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    Home » Appetizers » Best Homemade Italian Potato Croquettes

    Best Homemade Italian Potato Croquettes

    October 16, 2016 , Updated October 7, 2021 Maria 90 Comments

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    A close up shot of the crispy texture of an Italian Potato Croquettes.

    Is there a secret to making the Best Homemade Italian Potato Croquettes? Only one way to find out …one thing is for sure, these croquettes make one of the best Italian appetizers! You also won’t believe how simple and easy this recipe is to make.

    Croquettes are seen on a white serving platter.

    These crocchette di patate are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, whether you choose to serve them as part of your appetizer platter or as a side dish. They are nice and crispy on the outside; and the interior is soft and creamy. They are so versatile that you can eat them hot or cold. In Italy, they are extremely popular street food.

    Who can resist a good spud, regardless of how it has been transformed? But did you know that the type of potato that you use can make all the difference in the final product?

    So what is this potato-croquet secret I am talking about?

    Well, there are actually a few secrets I would like to share with you.

    In order to make the Potato Croquettes, you need to use a mealy potato that becomes dry and fluffy when it is cooked. The Russet potato, also known as the Mighty Idaho, is the spud for us today. Just in case you are wondering, this is also the ideal potato to make Perfect Hash Brown Potatoes, gnocchi or would you believe CINNAMON ROLLS!!!

    Russet potato is shown in a steamer basket.

    You want to know another secret? Steam the potatoes instead of boiling them. That way, you end up with potatoes that are slightly drier than their boiled counterpart. Baking the potatoes, as opposed to boiling them, is another alternative that will provide excellent results.

    Now that I have revealed all my secrets, let’s make the best potato croquettes!

    How to make the Best Potato Croquettes

    As mentioned, make sure to steam the Russet potatoes that we are going to use to make this recipe for Italian Potato Croquette.

    I absolutely love garlic with these easy potato sides, so I will add a few cloves to be steamed alongside my russets. The potatoes are cooked when you can easily poke through the skin reaching the interior of the potato with a paring knife. This usually takes about 35-45 minutes, depending on the size of your potato. Always steam your potatoes with the skin.

    Just in case you are wondering, you can make mashed potato croquettes with leftover mashed potatoes. So, if you are like me, the next time Thanksgiving rolls around and you made way too many mashed potatoes, just make this recipe!

    Mashed potato is passed through a potato ricer.

    When the potatoes have slightly cooled down, remove the skins and pass them through a potato ricer or a food mill. Gently combine the beaten egg, Romano cheese, chopped parsley and pepper. Once the ingredients are combined, resist the temptation to over-mix – that will result in a gluey texture.

    As a side note,  I add only a few pinches of salt, because I think that the cheese provides more than enough salt. 10 scoops of mashed potato shown on a tray.

    At this point, I will use my largest disher to make large scoops. With about 1½ pounds of mashed potatoes, I can usually make about 10 scoops. As you can see, I place all my scoops on a baking sheet. 

    Each scoop of potato is shown cut in half.

    I will then cut each scoop in half, and continue to shape each croquette into a log shape.

    Potato croquette is shaped into a log.

    I will first roll each section into a small round ball and then proceed to roll into a log. Once you get the hang of it, it should take you just a few minutes to get them all done. This is perhaps a little obsessive but I cannot for the life of me freelance these little guys.

    Flour, breadcrumbs and eggs are shown in three shallow bowls to dip the croquettes.

    Okay, so now that you have formed your croquettes, place them in the fridge for about 20 minutes or so.

    In the meanwhile, you can do some prep stuff. Prepare three shallow bowls. In one shallow bowl, place the flour and season with pepper and salt (optional); in the second shallow bowl, whisk 2-3  eggs with 1 tablespoon of water; in the third shallow bowl, place the breadcrumbs (either homemade or store-bought).

    I also line a baking dish with parchment paper, because these guys are going in the oven. Did you actually think that we were going to deep fry these little nuggets of goodness?

    Croquettes are covered with the flour mixture.

    Roll each croquette in the flour mixture, making sure to shake off the excess flour. I will then place them back on the baking sheet. I continue to roll all of the croquettes in the flour. Notice there is just a light coating of flour. I find that this extra step helps to develop more of a crust.

    Croquettes are coated with the egg mixture.

    I will then dip each flour-coated croquette in the egg wash, followed by a roll in the breadcrumbs. I will then place them back on the baking sheet.

