Purple Mashed Potato Pancakes with Garlic and Pancetta

Mashed potato pancakes need no improvements, but they’re way more fun when made with purple potatoes, garlic, pancetta, and cheddar cheese. These Purple Mashed Potato Pancakes with Garlic and Pancetta should be served at every cocktail party.

What’s your favorite color? The one question that has always had the power to unite us all, ever since we first learned to talk. Every kid has an instant answer. Mine was always yellow. In part because it’s bright and cheery and happy… But you know why else? I felt sorry for yellow. Because nobody else ever chose yellow as their favorite color. So, I chose it as mine. I legitimately felt sorry for a color and chose it as my favorite so that it wouldn’t be sad. Yes, I had (and probably still have) some very unique issues. Story of my life.

These days, my issues are almost all due to my extreme indecisiveness. In fact, if you asked me what my favorite color is now, I’d probably get really nervous and start stuttering and say something like, “yellow… it’s always been yellow (yes, I still feel kind of bad  for yellow)… No, pink. No, purple. No, let’s just go with grey. Wait, do you consider white a color?” My favorite color fully depends on what it is we’re talking about and changes by the second. However, if you ask me my favorite color potato, I’ll say purple. Maybe… I also kind of love orange potatoes. UGH. My indecisiveness is alive and well. But seriously.. how awesome are purple potatoes?

When I picked these beauties up at Whole Foods earlier this month, I knew I wanted to do something fun with them… I tossed around about 30 different ideas in my mind, but ultimately landed on an old favorite- potato pancakes. But with mashed potatoes. And a couple of fun add-ins. The result was these Purple Mashed Potato Pancakes with Garlic and Pancetta.

PURPLE MASHED POTATO PANCAKES WITH GARLIC AND PANCETTA RECIPE

These purple potato pancakes involve a few steps because first you have to make the mashed potatoes (and attempt not to eat all of them) and then you have to form the patties and fry them up. But they’re really not hard and so worth every second.

Honestly, those purple mashed potatoes were so pretty, I had a hard time not serving them just like that!

But I pushed on to make the actual pancakes. When you fry them up (in just a little bit of olive oil), they form the most exquisite crispy crust. Life is beautiful. I love a little bit of crisp to my potato pancakes, so this is heavenly to me!

Top the purple potato pancakes with whatever you desire. I went with a little dollop of Greek yogurt and a whole bunch of chopped chives.

And served the whole plate with a nice cold beer. Because it’s unofficially summer, y’all! And this new shandy is my favorite.

I probably tell you this every time I make a dish with potatoes, but I think it’s worth mentioning that I’m in the minority of people who aren’t really obsessed with potatoes. I think they’re OK, but in general, they don’t really do a whole lot to excite me. Mashed potatoes need to be really good mashed potatoes for me to want them. Or purple mashed potatoes. Otherwise I could do without.

But these purple potato pancakes I could not do without. I’m sure it had something to do with that crispiness. But also the added garlic, pancetta, and cheddar cheese.

OK fine… And probably because they’re purple. My favorite color for the week. Until yellow feels sad. Then I’ll totally switch back to yellow. Wouldn’t want any colors to be feeling sad.

I do know that these mashed potato pancakes are enough to cheer anyone up, especially when made with purple potatoes. They can be served as an appetizer or a side… Or as a complete meal, if you’re me. But really, now I want to make an entire meal of purple potato recipes!

What’s your favorite color? (I won’t blame you if you can’t decide).

If you’re a fan of this purple potato recipe, be sure to check out this Purple Sweet Potato, Chickpea, and Ginger Soup from Rainbow in my Kitchen. If plain old regular potatoes are more your thing, check out my Ginger Coconut Whipped Sweet Potatoes!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Purple Mashed Potato Pancakes with Garlic and Pancetta

Mashed potato pancakes need no improvements, but they're way more fun when made with purple potatoes, garlic, pancetta, and cheddar cheese. These Purple Mashed Potato Pancakes with Garlic and Pancetta should be served at every cocktail party.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Appetizer, Side

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Mashed Potato Pancakes, Potato Appetizers, Purple Potato Recipes

Servings: 10 purple potato pancakes

Author: Sues

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. purple potatoes, unpeeled, cut into quarters
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 oz. diced pancetta, cooked
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• Greek yogurt or sour cream, for topping
• Finely chopped scallions, for topping

Instructions

• In a large pot of lightly salted water, boil the potatoes until soft, about 20 minutes.
• Drain potatoes and push them through a potato ricer into a large bowl.
• Add butter, milk, egg, minced garlic, cheddar cheese, pancetta, and salt and pepper and mix well.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat.
• Form potato mixture into about 10 balls and gently flatten into pancakes.
• Place in skillet in batches and cook until pancakes are golden brown on bottom, about 3 minutes.
• Flip pancakes and cook until golden brown on other side, another 3 minutes.
• Add more oil to the pan if necessary and repeat with remaining pancakes.
• Top pancakes with Greek yogurt or sour cream and scallions.