These Italian potato croquettes with mozzarella inside and a crunchy golden shell are one of the best Italian appetizers. This quick and easy recipe shows you a little-known secret that results in vegetarian croquettes bursting with flavors not only on the inside but also on the outer shell.
FEATURED COMMENT
My choice for all the time ..very good recipe. Spice it up with a little pepperoni or diced hard salami u.mmmmm
TERRI
About the recipe
Italian croquettes are without any doubt one of the most favorite snacks for kids and adults alike. Once you stuff them with cheese and flavor them with more cheese, it becomes irresistible.
Why wouldn’t it be? It’s potato and cheese, guys! These are as popular as my crispy cheesy smashed potatoes.
The herbs and spices along with mozzarella and parmesan give a unique flavor to the cheese croquettes that can get you addicted. And the thought of melted cheese oozing out of the golden crunchy shell makes your mouth water, for sure.
What is an Italian croquette?
These potato and mozzarella croquettes are made of cooked and mashed potatoes that are seasoned, shaped into cylinders or balls, breaded and then fried.
The best part is that we stuff them with mozzarella, season with Italian herbs and parmesan and fry them to give you cheesy potato bites you can’t resist!
Video
Reasons why these are the best potato and mozzarella croquettes
- Okay, I’m so excited I want to give it to you right away: The secret ingredients are the spice PAPRIKA and the Italian herbs BASIL and OREGANO added to the mashed potatoes, and also with the breadcrumbs which make the outer shell. So the potato croquettes are full of flavor not only on the INSIDE but also on the OUTSIDE. The paprika makes the color of the croquettes look appetizing, too. This small TRICK makes all the difference.
- Another trick is to use Panko bread crumbs to get extra-crispy potato croquettes! (Like the ones we used for prawns fry and beetroot cutlets.)
- In this vegetarian croquette recipe, we use 2 types of cheese- parmesan and mozzarella. Parmesan gives its characteristic flavor and Mozzarella gives the cheese-pull which we all love.
I must admit, whenever I make these parmesan croquettes, no matter how much I make, I almost always run out of them!
Love potatoes? Roasted sheet pan potatoes with broccoli is another delicious recipe you might want to try.
Ingredients
- Russet potatoes: they are starchy and best suited for croquette recipes. However, if you don’t have them, it is okay to use other types.
- cheese: mozzarella and parmesan
- binding agents: flour and egg
- flavoring: paprika, pepper and salt
- herbs: dried basil and oregano
- crunchy shell: breadcrumbs.
How to make Italian potato croquettes- step by step
(You can find the exact measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this page.)
How to cook and prepare potatoes
Cover the potatoes with water and boil until well cooked. You can cook them faster in a pressure cooker or instant pot. Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes and wait for the pressure to release naturally.
Let the potatoes cool, then peel and grate them. Grating rather than mashing ensures a uniform texture. Or you can pass them through a ricer. Mix the grated potato with parmesan, salt and pepper. Keep aside.
How to season the croquettes
Mix together the seasoning – basil, oregano, paprika. Divide into 2 portions, add one half to the grated potato and the other half to the breadcrumbs. Seasoning the breadcrumbs will give you a flavorful crunchy outer shell.
How to prepare the croquettes
Divide the potato mixture into about 10 to 12 balls. Flatten each potato ball, place a 1.5-inch long piece of mozzarella cheese, enclose and shape into a cylinder. Roll the cylinders in flour, dip in egg and roll in the seasoned breadcrumbs.
How to fry potato croquettes
This recipe does not require you to refrigerate the croquettes before frying unless you want to make them ahead. Only ensure that you take out Mozzarella from the refrigerator after preparing the rest of the ingredients.
Heat oil in a skillet and fry in batches, ensuring that the croquettes do not overcrowd the skillet. Drain and serve.
Common questions
How do you keep potato croquettes from falling apart?
1. Coating the croquettes with flour before dipping in egg helps hold everything together.
2. Another important factor is the type of potatoes you use. Russet potatoes are perfect for making croquettes. They are starchy and bind well when mashed.
3. For extra-strong croquettes, do a double-dip: coat them with flour, dip in egg, again coat with flour, dip in egg then roll them in breadcrumbs and fry. Note that you might need 2 eggs and more flour in that case.
Can the potato croquettes be made in advance?
