Potatoes are a food known for their versatility, a good staple to have around. They pair well with virtually any protein, from ribeye to halibut, and can be cooked however you like: boiled, braised, fried or roasted.

But beyond their role as a go-anywhere side, these ubiquitous tubers can be made into a dough.

You’re probably familiar with gnocchi, the Italian dumplings whose dough is made up of potatoes and flour. But did you know you that can hold the flour (great for those who want to avoid gluten) and create a dough out of just potatoes?

With a little patience and bit of whatever ingredients you have lying around, you can turn simple boiled potatoes into stuffed potato croquettes, with the crunch of fries, the softness of mashed potatoes and a delicious “surprise.”

How To Make Potato Croquettes

1. Peel the potatoes. Figure that one large russet potato will give you roughly two croquettes. Russets are tried and true for this recipe, but there’s no reason you can’t use whatever potatoes you have lying around (check out the different types of potatoes). Once your potatoes are knife-tender (meaning they are soft enough to stick a knife into with no resistance), run them through a food mill, just as you would if you were going to make mashed potatoes.

2. Put the mashed potato “fluff” back into a pot. Continue to cook for another few minutes at medium heat to eliminate as much moisture as you can. Stir constantly to prevent the potatoes from burning (lower the heat if you begin to see brown), but the more moisture you can take out now, the easier the next step will be.

3. Shape the croquettes. Once you’ve dried out the potato fluff, cool it down just enough so that you can handle it without burning yourself (feel free to use gloves if you have sensitive hands). In the palm of a cupped hand, press about a half cup of potato fluff to form an open pocket roughly a half-inch thick. Gently press 2-3 tablespoons of filling into the pocket, then cover with more fluff. Use both hands to gently form the croquette into as even and round a shape as you can (perfect spheres are not necessary, and oblong or somewhat cylindrical shapes work well). Your finished product should be the size of a large egg.

This technique will probably take a little bit of practice. The key is pressing hard enough to compact the croquette into a stable, solid piece, but not so hard that it cracks or squashes. Pay close attention to how the croquettes behave as you apply pressure, so that you can learn to squeeze them just right. If you ever made snowballs as a child, you’ll have a head start on this process!

It may also help to work on a floured surface (all-purpose flour is ideal, but if you need to go gluten-free you can use rice flour), and use a bit of flour to keep your hands dry, in case there is excess moisture in the potato fluff. Just don’t go overboard and start smothering them in flour.

 
Find more of our favorite potato recipes.

And let us know how you enjoy those croquettes.