Baked Potato Pancakes

Baked Potato Pancakes Recipe

Hello! We are going to prepare some delicious baked potato pancakes, a much lighter version of this classic that we all love. They are perfect because they turn golden brown on the outside without needing to use too much oil, maintaining that soft and flavorful center that comforts us.

Preparation time

Getting organized in the kitchen is essential to enjoy the process. Here I detail the times so you can plan your menu without stress.

• Preparation: 30 minutes
• Potato cooking: 50 minutes
• Baking: 12 minutes
• Total: 1 hour 32 minutes
• Servings: 10 to 12 pancakes approx.
• Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

To achieve that authentic and homemade flavor, we need fresh ingredients. There's nothing complicated here, it's pure home cooking.

For the potato base

• 1 kilo of potatoes (preferably white or a starchy variety)
• 2 tablespoons salt (for the cooking water)
• 1 large egg

For the sofrito (flavorful filling)

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 cup finely chopped white onion
• 2 serrano chilies (adjust according to your spice preference)
• 2 cups diced tomato (red tomato) in small cubes
• 1 tablespoon salt (to season the stew)

Note on substitutions: If you don't have serrano chilies or prefer them not to be spicy for children, you can substitute them with very finely chopped green bell pepper to add color and flavor without the heat of the spice. If you don't have fresh tomatoes, you could use thick tomato puree, but I highly recommend fresh for the texture. If you're looking for a more substantial variant, similar to a potato cake with cheese recipe, you could add a little grated dry cheese to the mixture, although today's base recipe is delicious on its own.

Utensils we will use

We don't need sophisticated equipment, just the basics you surely already have in your drawers.

• Large pot with lid (for boiling potatoes)
• Colander or strainer
• Large frying pan (for the sofrito)
• Potato masher (or a sturdy large fork)
• Large bowl for mixing
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Baking sheet or tray
• Wax paper or baking paper (parchment paper)

Preparation

Follow these steps calmly. The secret to this recipe it's in the care you put into the sofrito and in the cooking point of the potato. We are going to turn simple ingredients into something extraordinary.

1. Cooking the potatoes

   The first thing is to get a smooth base.

   • Wash the potatoes very well under the tap to remove any remaining dirt.
   • Place the whole potatoes with their skin in the large pot.
   • Cover with 2 liters of water and add 2 tablespoons of salt.
   • Cover the pot and let it cook over medium-high heat for about 50 minutes.
   • Prick a potato with a knife; if it goes in and out smoothly, they are ready.
   • Drain the water carefully using the colander and let them cool down a bit so you don't burn yourself.
2. Wash the potatoes very well under the tap to remove any remaining dirt.
3. Place the whole potatoes with their skin in the large pot.
4. Cover with 2 liters of water and add 2 tablespoons of salt.
5. Cover the pot and let it cook over medium-high heat for about 50 minutes.
6. Prick a potato with a knife; if it goes in and out smoothly, they are ready.
7. Drain the water carefully using the colander and let them cool down a bit so you don't burn yourself.

8. Mashing preparation

   We need a manageable texture.

   • Peel the potatoes carefully, removing all the skin.
   • Place them in the large bowl and use the masher to crush them until a puree is formed.
   • Try to do it while they are warm, it's much easier to break up lumps.
9. Peel the potatoes carefully, removing all the skin.
10. Place them in the large bowl and use the masher to crush them until a puree is formed.
11. Try to do it while they are warm, it's much easier to break up lumps.

12. The flavorful sofrito

    This is where the personality of our baked potatoes. It's a similar process to what we would use to start a Swiss chard stew with potato and tomato.

    • Finely chop the garlic, onion, and serrano peppers.
    • Heat ¼ cup of oil in the pan over medium heat.
    • Add the garlic, onion, and chilies. Sauté for at least 10 minutes, stirring constantly so they don't burn. We are looking for the onion to be transparent and soft.
    • Add the 2 cups of chopped tomato and the remaining tablespoon of salt.
    • Lower the heat slightly and cook for another 10 minutes. The tomato should release its juice and reduce a little so that it doesn't make the dough too wet.
    • Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for a few minutes. This is vital to avoid cooking the egg prematurely.
13. Finely chop the garlic, onion, and serrano peppers.
14. Heat ¼ cup of oil in the pan over medium heat.
15. Add the garlic, onion, and chilies. Sauté for at least 10 minutes, stirring constantly so they don't burn. We are looking for the onion to be transparent and soft.
16. Add the 2 cups of chopped tomato and the remaining tablespoon of salt.
17. Lower the heat slightly and cook for another 10 minutes. The tomato should release its juice and reduce a little so that it doesn't make the dough too wet.
18. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for a few minutes. This is vital to avoid cooking the egg prematurely.

