properly. Repeat the process for the rest of the mashed potato balls.
9. 
10. Lightly brush the oil in the air fryer basket and preheat at 190C/375F for 3 minutes.
11. Place the potato balls in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
12. 
13. Lightly brush the potato balls with oil and cook them at 190C/375F for 10 minutes. Flip the potato balls halfway through the cooking process.
14. Carefully remove the potato balls from the air fryer basket.
15. 
16. Sprinkle with the spring onion, serve with your favorite dipping sauce, and enjoy.

You can find the air fryer mashed potato balls in the printable card below

Recipe Variations

You can easily customize this recipe in your own way by adding the desired ingredients depending on your liking. I’ve tried to make the recipe as simple as possible.

• Try out adding shredded cheese in place of cheese cubes. You can also use other cheese like cheddar or parmesan cheese as an alternative to mozzarella.
• Use beaten eggs instead of cornstarch slurry.
• Add fried onions rather than spring onions to the mashed potato mixture.
• For some extra kick, you can add paprika, chili powder, and cayenne pepper if you are a spicy food lover.

Note: You can make your own bread crumbs to use in this recipe. I thought about sharing it with you because I made it myself. Take a bread slice and toast it in the air fryer for 6-7 minutes at 200C/400F, or until it is thoroughly toasted. After it has cooled down, cut up some chunks of the toasted bread and add them to the food processor. You can now use your handmade bread crumbs.

Recipe Tips

• Do not skip preheating the air fryer before making any type of food.
• Place the mashed potato balls in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Don’t overcrowd the air fryer for an evenly cooked result.
• Lightly spray the balls with oil for the crispiest result.
• To prevent the potato from sticking to your hands while making the potato balls, lightly oil or take some flour in your hands.
• Feel free to customize the recipe depending on your liking.

Serving Ideas

Serve this crispy air fryer mashed potato balls with your favorite dipping sauce or simply serve them with tomato ketchup.

You can also enjoy them with sour cream or ranch dressing.

How to Store?

Storage- Put the leftover mashed potato balls in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator. They are good for 3-4 days.

Freezing- I don’t suggest freezing these mashed potato balls because they become soggy when reheated.

Reheating- Place them in the air fryer in a single layer and reheat them at 190C/375F for 4-5 minutes or until they are warm through.

Here are some of the frequently asked questions:

Can I use other cheese for air fryer mashed potato balls?

Of course! You can use your favorite cheese instead of mozzarella. You can try using cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese.

Can you make them without an air fryer?

Yes, if you don’t have an air fryer I would like to suggest you buy one for yourself. Because it’s super easy to use and the air fryer has a lot of benefits. And if you have no idea about air fryers I have a complete guide on how to choose an air fryer size for beginners.

However, you can make them in an oven by following the same instructions and using our air fryer calculator for the temperature.

How do you cook frozen potato balls?

1. Preheat the air fryer to 190C/375F for 3 minutes.
2. Place the defrosted potato balls in the air fryer basket and lightly spray the balls with cooking oil.
3. Cook them at 190C/375F for 10-12 minutes. Toss or flip the potato balls halfway through the cooking process.
4. Remove and enjoy.

If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below.

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