Bubble and Squeak

This fun and easy Bubble and Squeak recipe (potato cakes) makes good use of leftover mashed potatoes, cooked vegetables and meat. It is traditionally served with a poached or fried egg over the top or meat leftover from the night before.

Course side

Cuisine British

Keyword british potato patties, how to make bubble and squeak, what is bubble and squeak

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings patties

Calories 531kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

1 lb mashed potatoes about 2 cups
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 small carrot finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped cabbage
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped collard greens or kale
1/4 cup chopped ham
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 slices crispy cooked bacon chopped
fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

If using fresh mashed potatoes. Peel and cut your potatoes in chunks. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender; about 15 minutes. Drain well and mash with a hand held potato masher.
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add carrots, cabbage, onions, and collard greens and cook for several minutes stirring several times. Add the ham and cook until the vegetables are soft. Cool for just a couple of minutes.
Stir the potatoes and cooked vegetable mixture together. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in skillet over medium. Shape the mixture into 4 equal patties. Fry them up 2 at a time in the skillet. Let them get golden brown on the bottom before inverting onto a plate. Then gently push them off back into the hot skillet to brown the other side. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet before adding second batch. If desired you can make 2 large patties.
Garnish with chopped bacon and fresh thyme leaves.
For best results serve promptly.

Notes

For vegetables try carrots, cabbage, kale, onion, or peas. For meat try cooked ham, bacon, sausage, or even pork roast. If the meat and vegetables are not cooked then grab that skillet and cook them up.
Finely chop all the vegetables and meat.
Use vegetable or canola oil and get your pan fairly hot for a good crispy outer edge.
Leftover mashed potatoes work well but you might need to add several tablespoons of flour depending on how much milk and butter were added to them.
For ease in flipping, first brown the bottom, then carefully invert to a plate, then scoot the patties off the plate into the hot skillet to brown the other side. Another option is to invert the potato cake right into another hot skillet.
If desired top with fresh thyme and crispy cooked bacon.

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