Waffled Mashed Potatoes With Bacon, Scallion, and Cheddar Recipe

By
Daniel Shumski
Headshot of Daniel Shumski, a Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Daniel Shumski

Daniel Shumski is a writer, editor, and recipe developer. He has written four cookbooks, including Will it Waffle?, and has written for the Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post.

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Updated Nov. 05, 2018
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Waffled mashed potatoes are perfect for leftovers, but so good you might make mashed potatoes just to waffle them. Daniel Shumski

This recipe is adapted from Easy Gourmet: Awesome Recipes Anyone Can Cook. Waffling your leftover mashed potatoes gives them a second life that may be even better than their first.

Why this recipe works:

  • The high, two-sided heat of the waffle iron crisps the ridges of the potatoes and provides crunch while leaving an inner core that's soft and fluffy.
  • The dimpled geometry of the waffled mashed potatoes provides a welcoming base for gravy or other sauces.

Notes: The recipe will work in either a Belgian- or standard-style waffle iron. If the Thanksgiving leftover spirit moves you, replace about 1/2 cup of the mashed potatoes with stuffing. The bacon may be swapped out for an equivalent amount of cooked, crumbled sausage.

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Recipe Facts

4

(1)

Active: 20 mins
Total: 20 mins
Serves: 4 to 6 servings

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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups leftover or freshly made fluffy mashed potatoes
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and light green parts only
  • 1 cup cooked bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Nonstick cooking spray

Directions

  1. Preheat waffle iron. (If it has temperature adjustment, set it to medium.) If you want to keep finished waffled mashed potatoes warm, preheat oven to 225°F.

  2. In large bowl, whisk together oil, buttermilk, and eggs. Add mashed potatoes, green onions, bacon, and cheese. Mix well.

  3. In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Fold into potato mixture until evenly incorporated.

  4. Spray both sides of waffle iron with nonstick spray and place about 1/2 cup of potato mixture onto each section of waffle iron. Cook until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes.

  5. Remove from waffle iron, place in preheated oven to keep warm, and repeat previous step with remaining batter.

  6. For a leftover Thanksgiving meal, serve topped with gravy, cranberry sauce, and/or turkey. For breakfast or brunch, serve topped with a fried egg.

Special equipment

Waffle iron

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