What to Do with Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Don’t let those leftover mashed potatoes go to waste! Here are some creative and tasty ways to repurpose them into new and delicious dishes.

Honestly, what do I do with my leftover mashed potatoes? I warm them up, and I put them on a sandwich with loads of butter, thick slices of mature cheddar cheese, and lashings of ketchup. 

I know this is potentially a little bit horrific, but it tastes amazing! The cheese melts, and it’s all so creamy and just wonderful. 

If you’ve never tried this, please do!

That said, I appreciate that there might be more productive and useful ways to use up your leftover mashed potatoes. So, let’s have a look at some more wholesome ideas, as well as some tips on storing and reheating leftover mash. 

mashed potato in pot.

How Long Can You Keep Leftover Mashed Potatoes?

I try to eat leftovers (of any kind) the next day. But mashed potatoes kept in an airtight tub in the fridge would probably be ok for up to three days. 

Can You Freeze Leftover Mashed Potatoes?

You can, but personally, I worry about the texture. 

If you do freeze, make sure they are kept in an airtight tub, only frozen for up to a month, and thaw fully before reheating. Then, use it straight away; do not keep it again. 

If possible, use waxy potatoes, which have more starch. This will help to protect the fluffy texture. 

What to Do with Leftover Mashed Potatoes and Gravy?

If there’s just a little gravy on your mash, you can use it for any of the recipes below (or the mighty mash sandwich!). 

If your gravy is in a jug, keep it in the fridge and reheat it on the hob or in the microwave. Just it as a pouring sauce, or tip it into a casserole with the stock. 

bacon, sausage and baked bean casserole in tomato sauce cooking in Dutch Oven.

What to Do with Leftover Mashed Potatoes and Chicken?

Leftover Chicken can go on that mashed potato sandwich, too. Just make sure it’s piping hot if you are using warm mash. 

Otherwise, I’d make a curry or casserole and serve it with mashed potato on the side, or use the Mash to make bubble and squeak and serve the chicken on the side. 

What to do with Leftover Mashed Potatoes for Breakfast?

Mashed potato pancakes, or even bubble and squeak, can be great for breakfast. 

Potato pancakes are simple mashed potato fritters fried in a little oil. You can add herbs, fresh chives, cheese, and even some diced onion. You could even coat it in golden breadcrumbs. They’re great on the side of something, in place of a hash brown. 

I like to run in the morning, so I don’t tend to go for anything as heavy as potato first thing in the morning, but they’d be a fantastic energy-boosting brunch. 

potato cakes with lefttover mashed potatoes stacked in bowl.

What to do with Leftover Mashed Potatoes for Dinner?

If I had lots of mashed potato leftover, I’d use it as a topping for Shepherd’s pie, cottage pie, or fish pie. 

You can just add it cold and then warm it up when you bake the pie. You can even add a little more if you don’t have enough. 

Haggis cottage pie in cast iron baking dish. Bowl of peas to the side.

How to Store Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Remove your leftover potatoes from the cooking pan and place them in a clean tub, without the lid, to cool. 

You don’t want to cover them before they are cool, as this will lead to adding moisture, which can cause your potatoes to discolour. 

Once cool, cover and keep in the fridge for a day or two. 

mashed potato in saucepan with masher.
Mashed Potato

How to Reheat Leftover Mashed Potatoes

The microwave is probably the best way to reheat your mashed potatoes. Place in a microwave-safe bowl with a splash of milk, cover loosely and microwave, starting at 30 seconds. Stir, and repeat as often as needed. 

I haven’t got a microwave, so I reheat on the hob in a saucepan with a splash of milk or cream, stirring often. 

You could also reheat in an ovenproof dish, again with milk or cream. 

However you choose to reheat your potatoes, use a food thermometer to make sure they have reached over 73 degrees C to kill any bacteria. 

If you cook your potatoes as part of a meal, again, use a food thermometer to make sure the individual elements are cooked. 

Now, let’s look at some simple mashed potato recipes. 

Mashed Potato Pancakes Recipe

A quick and easy way to transform leftover mash into crispy, golden pancakes. Potato cakes and hash browns are really similar, but hash browns are generally thicker, and potato pancakes are more likely to contain green onions, cheese and other ingredients. Hash browns can also be deep fried, for a really crispy, golden outside. 