    Croquettes are coated with the bread crumb mixture.

    The traditional method will dictate that these croquettes are deep-fried. So, at this time, I will put on my dietitian’s hat and show you how to make croquettes without deep frying them and without sacrificing (too much) on taste. So, are you ready for a little unconventional method?

    A pan with a little bit of oil is shown.

    I would like to propose the following: In a non-stick pan, over high heat, heat about 1-1½ teaspoons of olive oil. Manually roll each croquette in the pan while absorbing just enough of the oil to coat the exterior (please do not get burned).  

    Allow the oil to be equally absorbed between 5 croquettes.

    Once you have 5 croquettes in the pan, shake the pan with a back and forth motion. In essence, the croquettes are being “pan-fried” and rolled into a smooth shape.

    Potato croquettes being pan fried.

    Notice how polished and uniform they become. This will take just a few minutes. So shake the pan back and forth and occasionally lift the pan from the heat, in order to avoid burnt croquettes, until you get a nice golden color.

    Pan fried potato croquettes in a platter.

    I will then place the croquettes on the parchment-lined baking dish and place them in a preheated 375℉ oven. I then proceed to make another batch. All in all, I repeat this procedure 4 times.

    Once I have “pan-fried” my croquettes, I will leave them in the oven for about 15 minutes. Once again, unconventional, but you get that crispy exterior taste without deep frying.

    Leftover Mashed Potato Recipes we love

    • Salmon Croquettes
    • Potato Cinnamon Rolls

    White serving platter with potato croquettes.

    Recipe origin

    As you can well imagine, these Best Homemade Italian Potato Croquettes would often be served at large family gatherings during my youth.

    If you are interested, and if you love potatoes and garlic, you have to try these Crispy Italian Oven Roasted Garlic Potatoes (just click on the link… ).  It goes without saying that my mom would deep fry these croquettes. Throughout the years, I have tried to adopt a healthier version of this irresistible appetizer.

    Did you know that these potato croquettes can also be stuffed with fresh mozzarella cheese?

    When forming your croquettes, just enclose a small sliver of fresh mozzarella and when heated, the mozzarella becomes all stringy and gooey and delicious! My mom would often prepare her crocchette di patate like this. 

    Looking for more appetizer inspiration? Head on over to David’s site at The Kitchen Addiction where you will find 15 gorgeous party appetizers, including this one 🙂

    Close up of the potato croquettes.

    And there you have it my dear friends, a few of the secrets to making the Best Homemade Italian Potato Croquettes. Enjoy!

    THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She loves biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

    If you haven’t already joined, here is the link where you can sign up for my weekly e-mail newsletter. This way, you won’t miss any of my new recipes and it’s free! 

    Ciao for now,

    Maria 

    ★★★★★ If you have made this Italian Potato Croquette recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

    Best Homemade Italian Potato Croquettes

    Is there a secret to making the Best Homemade Italian Potato Croquettes? Only one way to find out …one thing is for sure, they truly make one of the best Italian appetizers!
    5 from 17 votes
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 45 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
    Servings: 20 servings
    Calories: 65kcal
    Author: Maria Vannelli RD
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1½ pounds riced potatoes can also use mashed potatoes
    • 1 egg slightly beaten, room temperature
    • 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese about 25 grams
    • 1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
    • salt and pepper to taste

    shallow bowl #1

    • 1/4 cup flour

    shallow bowl #2

    • 2 eggs slightly beaten
    • 1 tablespoon water

    shallow bowl #3

    • 1/2-3/4 cup breadcrumbs

    for stir-frying

    • 6 teaspoons olive oil separated

    Instructions

    • Combine riced potatoes with the beaten egg, Romano cheese, chopped parsley, salt and pepper.
    • Divide the mixture into 20 croquettes (please refer to text for details).
    • Prepare 3 shallow bowls with flour in the first, eggwash in the second, and breadcrumbs in the third bowl.
    • Roll each croquette, one by one in the flour, make sure to remove excess flour. 
    • Dip each floured croquette in the egg wash and finally roll in the breadcrumbs.
    • In batches of 5 croquettes, "pan fry" in 1-1½ teaspoon of olive oil (please refer to text for details).
    • Once all the croquettes have been "pan fried" place in a baking dish and in a preheated oven at 375℉ for 15 minutes.
    • Serve immediately.
    Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

