Vegan potato cakes made with leftover mashed potatoes, rice, carrots, onions, and parsley! These potato cakes are crispy and lovely from the outside, but super soft from the inside.
They are so easy to make, and the kids love them. Naturally gluten-free, and suitable for toddlers. Also great for freezing and make ahead meals.
I grew up eating potato cakes. My Mum always made different variations of potato cakes (maybe that’s a Russian thing?), and our whole family really loved them.
I shared my Mum’s cheesy potato cakes recipe on the blog a couple of years ago, and as so many of my readers loved the recipe I thought that it’s time to share a different variation that I really love.
This recipe is dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, uses more vegetables and will also save the leftover mashed potatoes that you don’t know what to do with from being thrown out.
The cheesy potato cakes recipe uses an egg to help bind the mashed potatoes to create dense cakes (can be subbed with flax egg), it also calls for some starch or flour. However, this recipe is totally vegan and gluten-free! We add rice and some veggies for that extra flavor.
We don’t normally use any spices to make these vegan potato cakes but feel free to do so especially if you’re not cooking for really young children.
The Ingredients
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
The ingredients used to make these potato cakes are quite simple. You will need:
- Leftover mashed potatoes, or just boiled potatoes
- Cooked white rice
- Sauteed diced onion with shredded carrot
- Chopped parsley
- Salt
- You could also add some spices if you like
How to make potato fritters
After you mix the ingredients together in a mixing bowl, shape the mixture into small patties.
If you’re finding it difficult to shape patties because the mixture is too soft, pop in the fridge for 15-20 minutes and then work with it.
Shape the patties, and shallow fry them in a frying pan until they’re golden and crispy. Serve warm.
Recipe Tips
- If you’re boiling potatoes to make these potato fritters or cakes, use a potato ricer or masher to mash them and make sure that there are no lumps left.
- Fully cook the rice before adding it to the mixture.
- Make patties that are not too big. Big patties start to break and won’t easily cook through.
- You could add different herbs to the patties, I’ve added parsley this time but I also add dill or chives sometimes.
- When shallow frying the potato cakes, fry on medium heat until the patties start to crisp as the crispy exterior is what’s so special about these potato fritters.
Whether you are making these for yourself or for your family including young children, I hope that you love them as much as we do!
Recommended Tools
- Non-stick pan. I like to shallow fry fritters and vegetable cakes on a good quality non-stick pan, it ensures that they never stick to the pan and they always cook evenly.
- Glass bowl. This is the set that I have and use for everything from baking to cooking.
- Stainless steel measuring spoons. I’ve had this set for so long now, honestly, the quality is amazing and they will last you for ages!
- Turner. Always make sure that the turner that you’re using is heat-resistant!
More Potato Recipes
- Smothered potatoes (my fav!)
- Cheesy scalloped potatoes
- Instant Pot buttered potatoes
- Smashed potatoes
- Cheesy mashed potato cakes
- Vegan potato soup
- Instant Pot potato salad
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Vegan Potato Cakes with Rice
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450g) potatoes russets, peeled
- ½ cup (100g) rice uncooked
- 4 teaspoons vegetable oil divided
- 2 small yellow onions diced
- 2 carrots peeled and grated
- 5 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves chopped
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Add the potatoes to a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. When the water starts boiling, salt the water and cook the potatoes until they are fork tender. Remove from heat, drain, and mash.
- Cook the rice following the package instructions.
- In a pan, heat 2 teaspoons of oil and sautee onions and carrots until they're soft.
- In a bowl combine the mashed potatoes with the cooked rice, sauteed carrots and onions, parsley, and season with salt to taste. Divide the mixture into 14-16 portions and shape balls then flatten into cakes using your hands.
- Fry in the remaining heated vegetable oil over medium-high heat until the cakes are golden and crispy for 3-4 minutes (the mixture will be very soft so be careful not to break the cakes while frying), flip, and cook for 3 more minutes. Serve warm (or cold).
Notes:
- If you’re boiling potatoes to make these potato fritters or cakes, use a potato ricer or masher to mash them and make sure that there are no lumps left.
- Fully cook the rice before adding it to the mixture.
- Make patties that are not too big. Big patties start to break and won’t easily cook through.
- You could add different herbs to the patties, I’ve added parsley this time but I also add dill or chives sometimes.
- When shallow frying the potato cakes, fry on medium heat until the patties start to crisp as the crispy exterior is what’s so special about these potato fritters.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Kathy V says
These were good! I will probably add some extra herbs next time. I was kind of wondering how the patties would stick together, but the mashed potatoes do that for you! Thank you.
Sharon says
could you bake these in the oven instead of pan frying?
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Hi Sharon! I haven’t tried these in the oven. I don’t think that they would crisp up enough cooked that way though. Pan frying is going to be the best and tastiest option.
Ari says
They fell apart while frying..
Danielle Gemini says
I love this recipe! It’s so simple and quick! What sauce do you recommend to go with this? Thanks so much!
Marianne says
Could you make cook and combine everything a couple days in advance and keep it in the the fridge until you’re ready to shape/fry?
Diana says
Yes, that works.