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!

Mashed potato ball on a plate with parsley on top

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.

How to roll up a mashed potato bowl

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. 

  1. Make the potato mixture.
  2. Form into balls and press cheese into the center.
  3. Dip in egg mixture and roll in bacon bits.
  4. 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.
Mashed potato balls on a baking sheet

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.

Mashed potato balls on a plate with parsley

More Bacon Filled Appetizers

Mashed potato ball on a plate with parsley on top
4.70 from 20 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Loaded Mashed Potato Balls

Loaded Mashed Potato Balls are rolled in bacon bits and are the perfect way to use up leftover mashed potatoes!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Author Holly

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

If potatoes are dry, add a little milk, water, or sour cream. Add sparingly, until they have a slightly sticky, dough-like texture which makes them easier to shape.
4.70 from 20 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 399mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 151mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American

REPIN this Easy Mashed Potato Recipe

A close up photo of a potato ball with bacon bits
The top photo shows the cheese oozing out of the potato ball. The bottom photo shows the mashed potatoes prior to being rolled into balls

A close up of a mashed potato ball with cheese oozing out

A close up photo of a potato ball with bacon bits
The top photo shows the cheese oozing out of the potato ball. The bottom photo shows the mashed potatoes prior to being rolled into balls

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    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!

  2. 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.

  3. 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

  4. 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 😛

  5. 1 star
    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.

  6. 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!!

      1. 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.

  7. 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!

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

  8. 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?

  9. 5 stars
    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 🙂

  10. 4 stars
    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!

  11. 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?

  12. 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….

  13. 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!

  14. 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.

  15. 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.

  16. I just made these and they are great…I didn’t have any issues with directions…kinda common sense…lol thanks for the recipe

  17. 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 ,:)

  18. 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! 🙂

  19. 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.

  20. 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?

  21. 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.

  22. 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.”

  23. Oh, wow! That’s really all I can manage right now 🙂
    Stopping by from Recipe Sharing Monday.

  24. 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.

  25. 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?