Ingredients for Mashed Potato Fritters:

  • 300g leftover mashed potatoes
  • 1 egg
  • 50g plain flour
  • 50g grated cheese (optional)
  • 2 spring onions – finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon oil for frying

Instructions:

  1. Mix the mashed potatoes, egg, flour, cheese, and spring onions in a bowl until combined.
  2. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
  3. Scoop a heaped tablespoon of the mixture, flatten it slightly, and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden.
  4. Serve warm with sour cream or ketchup.

Potato And Egg Scramble

A hearty, protein-packed breakfast or light dinner idea.

Ingredients for Scrambled Eggs with Potatoes:

  • 200g leftover mashed potatoes
  • 4 large eggs
  • 50ml milk
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Whisk the eggs with milk, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
  2. Melt butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat.
  3. Stir in the mashed potatoes, breaking them up slightly.
  4. Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and cook, stirring gently, until the eggs are just set.

Safety Tip: Reheat mashed potatoes thoroughly until piping hot before combining them with eggs.

raw egg in jug with whisk.

Mashed Potato Hash Browns

Crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy inside – the perfect comfort food. I’m obsessed with Hash Browns. Sometimes, I just warm some frozen ones up in the air fryer and eat them on the sofa with some ketchup while I watch TV. All of my weird food habits are coming out in this post!

This is almost my favourite mashed potato recipe. But it’s not quite the potato and cheese sandwich!

Ingredients for Hash Browns with Leftover Mashed Potatoes:

  • 300g leftover mashed potatoes
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons plain flour
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons oil for frying

Instructions:

  1. Combine mashed potatoes, egg, flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
  2. Form the potato mixture into small patties.
  3. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the patties for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden and crisp.

Safety Tip: Always cook at a high enough temperature to kill any bacteria.

air fryer hash browns.

Bubble and Squeak

A classic British recipe to use up all those leftovers. You can get my detailed bubble and squeak recipe here. 

Ingredients for Bubble and Squeak with Leftovers:

  • 300g leftover mashed potatoes
  • 200g cooked vegetables (e.g., cabbage, carrots, peas)
  • 1 tablespoon butter or oil

Instructions:

  1. Mash the vegetables into the mashed potatoes.
  2. Heat butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
  3. Add the mixture and press it down into the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, flip, and cook for another 5 minutes.
  4. Serve with a fried egg or some crispy bacon.
close up of stacked bubble and squeak patties on a plate.

Loaded Baked Potato

Give your mash a cheesy, indulgent twist with loaded baked potatoes, minus the skin!

Ingredients for loaded leftover mashed potato:

  • 300g leftover mashed potatoes
  • 50g grated cheddar cheese
  • 2 rashers of cooked bacon – crumbled
  • 1 spring onion – chopped

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
  2. Mix the mashed potatoes with cheese, bacon, and spring onion.
  3. Spoon the mixture into an ovenproof dish or ramekins and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.
  4. Serve with an optional dollop of soured cream and an extra sprinkle of cheese. 
mashed potato loaded.

Mashed Potato and Cheese Sandwich

A quick, melty treat for lunch or a snack.

Ingredients:

  • 200g leftover mashed potatoes
  • 4 slices of bread
  • 100g grated cheese
  • Butter for spreading

Instructions:

  1. Warm the mashed potato to over 73 degrees C. 
  2. Spread mashed potatoes onto 2 slices of bread. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
  3. Top with the remaining slices of bread and butter the outsides.
  4. Fry in a pan over medium heat until golden on both sides, and the cheese has melted.

Loaded Mashed Potato Quesadillas

Perfect for a speedy dinner the whole family will love.

Ingredients for Quesadillas with Mashed Potatoes:

  • 200g leftover mashed potatoes
  • 4 flour tortillas
  • 100g grated cheese
  • 1 spring onion – chopped
  • Salsa for dipping

Instructions:

  1. Carefully warm the mash to over 73 degrees C. 
  2. Spread mashed potatoes over one tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese and spring onion.
  3. Top with another tortilla and cook in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden.
  4. Slice and serve with salsa.

