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Home » Recipes » Vegan Potato Pancakes (Using Leftover Mash)

Vegan Potato Pancakes (Using Leftover Mash)

Aug 17, 2021 by The Pesky Vegan | 8 Comments

239 shares
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Looking for a simple recipe to turn that leftover mash into something special? Enter vegan potato pancakes. Light, fluffy, crispy, and slightly cheesy, they're a great snack or breakfast dish that's egg-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

Stack of Crispy Vegan Potato Pancakes

If you want to make these but don't have leftover mashed potatoes, simply prepare some mash as you normally would then allow it to cool and firm up in the fridge before following this recipe.

For a hearty vegan breakfast, pair these mashed potato pancakes with protein-packed eggy scrambled tofu or leftover vegan haggis fritters. For a sweet potato variant, see these sweet potato pancakes with chilli and lime.

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Mashed Potato Pancakes on Plate with Sliced Spring Onion

Let's talk mash

The leftover mashed potatoes you use will affect the final outcome of this recipe. Ideally, they'll be fluffy, very smooth, and with a relatively neutral flavour. If they already include stronger flavours such as mustard, as I'll sometimes include in vegan mash, then that'll come through in the pancakes.

In that case, it might be worth using the potatoes in another savoury dish such as vegan fish pie or vegan cottage pie.

Leftover Vegan Mashed Potatoes in Bowl

Making these without eggs

You might think that mashed potato cakes won't really work without eggs or an egg substitute (there are plenty of vegan egg alternatives). But it really is as simple as combining the ingredients and frying the potato 'dough' in a hot pan.

Of course, the texture won't be exactly the same as with a thinner, more traditional batter, but you should end up with a pancake that's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

What you'll need

The beauty of these gluten-free potato cakes lies in their simplicity. You'll need:

  • Leftover mashed potato that has been chilled in the fridge
  • Gluten-free flour and baking powder to bind the mix and help make the pancakes fluffy
  • Nutritional yeast for added flavour and cheesiness
  • Spring onion to add a fresh and aromatic edge
List of Ingredients to Make Vegan Potato Pancakes Gluten-Free

How to make mashed potato pancakes

In a bowl, use a fork or spoon to loosen up the leftover mashed potatoes (1).

Mix in the flour, nutritional yeast, baking powder, plant-based milk or water, and a pinch each of salt and pepper (2). Stir together until all the ingredients are combined, then mix in the sliced spring onion (3).

You should have a firm, fairly dry dough that keeps its shape, doesn't break apart, and can be easily moulded in your hands.

How To Make Mashed Potato Pancakes Process Shots

Take a small amount of dough – approx. one twelfth of the mix – and roll it into a ball. Flatten the ball into a disc approx. ½ inch thick and smooth the sides to make it round.

Repeat until you've used up all the dough (I ended up with 12 pancakes, but this can easily vary). You can either shape all of the potato cakes before frying, or do it in batches as you go.

Heat a wide, flat-based pan on medium heat and add a tablespoon of plant-based butter or oil. Once hot, place 3-4 pancakes in the pan (depending on how much space you have).

Gently fry for a few minutes until golden underneath, then flip over and repeat on the other side.

Crispy Vegan Potato Cakes Frying in Pan

Do this until you've used up all your dough, adding as much extra plant-based butter or oil as necessary for each new batch. If you like, you can place the cooked pancakes on a plate lined with kitchen paper to remove any excess oil. Serve warm.

Serving suggestions

These things are great on their own, or with sliced spring onions and tomato ketchup on the side. You could also top with plant-based sour cream or crème fraîche, or include them as part of a larger cooked breakfast.

Recipe FAQ

Is baking powder gluten-free?

Baking powder is usually gluten-free, but it's worth making sure on the product packaging if you need to be careful.

Can I make these with regular flour?

If you don't need this recipe to be gluten-free, simply use regular plain/all-purpose flour.

How long will they keep in the fridge?

You can refrigerate the cooked pancakes for up to four days, although you should reduce this time accordingly depending on how many days the leftover mash had already spent in the fridge.

Can you freeze vegan potato pancakes?

These are best when freshly cooked, however you can freeze them for up to six months.

Variations and tips for vegan potato cakes

Leftover Vegan Mashed Potato Pancakes on Plate with Tomato Ketchup
  • Consistency: You may need an extra splash of plant-based milk or water, so tweak as necessary. You definitely want the dough to be fairly dry as it'll turn softer in the hot pan.
  • Sticky hands: If your hands get a bit sticky when shaping the discs, you can rinse them quickly under running water or have a bowl of cold water next to you to dip them in.
  • Mashed potatoes: If you've recently made the mash, it helps for it to have cooled down thoroughly in the fridge before making these pancakes.
  • Vegan cheese: If you want to add vegan cheese, grate this and stir it into the mix.

Hey you – let me know what you think

If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

You can also find me and let me know on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook @thepeskyvegan 🌿

Keep in touch

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More vegan recipe ideas

If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

  • Vegan Breakfast Hash
  • Eggy Scrambled Tofu
  • 2-Ingredient Banana Oat Cookies
  • Vegan Tofu Pancetta
  • Ultimate Vegan Haggis
  • Vegan Haggis Toastie
  • Crispy Vegan Roast Potatoes
  • Vegan Haggis Fritters

You can also check out my full list of vegan sides.

