For some reason, the last 3 or 4 times I tried to fry mashed potatoes, they were a disaster. The potatoes would dissipate into the oil and when I removed it from the fryer, I would be left with mush. This happened the last time I tried to make potato croquettes, but I wanted to give it another try. Well turned out that fifth time was the charm! Find out the secret to perfectly fried potato mushroom croquettes below.

Recipe

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Potato Mushroom Croquettes

Yields 20-25 croquettes

Total Time2 hours hrs

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: French

Keyword: vegetarian

Servings: 5

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

• 1 lb Idaho potatoes peeled and medium-dice
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ¼ cup butter
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 4 cups chopped button mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 3 eggs divided
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• oil for frying
• grated parmesan for topping optional

Instructions

• Place the peeled, chopped potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Season the water with 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes and mash until smooth. Stir in butter and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in saute pan over medium heat. Add chopped mushrooms and saute until browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add to the mashed potatoes. Stir to combine and let cool completely.
• Whisk one egg and mix with the potato and mushrooms along with 1 tablespoon flour. Shape the potato-mushroom mixture into croquettes. Whisk the remaining 2 eggs in one bowl and pour the panko in another bowl. Dip the croquettes in the eggs and coat in the panko, shaking off any excess. Transfer the croquette to a lined baking sheet and continue with the remaining potato mushroom mixture. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oil to 375 degrees F.
• Remove croquettes from the refrigerator. Carefully drop croquettes into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining croquettes. Sprinkle grated parmesan on top if desired. Serve immediately.

**Helpful tips and common mistakes

Alas, a successful croquette! Ready for the secret? It's all about chilling the potatoes before frying them. I cooked them the day before, mashed, seasoned, and chilled them in the fridge overnight. I've tried making the croquettes by cooking the potatoes, letting them cool, and frying them. However, even if the potatoes were still even a little warm, they did not fry properly.

When you are ready to make the potato mushroom croquettes, set up your prepping station. Whisk eggs in one bowl and pour the panko into another. To make croquettes that are consistent in size,  use a small ice cream scooper. I used the scoop to get equal amounts and then slightly rolled it to get more of a cylinder shape.

Once the croquettes are formed, chill them for a second time to help them keep their shape. You can also freeze the croquettes at this point and fry them for another day.

Heat the frying oil and carefully drop the croquettes into the hot oil. Another handy tip: make sure the oil is at the right temperature before adding the croquettes. If the oil is not hot enough, the potatoes will soak up extra oil and the coating will come off. Fry in small batches to get even cooking and avoid overcrowding the pan.

If you are preparing these potato mushroom croquettes for a large party and want to fry ahead of time like me, (made almost 200 today!) you can reheat them in the oven for 10 minutes at 375 F.

You can also serve these with a dipping sauce of your choice, but I found that it was just as good on its own. The croquettes were perfectly crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Mix these up with different ingredients such as cheese, ham, spam, or even chorizo; what you want to add is up to you! Just remember to chill all of the ingredients before frying!

For more snack inspiration check out these Mexican smashed potatoes!