Absolutely. They can be prepared and frozen before frying. You just need to thaw for 30 minutes and fry. They keep well for 2 days in the refrigerator and up to a month in the freezer. To avoid crushing the croquettes, place them in a single layer on a large tray or baking sheet in the freezer for about an hour. You can then transfer them to a freezer box or ziplock bag and freeze until required.
Fried croquettes also can be refrigerated or frozen in an airtight box. Thaw the frozen ones for 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven placing them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Reheat at 180°C / 350°F. The time depends on the size of your croquettes. It would take about 10 to 15 minutes to heat through.
How to make potato croquettes without egg?
You can make this recipe eggless by replacing the egg with 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed) or ground chia seeds mixed with 4 tablespoons of water to make a paste. Beat well with a dash of salt and pepper. Use this to replace eggs in any recipe.
What do you serve with Italian croquettes?
1. As anytime snack or appetizer with the yogurt dip used in the recipe for simple fish cakes.
2. On its own, with spoonfuls of red pepper pesto for extra spice.
3. As a side with easy baked chicken breasts or roasted chicken legs.
4. With easy creamy pasta salad with chicken or for a vegetarian option, mushroom zucchini pasta or Italian pasta salad.
5. As a side with easy pan fried prawns or spicy baked fish.
6. As a main with no mayo coleslaw. (to reduce guilt!)
7. With lemon garlic parmesan chicken skewers.
Looking for more appetizers?
If you’re looking for more vegetarian starters, check out Indian chickpea patties or hariyali panner tikka.
Best Italian Potato Croquettes with cheese
Ingredients
For the seasoning mix
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
For the croquettes
- 3 Russet potatoes medium-sized
- 250 grams mozzarella cheese cut into finger-sized pieces about 2 inches long
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- pepper
- salt
- oil for deep-frying
STEP BY STEP IMAGES
Scroll back to find detailed recipe photos!
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes in a large pot of water. Peel and grate the potatoes.
- Prepare the seasoning by mixing paprika, basil and oregano. Divide into 2 portions.
- Add parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and one portion of the seasoning mix to the grated potatoes and mix well.
- Take the bread crumbs in a bowl and mix with the other half of the seasoning.
- Place the beaten egg and flour in separate bowls. Season both with a dash of salt and pepper.
- Divide the potato mixture into 10 balls and flatten them. Place a piece of the mozzarella in each potato disc, close and shape into a cylinder. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
- Roll the croquettes in flour, dip in egg, shaking off the excess and roll them in breadcrumbs to coat.
- Heat oil in a wok pan and fry in batches each for 10 minutes, turning occasionally. See that you don't overcrowd the pan. This ensures that you'll get golden brown potato croquettes.
Video
Notes
- If you want an eggless potato croquette recipe, the egg can be replaced with ground flaxseed made into a paste with water. For this recipe, you will need 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed with 4 tablespoons of water and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes for best results.
- Grating the potatoes rather than just mashing, will give you a uniform texture.
- White potatoes may also be used for this recipe, but Russet potatoes are more starchy and bind well when mashed.
- Nutrition profile is based on the fact that all of the oil is not used up by the croquettes.
★★★★★Did you try this recipe? Please give a star rating in the comments below ★★★★★
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Join over 1000 home cooks like you who subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get all the latest recipes right in your inbox. Or follow me on your favorite social media: Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube. Thank you and happy cooking!
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2019-2022
Oh wow, I need this in my life!
Thank you, wish I could send this to you!!
Oh my! Your croquettes really look the business. Potatoes with melting cheese in the middle already gets a big thumbs up, but those spices must make them extra delicious.
#CookBlogShare
Choclette x
Thank you, Choclette. Cheese and spices are indeed a delicious combo!
I love these types of recipe, it’s a cross between something special like party food and really indulgent comfort food. Thank you for linking up with #CookBlogShare over on Glutarama this week.
Thanks, Rebecca! I make these whenever friends visit because it is everyone’s favorite!
Yum, looks decadent. I’ll give it a try one Friday. We always have ‘finger food Fridays’. A hangover from our working lives.
Please try and let me know how you enjoyed it 🙂
Lovely cheesy croquettes tempting my taste buds !!
Thank you!
My choice for all the time ..very good recipe. Spice it up with a little pepperoni or diced hard salami u.mmmmm