Holy croquette, are you ready for this?
I’m feeling all sorts of nostalgic for travel, and itchy with anticipation as the weather becomes just the slightest bit nicer. Except for that blizzard that’s due for what seems to be our Annual April Blizzard here in Minnesota.
It’s just a good excuse to cozy in one last time and devour Cheesy Potato Croquettes. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.
Travel? Croquettes? I’ve got to tell you how these came into my recipe arsenal. It all started when I had the best vegetarian breakfast I’ve ever had.
Life changed forever when I first had Persian Fetta Potato Croquettes in Australia. It was my last morning in Melbourne. Before heading to the airport my friend and I had one last quintessential Melbourne brunch (well, last for me, for the foreseeable future).
I kid you not, it was the best brunch I’d had in, um, maybe ever?
How is it that you find your favorite restaurant right before leaving a place? A restaurant that to enjoy again you literally have to fly around the world?
Rhetorical question, yes, but it seems to always happen, doesn’t it? You know, like that time I traveled to Vietnam and fell in love with Vietnamese Egg Coffee!
Naturally, since I couldn’t fly around the world when the craving hit, it meant I HAD to figure out how to recreate it back here in Minnesota, and of course share it with you.
The Cheese to Use
First things first: what is Persian Fetta? It’s THE cheese of Yarra Valley (right outside of Melbourne). And it was the absolute MOST perfect cheese in potato croquettes.
Persian Fetta is a soft and creamy cheese with a buttery finish; marinated in garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, fresh thyme, and olive oil. ALL OF THE GOOD THINGS.
Unfortunately, it’s not available here in the U.S., so I had to get to thinking. And planning. Research and development mode STAT.
What’s a soft, buttery, creamy cheese filled with herbs, and available in U.S. grocery stores? Are you thinking what I’m thinking? BOURSIN CHEESE (garlic and herb variety, of course).
Friends, it’s a pretty darn good substitute. I’m like 1,028% obsessed with Boursin Garlic and Herb Cheese. Give me the entire container, a sleeve of buttery crackers, and I’m in indulgent heaven (no, this isn’t sponsored, just forever in love).
It’s also the perfect pair with potatoes.
When testing this recipe, the mashed potatoes almost didn’t make it into croquette form, because, hello amazingness. So just be warned: get that egg in the potatoes quickly so you don’t eat all the filling before the frying happens!
How to Make Cheesy Potato Croquettes
Lucky for us, they are quite simple to make. They just require a bit of time (to cool and chill), and a little frying.
The Ingredients
- Mashed potatoes– the classic ingredient. Thanksgiving hack: use up your leftovers!
- Egg – to bind it all together.
- Boursin cheese – find it in a little box in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store; it’s a creamy cylinder of the most delicious spreadable cheese.
- Spices – salt, white pepper, onion powder.
- Breadcrumbs – for coating
Once the potatoes are mashed together with the rest of the ingredients, they’re chilled. Chilling helps you mold them into a rectangular shape. It also helps the croquettes keep their shape while rolling in the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.
Really you guys, they’re so easy to make. And after frying Scalloped Corn Arancini, you’ve converted to team “fry away because there’s sometimes nothing like it” right? Good, let’s get to it then! Fry them up and in no time you’ll be digging in!
P.S. I love using my cast iron skillet to fry these babies!
How to Shape These Croquettes
At Journeyman Cafe in Melbourne, their croquettes were my kind of size: large rectangular prisms. So, of course, that’s what I decided to do, too, because the bigger, the better.
Potato croquettes are sometimes made into balls, flat ovals, round ovals…whatever your size preference, adjust accordingly. All puns equally, not equally, intended.
What to Serve with Potato Croquettes
When I enjoyed the restaurant’s version for brunch, they were served with corn puree, crispy kale, poached eggs, and manchego cheese, thinly sliced.
The combination was out of this world. Between the creamy texture of the croquette filling, the light, crispy exterior, and the crunch of the crispy kale, with the smooth corn, was perfection.
I used some skillet creamed corn in the photos (an easy favorite!), as well as some crispy kale, and just topped them with parmesan that I had in the fridge.
I’ll hands-down say that’s one super good way to serve them. But really, you can serve them with so many things. I love them alongside a caesar or Brussels sprout salad, or with fried eggs at breakfast.
They’re even amazing by themselves. No arguing there!
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
Cheesy Potato Croquettes
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed (~5-6 small potatoes)
- 5.2 oz. Boursin Garlic & Herb Cheese
- Salt, to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 eggs, divided and slightly beaten
- ½ cup flour
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 cups neutral oil, for frying, approximate
- parmesan cheese, optional, for garnish
- parsley, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Mashed Potatoes: Add peeled and cubed potatoes to a large stockpot with salted water. Heat over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil for approximately 15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, remove Boursin from the fridge to come to room temperature. Once potatoes are tender, drain and transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Mash potatoes slightly. Add Boursin cheese, salt, white pepper, onion powder, and melted butter. Continue mashing until completely combined and smooth, taste test and adjust for salt. Let cool for 10 minutes, then add ONE egg and stir to combine. Chill in the fridge for 15-25 minutes until the mixture easily forms together.
- Prepare a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper. Form ¼ cup of the chilled mashed potato mixture into a rectangle. Place it on the plate and continue until all of the potatoes are used. Place back in the fridge to chill for 20-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add flour, salt, and pepper to a bowl. In a second bowl, whisk the remaining egg for the egg wash. In a third bowl, add the breadcrumbs. Heat oil in a large skillet with straight edges or a dutch oven (about 1 inch deep) until it reaches 350°F.
- Dip each potato croquette in flour, egg wash, then breadcrumbs. Set on a baking sheet or plate until ready to cook. In the heated oil, gently place the croquettes evenly spaced and fry for about 1 ½- 2 minutes on each side (4 sides) until golden brown. Remove and set on a plate lined with a paper towel before serving. You may need to fry multiple batches.
- Garnish with parmesan cheese and parsley as desired. Serve with creamed corn, crispy kale, and poached eggs as desired.
Video
Nutrition
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the facts listed is not and cannot be guaranteed.
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This post was originally published on October 18, 2018. The photos and video were updated 4/8/19; text and recipe were only updated for clarity.
Ruby
I adooore croquettes! I always order way too many when I go to Spain. This version with that herby cheese sounds AMAZING. I’ve never tried making them at home, but now I have to! xx
Becca
Oh goodness! I can’t imagine how delicious they are in Spain, too! Herby cheese is definitely a must! 🙂
Connie
This sounds fantastic. Will definitely try.
Becca Mills
Looking forward to hearing how they turn out! Thanks, Connie!