    Video

    Notes

    Steam 3 medium potatoes with 2 cloves of garlic for about 35 minutes.Once peeled, it should yield about 1½ pounds. Rice or mash the potato and the garlic together.
    1 serving = 1 croquette
    Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 62mg | Potassium: 157mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 4.1mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1.5mg
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    Filed Under: Appetizers, Side-Dish and Vegetables

    About Maria

    Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Perry Kinard

      December 30, 2020 at 1:15 pm

      5 stars
      Easy and delicious. Also easy to manipulate to taste. I did a southern style to go with my crawfish ….was a hit

      Reply
      • Maria

        December 30, 2020 at 10:48 pm

        So thrilled to read this, thanks Perry. Sounds absolutely delicious!

        Reply
    2. Lina

      December 22, 2020 at 11:39 pm

      Can I deep fry these as well? Thanks x

      Reply
      • Maria

        December 23, 2020 at 7:38 am

        Thanks for your interest Lina. Yes, in fact, that is how my mom would make them. Enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Marisa LaPorte

      August 21, 2020 at 12:30 pm

      can I use sweet potatoes instead??

      Reply
      • Maria

        August 21, 2020 at 9:28 pm

        Thanks for your interest Marisa. Unfortunately, I have never tried it. I would love to hear about your results if you do decide to give it a try.

        Reply
    4. Janice

      June 15, 2020 at 1:46 pm

      Can you use Panko instead of breadcrumbs?

      Reply
      • Maria

        June 16, 2020 at 10:27 am

        Thanks for your interest Janice. Although I have never tried I think you should get great results.

        Reply
    5. Elizabeth Chiapperino

      June 07, 2020 at 6:41 pm

      5 stars
      I used leftover mashed potatoes, measuring out 1.5 lbs of mashed and followed the recipe.
      I used Gluten Free Bread crumbs, added fresh parsley to those as well along with 1/4 of grated Parmesan Reggio to make up the 3/4 cup of crumbs.
      They came out perfect.
      I used an ice cream scoop to portion.

      Reply
      • Maria

        June 07, 2020 at 8:21 pm

        Thanks so much for sharing Elizabeth. This is great for those that would like to try a gluten-free version. Great comment!

        Reply
    6. Sandy

      June 07, 2020 at 7:52 am

      Hi Maria
      Have you ever made a gluten free version substituting the flour and bread crumbs?
      These look delicious!!

      Reply
      • Maria

        June 07, 2020 at 8:22 pm

        Thanks Sandy. I have not, but a reader just left a comment about a gluten-free version she made. Perhaps that can be your inspiration. Thanks for stopping by, appreciate it!

        Reply
    7. Patricia

      May 08, 2020 at 11:05 am

      Can I make these ahead, Putin fridge and cook the next day?? Thanks

      Reply
      • Maria

        May 08, 2020 at 8:58 pm

        I tried this one Christmas to save time and was not happy with the results… the breadcrumbs absorbed too much moisture and they never got crispy since these are not deep-fried.
        I prefer to make them and then refrigerate them. I will then take them out of the fridge an hour or so before I plan on serving them and just place them on top of a warm oven.
        Or, if you have room, you can place them in the oven. I recommend your oven’s lowest temperature just enough for them to warm up.
        Thanks so much for stopping by, appreciate it.

        Reply
    8. Olivia

      March 29, 2020 at 5:08 pm

      Stuffed with cheese curds and placed in a plate of gravy…..ohhhhhhhhhh my😋😋

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 29, 2020 at 5:28 pm

        Sounds amazing Olivia!

        Reply
      • David

        September 13, 2020 at 5:24 pm

        Oh my goodness what a great idea!

        Reply
    9. Mary Ann

      February 09, 2020 at 12:36 pm

      5 stars
      I made this recipe last night for dinner and my family was raving about it. I will never make potato croquettes as I used to. This is now my new go to family pleaser.

      Thank you Maria.

      Reply
      • Maria

        February 09, 2020 at 12:56 pm

        Fantastic Mary Ann! Thanks so much for sharing!

        Reply
    10. Sally

      February 08, 2020 at 11:58 pm

      5 stars
      My kids loved these, thanks!

      Reply
      • Maria

        February 08, 2020 at 11:59 pm

        Fantastic Sally! I am thrilled to hear this! Thanks for taking the time to share, appreciate it.

        Reply
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