These Mashed Potato Balls are a little bit of savory heaven!
Hot and creamy mashed potatoes are rolled in crispy bacon bits, then stuffed with green onion and cheese. Baked until golden with a gooey cheese center, this recipe is the perfect snack or appetizer. Bite into one of these loaded hot stuffed potatoes, then sit back, and enjoy!
Loaded Mashed Potato Balls
© CentsLess Meals
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Easy Cheesy Appetizer
- These little potato balls are a delicious appetizer. Guests will love this unique and flavorful dish.
- This recipe is a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes from last night’s dinner. Or better yet double the recipe of mashed potatoes with the next night’s meal (these potato balls) in mind!
- Whether these are being served as an appetizer or a side dish, serve them with gravy or veggie dip, cheesy chili dip, or onion dip.
Ingredients & Variations
POTATOES To make the best-mashed potatoes try this mashed potatoes recipe or this easy garlic version to add flavor to these potato balls.
BACON Make the bacon ahead of time and have it crumbled and ready on hand, or use bacon bits for a quick fix. No bacon? No problem, use panko bread crumbs and parmesan cheese instead.
VARIATIONS This recipe calls for cheddar cheese, but don’t hesitate to switch this up and use other cheeses like gruyere or mozzarella. Substitute the green onion with chives or add a little onion powder.
How to Make Potato Balls
With a little work, these bite-size potato balls are the perfect appetizer or side dish.
- Make the potato mixture.
- Form into balls and press cheese into the center.
- Dip in egg mixture and roll in bacon bits.
- Bake as per the recipe below.
Serve them at a party with a combination of dips and they’ll disappear off the plate in seconds! So be sure to make lots.
Tips for Crispy Potato Balls
If potatoes are dry, add a little milk, water, or even sour cream to moisten. Be careful not to use too much. These potatoes should have a slightly sticky, dough-like texture making them easy to shape.
Leftovers? To reheat, preheat the oven to 325°F, place them in a baking dish covered with foil, and heat for about 10 minutes or so (checking that the bacon crumbles don’t burn.)
These potato balls will be done when the cheese starts to ooze out while they are cooking.
More Bacon Filled Appetizers
- Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball – the perfect combination of bacon & cheese!
- Bacon Cream Cheese Biscuits – ready in 15 mins!
- Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots – perfect finger food
- Bacon Cheeseburger Meatballs – simple & super delicious
- BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites – 4 simple ingredients!
Loaded Mashed Potato Balls
Ingredients
- 2 cups mashed potatoes cold
- ¼ cup green onions chopped
- ½ pound bacon cooked & crumbled, divided
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese cubed
- 1 egg lightly beaten
Instructions
- Mix mashed potatoes, green onion, and ¼ cup of the bacon crumbles.
- Shape mashed potatoes into 1 inch balls.
- Put a cube of cheese into the potato ball and press potatoes around it until cheese is completely covered.
- Roll into a ball. Dip the ball into the eggs, then dredge in the bacon bits.
- Place onto a cookie sheet or baking dish.
- Bake at 375°F for 15- 20 mins or until cheese is oozing out.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
©The Shortcut Kitchen. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
REPIN this Easy Mashed Potato Recipe
So yummy! My family thinks that I worked really hard on this. So much better for a change of potatoe dish! Not to mention: great appetizers with dip!
Any idea if these can be made ahead of time? If so any ideas on how to warm when.you don’t have a kitchen at work? I thought maybe a crock pot but I don’t think that would work. The microwaves are so small here at work as well. Or maybe I just cook in the morning, cover I foil and serve as is when the lunch potluck time comes around. Just afraid they will change texture and get soggy.
oh yum a nice mini-“party” – maybe switch out the cheddar for pepper jack or some of each
Sounds like a great idea! Let me know how it works out if you try it!
I’ve made them with both types of cheese and the compliments just kept coming in!
Hhhhmmmm yummyyyy..there’s are the business for real
Agreed! Thank you!
Looks good
Thank you!
would love to get recipe. a mixture as do not have pork or beef but can change around. would love veggie snacks as well.
thanks Buggie
Time to try
So I looked through the comments and the article and didn’t see any tips for this. I know this uses cold leftover potatoes, but could you use warm potatoes instead? Wanted to make these as a small lunch today and didn’t have any leftovers left 😛
Yes, you’ll just want to ensure your potatoes are cool enough to handle.
Don’t forget to eat with sour cream
Yummy!
Tried for Thanksgiving. Wasn’t really our thing. Would be easier to just mash up potatoes and add bacon and cheese to it in one bowl instead of shaping them and doing all that extra work. Just my opinion. I am also confused how it is ok to rate this 5 stars but not even try the recipe? I notice others rated it saying it “looked good” and they want to try it. That doesn’t mean it is good just because it looks good. I dislike when people do that. It gives a false star rating. Would be better if they made it and then decided how it was.
I would love a cookbook or some of you older recipes. Please let me know on my web address. Cost etc. thanks!
trying them tomorrow. look declious
These are the best !!
I can’t believe how STUPID people are CANT you READ the directions! Nowhere does it say to put sour cream in them, it gives you CLEAR directions on how to make them. They taught reading in FIRST grade!!