Stack of Crispy Vegan Potato Pancakes

Vegan Potato Pancakes (Using Leftover Mash)

The Pesky Vegan
Light, fluffy, crispy, and slightly cheesy, these gluten-free vegan potato pancakes are a great way to use up some leftover mash for breakfast.
5 from 3 votes
Rate this Recipe Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Course Breakfast, Side
Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan
Servings 12 pancakes
Calories 75 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups (600 g) leftover mashed potatoes (chilled)
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose gluten-free flour (or regular plain/all-purpose flour if not GF)
  • 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon plant-based milk or water (plus more if necessary)
  • 1 medium spring onion, finely sliced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Plant-based butter or oil for frying
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl, use a fork or spoon to loosen up the leftover mashed potatoes.
  • Mix in the flour, nutritional yeast, baking powder, plant-based milk or water, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir together until all the ingredients are combined, then mix in the sliced spring onion. You should have a firm, fairly dry dough that keeps its shape, doesn't break apart, and can be easily moulded in your hands.
  • Note: You can either shape all of the potato cakes before frying, or do it in batches as you go.
    Take a small amount of dough – approx. one twelfth of the mix – and roll it into a ball. Flatten the ball into a disc approx. ½ inch thick and smooth the sides to make it round. Repeat until you've used up all the dough (I ended up with 12 pancakes, but this can easily vary).
  • Heat a wide, flat-based pan on medium heat and add a tablespoon of plant-based butter or oil. Once hot, place 3-4 pancakes in the pan (depending on how much space you have).
  • Gently fry for a few minutes until golden underneath, then flip over and repeat on the other side. Do this until you've used up all your dough, adding as much extra plant-based butter or oil as necessary for each new batch.
  • If you like, you can place the cooked pancakes on a plate lined with kitchen paper to remove any excess oil. Serve warm with your favourite toppings or accompaniments.
Rate this recipe 👇

Notes

Consistency: The consistency of the dough before cooking will depend largely on the original consistency of your leftover mash. You may need an extra splash of plant-based milk or water, so tweak as necessary. You definitely want the dough to be fairly dry as it'll turn softer in the hot pan.
Sticky hands: If your hands get a bit sticky when shaping the discs, you can rinse them quickly under running water or have a bowl of cold water next to you to dip them in.
Mashed potatoes: If you've recently made the mash, it helps for it to have cooled down thoroughly in the fridge before making these pancakes.
Spring onion: If you don't have this, you could substitute for a similar amount of chopped fresh chives.
Vegan cheese: If you want to add vegan cheese, grate this and stir it into the mix.
Gluten-free: To make this dish 100% gluten-free, use a GF flour and double check that your baking powder is gluten-free (it usually is, but it's worth making sure if you need to be careful). If you don't need this recipe to be gluten-free, simply use regular plain/all-purpose flour.
Storage: You can refrigerate the cooked pancakes for up to four days, although you should reduce this time accordingly depending on how many days the leftover mash had already spent in the fridge. Freeze for up to six months.
If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:
  • Vegan Breakfast Hash
  • Eggy Scrambled Tofu
  • Vegan Tofu Pancetta
  • Vegan Sweet Potato Pancakes
  • Ultimate Vegan Haggis
  • Vegan Haggis Toastie
  • Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (Dauphinoise)
  • Vegan Haggis Quesadilla
 
* The nutrition info below is for one mashed potato pancake, based on a total of 12. I've accounted for 3 tablespoons of plant-based butter used for cooking, but the info will vary depending on what was in your original leftover mash.

Nutrition

Calories: 75kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 2gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 229mgPotassium: 230mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 147IUVitamin C: 8mgVitamin D: 1µgCalcium: 69mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Potato Pancakes (Using Leftover Mash)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 75 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Sodium 229mg10%
Potassium 230mg7%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 147IU3%
Vitamin C 8mg10%
Vitamin D 1µg7%
Calcium 69mg7%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword leftover mashed potato recipe, mashed potato pancake, vegan potato cake
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment down below or tag me on Instagram @thepeskyvegan along with the hashtag #thepeskyvegan

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239 shares

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Vicky

    November 27, 2021 at 4:58 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! Great idea for left over mash 🙂

    Reply
    • The Pesky Vegan

      November 29, 2021 at 10:38 am

      Cheers Vicky, glad you enjoyed!

      Reply
      • Lisa

        May 23, 2022 at 6:10 am

        5 stars
        Very good! I will make these again ♡

        Reply
        • The Pesky Vegan

          May 24, 2022 at 7:01 am

          Good stuff, thanks for leaving a review!

          Reply
  2. Caroline

    May 24, 2022 at 1:04 pm

    Enjoyed for Sunday brekky
    I did make them a wee bit wet and added more flour...not the best idea
    But enjoyed anyway

    Reply
    • The Pesky Vegan

      May 25, 2022 at 10:18 am

      Great to hear you enjoyed, thanks for the review!

      Reply
  3. Vivien Haines

    May 24, 2022 at 9:02 pm

    5 stars
    Puuurfec..yummy.👍

    Reply
    • The Pesky Vegan

      May 25, 2022 at 10:18 am

      Thanks for the review!

      Reply

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I'm Alistair and I'm The Pesky Vegan. I create new recipes every single week – always vegan, usually gluten-free.

Like most people, I come from a background where consuming animal products was the norm. It's safe to say I never thought I'd go vegan.

If you want to find out more about how on earth this happened – and how you can do the same – click below.

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