Mashed Potato And Turkey Roll-Ups

A fun way to use up mashed potatoes and leftover turkey.

Ingredients:

  • 200g leftover mashed potatoes
  • 4 slices of cooked turkey
  • 50ml gravy (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Spread mashed potatoes onto each turkey slice and roll up.
  2. Place in a baking dish, pour gravy over the top, and bake at 180°C for 10-15 minutes, making sure the turkey is over 75 degrees C before serving and returning to the oven if needed. 

Shepherd’s Pie

A comforting classic made simple.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 300g leftover mashed potatoes
  • 500g minced lamb
  • 1 onion – chopped
  • 3 carrots – diced
  • 150g Frozen Peas
  • 500ml beef stock
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 Tablespoon Mixed Herbs
  • 100g Cheddar Cheese – grated

Instructions:

  1. Warm the olive oil in a large flameproof pan over medium heat. 
  2. Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes. 
  3. Add the lamb and fry, stirring often, until browned. 
  4. Stir in the carrots and peas. 
  5. Pour in the stock and add the tomato puree and herbs. 
  6. Simmer for around 30 minutes until the gravy has thickened and the carrots are soft. 
  7. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
  8. Pour the lamb mixture into a baking dish and top with mashed potatoes.
  9. Sprinkle on the grated cheese. 
  10. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
leftover lamb shepherd pie in cast iron dish on blue table cloth. Empty bowls, plate with bread and serving spoon to the side.

Mashed Potato Pizza

A creative twist on pizza night!

Ingredients:

  • 300g leftover mashed potatoes
  • 1 pizza base or flatbread (if you want to make your own bases, I use this recipe)
  • 50g grated cheese
  • Your choice of toppings (e.g., bacon, spring onion, cherry tomatoes)

Instructions:

  1. Spread the mashed potatoes over the pizza base.
  2. Add cheese and toppings.
  3. Bake at 200°C for 10-12 minutes.
  4. Make sure the potato and toppings are piping hot before serving. 

Mashed Potato-Topped Meat and Veg Casserole

A hearty and comforting dish, combining a rich meat and vegetable stew with a creamy mashed potato topping. Kind of a cross between a cottage pie, a casserole and a hotpot. 

Ingredients:

For the stew:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion – chopped
  • 2 carrots – sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves – crushed
  • 500g diced beef or lamb
  • 2 tablespoons plain flour
  • 400ml beef or vegetable stock
  • 2 tablespoons tomato purée
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 100g peas

For the topping:

  • 300g leftover mashed potatoes
  • 50g grated cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or casserole dish over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
  3. Toss the diced meat in flour, shaking off any excess, and add it to the pan. Brown the meat for 3-4 minutes.
  4. Stir in the stock, tomato purée, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20-30 minutes until the meat is tender. Stir in the peas or green beans in the last 5 minutes.
  5. Pour the stew into a deep baking dish, unless you started in a dish that’s flameproof and ovenproof, then leave it where it is. 
  6. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top, spreading them gently with a fork. Sprinkle with grated cheese if using.
  7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the potato topping is golden and the stew is bubbling around the edges.
  8. Serve hot with crusty bread or a side salad.

Safety Tip: Reheat leftover mashed potatoes thoroughly until steaming hot before using them in the topping.

Reheat and Serve as a Side

Of course, you don’t have to turn your mash into another meal. Or even stick it in a sandwich. 

You can just warm it up and serve it as a side dish for a casserole, toastie, stew, or even something simple like pork chops. 

FAQ

What do you do with leftover mashed potatoes?

Warm them up as part of another meal or as a side dish.

How long are leftover mashed potatoes good for?

Up to 3 days, but try to use them as soon as you can.

Can mashed potatoes be frozen?

Yes, but the texture might change.

How do you make leftover mashed potatoes good again?

Add a little milk, cream or butter, and fluff them up with a fork.

Can you eat 7-day-old mashed potatoes?

No.

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Author
Donna Dundas
Donna Dundas is an experienced family food blogger who has been creating easy and wholesome recipes for over 7 years. Her blog is a must-read for anyone looking for filling and delicious recipe ideas, that reduce waste and minimise stress.

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