Loaded Irish Cheddar Mashed Potato Pancakes.
Your weekend now has loaded mashed potato pancakes on the menu!
This is such a total throwback recipe for me. My mom made mashed potato pancakes ALL THE TIME!
Wait. Not all the time, but my adult brain remembers them so well that it feels like she made them often. In reality, it wasn’t that often. But I loved them so much (remember how potatoes were my favorite food as a kid?!) and was giddy when she’d make them.
The thing was that she usually made them for dinner… but with breakfast. My mom was the queen of breakfast for dinner. It was the first time I ever learned about the words “comfort food.” I clearly remember her telling me scrambled eggs and bacon were comfort food and I loved having it at night. My dad didn’t love breakfast for dinner, so it wasn’t a frequent meal.
But I always was so excited when that was on the menu. I first shared these plain ones a million years ago!
P.S. in case you’re wondering, my go-to breakfast for dinner meal as a kid was a scrambled egg sandwich on toast with yellow mustard.
Yes, my mustard obsession goes waaaay back.
Today, I’d totally consider these mashed potato pancakes to be a meal. A comfort food meal, yes. But a meal, nonetheless. I’d be the only one in this house, but who cares!
The good news is that if you also consider them a meal, well – you’re set.
The better news is that if no one else considers them to be a full meal, they can be their side dish. And you can just have them eat cereal for dinner as their main.
Ha. Hahaha.
So here’s the deal.
I tend to be a purist (most of the time!) when it comes to mashed potatoes. Any leftovers I have are usually plain, so I like to chop a few delicious things up to go inside. Scallions, chives – you can add whatever you’d like! You could do different herbs, peppers – anything. This recipe below will greatly depend on exactly how you make your mashed potatoes.
Then, stir in some Irish aged cheddar, like this Kerrygold Dubliner (that’s what I used!), which is a game changer. It adds sharp, cheesy flavor and makes the loaded mashed potato pancakes taste incredible.
Of course, the best part? Fry some bacon before you make these, so it can be crumbled on top. Use the reserved bacon grease to cook the mashed potato pancakes. Be the happiest ever!
How to Make Loaded Mashed Potato Pancakes

Loaded Irish Cheddar Mashed Potato Pancakes
Ingredients
- 3 slices thick cut bacon
- 3 cups mashed potatoes
- 5 to 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 ounces irish aged cheddar cheese, like kerrygold Dubliner
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper, if needed
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons bacon grease, butter or olive oil
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- First up! It’s important to note that the flavor of the mashed potato pancakes depends greatly on how your mashed potatoes were made. If they are seasoned enough for eating (i.e. like you ate them with dinner a night or so ago, so they have salt, pepper, etc in them), then you don’t need to add any additional salt and pepper. If you make mashed potatoes just for these cakes, be sure to season them liberally, as you would when serving mashed potatoes.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the bacon. Cook, stirring often, until the fat is rendered and it’s crispy. Turn the heat off under the skillet and transfer the bacon to a paper towel.
- Place the mashed potatoes in large bowl and sprinkle on 5 tablespoons of flour along with the garlic powder. Mix the flour into the potatoes and if you can easily form cakes with the potatoes, you’re all set! If you still need something to bind the mixture more, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Stir in about ¾ of the cheddar cheese, along with ¾ of the green onions and chives. You want to have a bit reserved for topping.
- Form the potatoes into patties about 1inch thick using your hands. Set them on a plate and repeat with remaining potatoes.
- Heat the same skillet over medium high heat. I just use the bacon grease that is already in the skillet, but you can remove it and use butter or oil instead. Add the potato pancakes and let them brown on each side, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. It’s important not to crowd the pan because it will be difficult to get the pancakes out without smashing them. Use a stainless spatula or something firm to lift them up and transfer them to plates.
- Once the potatoes are served, top with remaining cheese, green onions and chives. Serve with plain greek yogurt or sour cream!
Did you make this recipe?
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24 Comments on “Loaded Irish Cheddar Mashed Potato Pancakes.”
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Oh my gosh. I’d love it when we’d have leftover mashed potatoes and my mom would make potato pancakes for breakfast the next day. I still love making them and I’ll be sure to try this twist on them. I happen to have some kerrygold cheddar, too! :)
yes!! i love it!
Making these this weekend! They look amazing!!
enjoy emily! xo
Yum these look so good. Can I just say I think you are the most dedicated and creative of all the food bloggers I have followed for last 10 years or so.
thank you julie! this means the world to me. xoxo
Ummm amazing! I need to try this!
so good. :)
I always love when you link back to old recipes… your photography has come so far! I know you talk about how it’s your least favorite part, but seriously, your photos now are so pretty.
I love doing this type of recipe with leftover mashed potatoes… I usually throw in some panko bread crumbs instead of flour for some crunch, too ;)
thank you so so much sarah! xo
It is the ultimate comfort food!
it is! :)
I have to say this is almost identical to my recipe and to my late mothers recipe. Guess there are only so many ways you can make a potato cake recipe! BThey look delicious!
Yum! I’ll be trying this!
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i feel like you were telling my childhood… breakfast for dinner (and definitely comfort food) whenever dad was gone. we loved it! and my mom made potato pancakes nearly the same way. thanks for the delicious nostalgia!! :)
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I love potato pancakes. I’m Irish so I’ll have to try this recipe !!
I keep reading this recipe over and over and I’m so sorry if I missed it, but what do you do with the cooked bacon? Are you just cooking it for the bacon grease? I don’t see anything in the instructions saying to use it after it’s on the paper towels for draining! 🤪
ahh sorry joyce!! i crumble it over top. you probably could add it to the potatoes if you want, but i like it better on top so it stays crunchy!