She said eat with sour cream, she did not say put the sour cream into the recipe!
Actually it says…. if they’re dry use enough milk, water OR sour cream to moisten.
Mix mashed potatoes, green onion, and 1/4 of the bacon crumbles together. If potatoes are dry, add a little milk, water, or even sour cream to moisten. Be careful not to use too much. These potatoes should have a slightly sticky, dough-like texture making them easy to shape.
There are many types of potatoes. Any preference?
Whatever potatoes you like to use for mashed potatoes will work just fine.
Could these be frozen and heated later?
It looks good will have to try them soon.
Could you please tell us approximately how many potato cheese balls this recipe makes?
Yum Yummy!! Can’t wait to try I love potatoes !
I USED TO Make fried cakes but i am going to try these.
Super easy and delicious!
How many do you get when you make them
I made these and they were delicious! Had all the ingredients on hand. Preparation time was only 5 minutes. I made them as a side dish but will consider making them for a party as an appetizer!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Would this be considered a finger food or require a fork?
Looks good we like fryer potatoes pancakes this sounds just as good and much easer to make
How many did this make
I tried these yesterday. My husband insisted on putting butter and milk to the potatoes while mashing them. They turned out quite sticky .
Is it necessary to put in milk and butter to the mashed potatoes?
I actually laughed reading some of the comments, the post is self explanatory as in the directions are very easy to read!! Someone commented do you have to use sour cream. Ok I read the recipe 3 times. Nowhere is there sour cream in this recipe. But if you want to use sour cream sure you could use it!! Just use common sense and add whatever you want, or go strictly by the recipe 🙂 But for goodness thanks READ!! THEN IF IN DOUBT READ IT AGAIN 🙂
I amde the mistake of adding milk to get to the “mashed potatoes” stage. So will have to come up with a rescue plan! They look SOOOOO goood!
Can you make these ahead of time and refrigerate? or do they need to be baked immediately?
If you can make ahead and refrigerate, how much longer would you need to bake them?
All of my family favorites – whats not to love? Cant wait to try them
a great use of leftovers – maybe use pepper jack cheese? I give it 4stars – wouldn’t light up
Looks yummy and simple and just the right serving
I really don’t understand why people have to be so fresh to others, geeez.
How about this, if you won’t say your post to someones face, then don’t
post your comments…..be nice….
Think before you write people. You can put whatever you what to put in this recipe. Use real or fake Potatoes. The same with the Bacon. Use you head and think before you write something stupid!
Can you use bacon bits instead of frying bacon
This looks great can’t wait to try it.
Do you have to use sour cream? I’m not a fan other wise it looks great
These sound awesome,however,my only question would be, for those who made them,what is the texture like? To me it seems that they would be a little loose after adding the egg and sour cream. Kinda just like a blob of a mess and hard to form.
These are AWESOME, JUST AWESOME !!!!
Wow…. Some people just don’t know how to read…. These are amazing!!! Made them for lunch with my LEFTOVER potatoes from dinner last night (as the recipe clearly says) and everyone actually ate the potatoes this time! Lol! Great recipe.
It states leftover potatoes before the actual recipe!!!
I just made these and they are great…I didn’t have any issues with directions…kinda common sense…lol thanks for the recipe
Why are people so dumb? READ THE DIRECTION! These are GREAT…..Thanks
Plz can u tell me is it packet mashpotatoe ,as from reading ingredients n comments , that’s what I’m assuming, but I preferred homemade normal mash potatoes as I don’t like that packet potatoes stuff ,many thanks ,:)
I made these last night and may I just add how freaking amazing these tasted!!! My pickiest daughter asked for thirds! This will be make over and over again in our house. Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
A little variation – once the potato balls (with cheese) are formed put them in the freezer to firm them up. Then roll in panko seasoned with garlic powder and parmesan cheese. Then bake as directed above or deep fry until golden brown and top with bacon.
HOW MANY DOES THIS MAKE?
This look really good. I want to make them for a party. But it doesn’t say how many it makes. About how many balls will this recipe make?
Love this recipe. My daughter’s favorite!
OMG What a great idea to use leftover mashed potatoes. I always make more than I need and save the rest for another nite. Those balls are a great idea. We love potatoes any way, shape, or form. Thanks for the recipe.
Guys, Look at instruction number 3…. “Put a cube of cheese into the potato ball and mash potatoes around it until cheese is completely covered.”
YUM!
Come party with APIMP!
I would love for you to share and link up at my TGIF Link Party. The party is open every Thursday night and closes Wednesday’s at midnight.
Hugs, Cathy
Oh, wow! That’s really all I can manage right now 🙂
Stopping by from Recipe Sharing Monday.
Oh my, this looks SO good!
Oh, boy.. I could go for some!! I’d love for you to come share it at the link party I am cohosting right now!
See #2, then #3
Folks, read step 3.
These look delicious. When the instructions say to shape the mashed potatoes into 1″ balls, does that 1″ supposed to already have the cheese cube in the potatoes; or do you insert the cheese cube into a full 1″ ball of potatoes. It probably won’t make that much difference but I didn’t see instructions for the cheese cubes. Thanks.
Your ingredients call for the Cheese, but the directions don’t say what you do with it. I’ll assume that you form the ball of mashed potatoes around it?