19. Integration and shaping

    Let's bring everything together.

    • Pour the already warm or cold sofrito over the mashed potato in the bowl.
    • Add the whole egg.
    • Mix with your clean hands or a strong spoon until you get a homogeneous dough where all the ingredients are well distributed.
    • Take portions of dough (approximately 2 tablespoons) and form small balls with your hands, then gently flatten them to give them a patty or disc shape.
20. Pour the already warm or cold sofrito over the mashed potato in the bowl.
21. Add the whole egg.
22. Mix with your clean hands or a strong spoon until you get a homogeneous dough where all the ingredients are well distributed.
23. Take portions of dough (approximately 2 tablespoons) and form small balls with your hands, then gently flatten them to give them a patty or disc shape.

24. Final baking

    The crispy touch without frying.

    • Preheat your oven to 220°C.
    • Prepare your baking sheet by covering it with wax paper or parchment paper.
    • Arrange the patties on the baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one.
    • Place the tray in the hot oven and cook for 12 minutes.
    • Halfway through the time (at 6 minutes), carefully open and flip them with a spatula so they brown evenly.
25. Preheat your oven to 220°C.
26. Prepare your baking sheet by covering it with wax paper or parchment paper.
27. Arrange the patties on the baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one.
28. Place the tray in the hot oven and cook for 12 minutes.
29. Halfway through the time (at 6 minutes), carefully open and flip them with a spatula so they brown evenly.

To finish and serve

Once the patties are golden, carefully remove the tray from the oven. Let them rest on the same tray for about 2 or 3 minutes before moving them; this helps them finish compacting and prevents them from breaking when served. They are an vegetarian excellent dish, but also work great as a side. If you have some mixture or ingredients left over, you could experiment another day with some shredded beef patties using a similar technique. Serve your hot patties, accompanied by a fresh salad or a little rice.

Nutritional Information

These patties are a nutritious and balanced option. Here are the estimated values per serving.

• Calories: 180 kcal
• Proteins: 4 g
• Fats: 6 g
• Carbohydrates: 28 g
• Fiber: 3 g

Note: Values are approximate estimates per patty, calculated based on standard ingredients and may vary depending on the exact size of your portions.

5 keys to make it perfect

Sometimes, small details make a big difference between a patty that falls apart and a perfect one. Here I share my secrets for this dish of homemade food.

1. Cooling the sofrito: Never add boiling sofrito to the potato if you are going to add egg immediately. Excessive heat can cook the egg instantly, creating white strands in the mixture and preventing it from fulfilling its function of binding the dough.
2. Dry potatoes: After boiling and peeling the potatoes, make sure they don't have excess water. If you feel the mash is too wet, you can let it rest spread out on a tray for a few minutes for the steam to escape. A dry dough is easier to form.
3. Size matters: Try to make all the patties the same size and thickness. If some are very thick and others very thin, the thin ones will burn before the thick ones are ready. A thickness of 1.5 to 2 cm is ideal.
4. Do not overcrowd the tray: When placing them in the oven, leave space for hot air to circulate around each patty. If you place them too close together, steam will generate between them and they will not be crispy, but soft.
5. High temperature: Unlike a cake, here we want to brown and create a crust quickly because the ingredients are already cooked (the potato and the sofrito). That's why we use 220°C, a high temperature to achieve that appetizing color.

When is it ideal to enjoy it?

These potato patties are incredibly versatile. They are ideal for a weekend family lunch where we are looking for something filling and tasty. They are also an excellent option for «Meatless Mondays» if you are looking to reduce animal protein consumption without sacrificing flavor. Being baked, they are a appetizer or much more substantial main dish healthy and lighter for dinner than their fried version. During Lent, they are an absolute classic on many Mexican tables. I love serving them with something fresh, like a macaroni salad with tuna and corn, creating a delicious contrast of temperatures.

