What to Do with Leftover Mashed Potatoes for Breakfast

I know how it is.

You’re making mashed potatoes, and it looks like you’re going to have so much left over that you can’t even see your fridge.

And then you go to bed and wake up the next morning, and there’s still a mountain of mashed potatoes in the sink.

What do you do?

See Also:

• 12 Best Spices and Seasonings to Put in Mashed Potatoes
• What Vegetables Go With Mashed Potatoes? (15 Best Veggies)

Well, don’t worry—you don’t need to eat them cold or reheat them with a bunch of butter or something like that.

There are plenty of ways to use up leftover mashed potatoes that are super tasty, easy to make, and won’t leave you feeling like you just ate a brick of carbs.

Let me show you 18 ideas for what to do with leftover mashed potatoes for breakfast!

See Also: 15 Sauces for Mashed Potatoes I Can’t Resist

What to Do with Leftover Mashed Potatoes for Breakfast

If you have leftover mashed potatoes, you can make all kinds of dishes for your breakfast meal.

For instance:

• You can make a potato pancake with your leftover mashed potatoes. Simply mix the potatoes with some eggs and flour, then fry them up in a pan!
• You can also make hash browns with your leftover mashed potatoes. Just grate them up and mix with some onions, peppers, and spices. Fry up like regular hash browns!
• You can also make a breakfast pizza! Simply spread the leftover mashed potatoes over a pizza crust and add whatever toppings you’d like—we recommend bacon and cheese! Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Read Also: What To Eat With Mashed Potatoes? 21 Best Main Dishes

Looking for more ideas?

Well, here are 18 easy and tasty ways to use up those leftovers:

1. Make an Omelet with Them

This one is super easy—just mix up some leftover potatoes with some milk, butter, and cheese (if you want) and add them to your egg mixture before you cook it up.

See Also: What Veggies Go in An Omelette

Then top it with bacon or sausage for extra flavor.

2. Use Them as An Alternative to Toast

Another great way to use leftover mashed potatoes is as toast!

Just put them in the microwave until they’re warm and fluffy again, then spread some butter on top and sprinkle salt on them before serving.

You can also add cheese or bacon if desired (or both).

3. Use Them in A Quiche

I mean, who doesn’t love a quiche?

They’re a great way to get some veggies and protein on your plate, and they’re super simple to make—especially if you have leftover mashed potatoes from the night before.

Just layer the mashed potato mixture with your favorite vegetables (or cheese!) in a pie pan, bake it until golden brown, and enjoy!

4. Make Breakfast Quesadillas with It

Breakfast quesadillas are another great way to put leftovers to good use.

Just top tortillas with eggs and cheese, fold them up into triangles (or whatever shape makes sense), and fry them in a pan until crispy!

You can also add sliced peppers or onions if you want some extra flavor.

5. Make Mashed Potato Frittata

Frittatas are great because they’re super easy to make, and they’re versatile—you can put just about anything into them!

My favorite thing about this recipe is that it only requires one pan, so clean-up is easy too.

This is perfect for those mornings when you want something quick and delicious but don’t feel like doing much work.

6. Make Breakfast Tacos with It

This idea is perfect if you want to get creative with your leftovers!

You can use whatever toppings you like on your tacos, and then top it off with some guacamole for added flavor and creaminess.

Either way, it’s sure to be delicious!

7. Make Breakfast Burritos with It

Mashed potatoes are the perfect filling for breakfast burritos!

Just heat up your leftover mashed potato and add a few other ingredients like eggs, cheese, bacon bits or chorizo sausage.

Roll up the mixture in a tortilla, fry it up in a pan until golden brown on both sides and voila!

You’ve got yourself a delicious breakfast burrito that’s ready to eat in about 10 minutes.

8. Add Them to Your Breakfast Sandwich

If you don’t feel like making a whole new meal from scratch just yet, add some extra flavor by adding leftover mashed potatoes onto your breakfast sandwich instead of using mayonnaise or butter like usual!

Just spread it onto one side of each slice of bread and add whichever fillings you want (like cheese or avocado).

9. Make Mashed Potato Pancakes

Mashed potato pancakes are fluffy, savory, and delicious.

They’re also super easy to make—just add some flour and egg whites to the mashed potatoes, and you’re all set!

You can even add some spices like cumin or curry powder if you want to give them some extra flavor.

These are great as a side dish with eggs or sausage, or on their own as a breakfast treat.

10. Make Hash Browns

Hash Browns are another one of my favorite ways to use up leftover mashed potatoes.

Just let your mashed potatoes cool completely, then grated them into small pieces (or cut them into cubes).

Then fry them in oil until crispy brown on all sides, and voilà! You’ve got yourself some delicious hash browns!

11. Make Potato Patties with It

Why not make some delicious potato patties?

This is a great way to use up mashed potatoes, and they’re super simple to make.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 cup leftover mashed potatoes (I like to use white or yellow)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup flour (you can use all-purpose, but I prefer a gluten-free flour blend)
• salt and pepper to taste
• Vegetable oil for frying (about 1/2 inch deep)

To make them:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix together the flour, salt and pepper; stir in the egg and then add the mashed potatoes.
3. Mix thoroughly, then shape into patties about 1/4 inch thick.
4. Fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown on both sides.
5. Serve immediately with ketchup if desired!

12. Form It Into Balls and Deep Fry Them

 Why not form them into balls and deep fry them?

The resulting croquettes are crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside—a perfect snack for game day or movie night!

13. Make a Potato Breakfast Pizza

You can also use leftover mashed potatoes to make a breakfast pizza that’s completely different than anything else on the menu at school or work.

Start with a pre-made pizza crust (or make your own!), and layer on some diced green bell peppers and onions.

Top with some shredded cheddar cheese and bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes until the edges are golden brown.

14. Add It to Your Morning Eggs

 Add a few spoonfuls of your mashed potatoes to your morning egg scramble and you’ll have yourself some breakfast omelets that are sure to impress.

Just make sure to wait until after your eggs are cooked before adding the potatoes—otherwise, you’ll end up with soggy eggs and not-so-delicious flavor.

15. Mix It in A Baked Potato Casserole

Here’s another great way to use up your leftovers: bake them into a casserole! Just mix them with some cooked bacon and cheese, then layer it all in a baking dish and bake it until golden brown on top.

This recipe is perfect if you have some extra time on your hands—you can even make it ahead of time so it’s ready when guests come over for brunch or dinner!

16. Make Potato Cakes

To make these treats, just combine your leftover mashed potatoes with flour and spices (such as salt and pepper).

Press the mixture into patties, fry them up in oil until they’re crispy on both sides, then serve with ketchup for dipping!

17. Make Potato Biscuits

For something savory, try making potato biscuits.

Mix together some mashed potatoes with flour, baking powder, salt and pepper (to taste), and any additional herbs or spices that catch your fancy.

Roll the mixture out into a big rectangle shape on a floured surface and cut out biscuits using cookie cutter shapes of your choice (you could even make them in the shape of your family members!).

Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

18. Make Them Into Soup

Simply combine the mashed potatoes with a cup or two of broth or water and a teaspoon of salt, then heat the mixture over medium heat until it boils.

Remove from heat and stir in some butter or olive oil to finish it off.

You can also add anything else you want (like cheese or bacon) if you’d like! It’s delicious as is, but feel free to make it your own by experimenting with different flavors and ingredients.