Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall potato cakes

This potato cakes recipe from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is perfect for using up leftover mash.

a potato cake and rashers of bacon in a frying pan
By Saga Magazine | Published - 31 Dec 2025
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This recipe for crisp and fluffy homemade potato cakes is terrific for a cooked breakfast or brunch, either served plain (but well seasoned) or with a traditional selection of fried, poached or scrambled eggs, bacon, black pudding, fried mushrooms, grilled tomatoes etc.

Alternatively, you can use these potato cakes as a vehicle for even more leftovers, stirring vegetables, herbs, cheese and/or extra seasonings into the basic mashed potato cake mixture.

Cooking Time
30 mins
Serves
4

Ingredients

  • 300–500g mashed potato or well-crushed roast potatoes
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1–2 tablespoons plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 1–2 tablespoons whole milk
  • Rapeseed or sunflower oil, for frying
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. In a bowl, mix together the potato, egg, flour and milk – the amount of flour and milk you should add will depend on the amount of mash. It needs to be a fairly thick dough, so you may not need any milk at all, especially if the mash is quite soft to start with.
  2. Season the mixture well with salt and pepper and stir in any extra ingredients that you would like to add (see tips and swaps, below).
  3. Using lightly floured hands, form the mixture into potato cakes, about 2cm thick and 7cm in diameter.
  4. You’ll need to cook the potato cakes in batches to avoid crowding the pan. Heat a thin film of oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add 3 or 4 cakes and fry for 3–5 minutes each side, until crisp and golden brown.
  5. Drain the potato cakes on kitchen paper and keep them warm in a low oven while you cook the rest.
  6. Delicious with bacon and indeed any – or all – of your favourite breakfast components.

Notes

Tips and swaps for potato cakes

Add any of the following to the potato mix for extra flavour:

  • Herbs, such as chopped parsley, chives, soft thyme, lovage or chervil.
  • Sliced spring onions, finely diced shallots, or sautéed chopped onions and/or leeks.
  • A little finely chopped garlic.
  • Good pinch of English mustard powder.
  • Handful of grated cheese.
  • Some crumbled leftover cooked bacon, or even sausage, haggis or black pudding. Or try a few bits of shredded ham.

Recipe extract taken from River Cottage Love Your Leftovers by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (Bloomsbury), RRP £20 Hero image photography © Simon Wheeler.

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