Comparison table

To see the versatility of this dish, here we compare our star recipe with other popular variants that might interest you.

If the fish version appeals to you, I suggest you also try the tuna croquettes, which have a forming technique very similar to our patties today.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Share your experience

Cooking is for experimenting and sharing. I'd love to know how these patties turned out for you. Did you add any extra ingredients to the sofrito? Did you serve them with a special salad? Leave your comment and share your own tips with our community! Your experience helps other cooks get encouraged.

Culinary glossary

So that you have no doubts, here I explain some terms we use in the recipe.

• Sofrito: It is a base preparation that consists of lightly frying ingredients such as onion, garlic, tomato, and chilies in oil over low heat to release their flavors and aromas before mixing them with the main ingredient.
• 13. Mash: Action of mashing a solid ingredient (in this case, cooked potato) until a paste or purée is obtained.
• Homogeneous: Refers to a mixture where all ingredients are so well integrated that they look the same and no separate parts of egg or potato can be distinguished.
• Preheat: Turn on the oven about 10 or 15 minutes before putting in the food to ensure that, at the time of baking, the temperature is correct and constant from the first second.
• Cooking point: The exact moment a food is ready. For potatoes, we know it when a knife pierces it smoothly as if it were butter.

Baked Potato Pancakes

Baked Potato Pancakes: step-by-step recipe baked to perfection with perfect texture. Ideal for sharing. Serve immediately and adjust spice and salt to your liking.

Type: Recipe

Cuisine: Mexican

Keywords: patties, potato, oven, Mexican, salads, recipe, easy, homemade

Recipe Yield: 4 servings

Calories: 200 kcal

Preparation Time: PT15M

Cooking Time: PT25M

Total Time: PT40M

Recipe Ingredients:

• Cooked and peeled potatoes
• Egg
• Tbsp of oat flour
• Chopped onion
• Tbsp of chopped cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Yogurt and garlic sauce
• Mayonnaise with dill
• Fresh green garnishes

Recipe Instructions:

Preparation: :

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking: :

Cooking: 25 minutes

Total: :

Total: 40 minutes

Servings: :

Servings: 4-6 units

Difficulty: :

Difficulty: Easy

Mash the cooked potatoes :

Mash the cooked potatoes. Make sure they are well mashed and without large pieces to facilitate the formation of the patties and prevent them from falling apart in the oven.

Mix the ingredients :

Mix the ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, egg, oat flour, chopped onion, cilantro, salt, and pepper. The mixture should be homogeneous and have a texture that allows you to form small balls without it sticking excessively to your hands.

Form the patties :

Form the patties. With clean hands, take portions of the mixture and gently press to form discs approximately 1.5cm thick and about 8cm in diameter. The key is that they are firm but not too dense so that they maintain their shape in the oven.

Prepare the baking sheet :

Prepare the baking tray. Place parchment paper or lightly grease the baking tray to prevent the pancakes from sticking. Arrange the pancakes leaving space between them so they can brown evenly.

Bake the patties :

Bake the patties. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20-25 minutes, flipping them halfway through so they brown similarly on both sides. Bake until golden brown and firm to the touch.

Serve :

Serve . Once baked, you can accompany them with a yogurt sauce with garlic and dill or with a fresh salad for a lighter and more complete result.

Use firm, good quality potatoes :

Use firm, good quality potatoes: The base of the flavor and texture depends on the type and cooking of the potatoes. To get a creamy texture, the potatoes should be well cooked, but not too soft.

Make sure the mixture is homogeneous :

Make sure the mixture is homogeneous : The correct proportion of ingredients prevents the pancakes from falling apart during baking. Oat flour helps maintain the structure, so don't skimp on it.

Do not overload the patties :

Do not overload the pancakes: Although cilantro and onion add a lot of flavor, in excess they can alter the texture or make them more fragile. Balance the ingredients to facilitate their handling and baking.

Flip the patties halfway through baking :

Flip the pancakes halfway through baking : This way you will achieve an even browning and a crispy texture on both sides without them drying out.

This dish pairs very well with sauces and sides that have acidity and freshness:

This dish pairs very well with sauces and sides that have acidity and freshness: Don't hesitate to try different sides to further enhance its flavor.

Editor's Rating:
4.7