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Irish cheddar and bacon potato croquettes on a serving board.

Air Fryer Irish Cheddar + Bacon Potato Croquettes

Sip + Sanity | Linda Feller
Air Fryer Irish Cheddar + Bacon Potato Croquettes are a delicious way to use up leftover mashed potatoes for a fun, two-bite appetizer.
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Prep time.20 minutes
Cook time.35 minutes
Total time.55 minutes
Course.Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine.Irish
Number of servings.20 croquettes
Calories per serving.98 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Sour Cream + Chive Dip

  • ½ cup light sour cream
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives, minced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • kosher salt + fresh cracked pepper

Croquettes

  • 6 slices bacon
  • 1 leek, quartered lengthwise, sliced thin, thoroughly rinsed (white and pale green parts only)
  • 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes, cold
  • 3 ounce Irish cheddar, cut into 1/2" cubes (or smaller depending on the size of your croquettes)

Dredging Station

  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 1½ cups Panko bread crumbs
  • cooking spray

Instructions

  • Combine sour cream, garlic powder, fresh chives and salt and pepper to taste for a simple dipping sauce. Cover and refrigerate until the croquettes are ready to serve.
  • Crisp bacon slices in a skillet over medium heat. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease in the skillet. Remove the bacon to a paper towel to drain and cool. Then, crumble the bacon and add them to a mixing bowl.
  • Add the leeks to the skillet with a little salt + pepper and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes until soft and just beginning to color. Add the leeks to the mixing bowl with the crumbled bacon.
  • Add the cold mashed potatoes to the bowl and combine with the bacon and leeks. Taste and season with salt + pepper as needed.
  • Using a small cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoon volume), scoop out a ball of potatoes. Flatten with clean hands then wrap it around a cube of Irish cheddar, turning it back into a ball. Repeat until all the potatoes are used.
  • Create a 3-bowl dredging station: one with flour, one with the egg (whisked up with a fork), one with the Panko.
  • Coat each potato ball in flour, then egg, then Panko and set aside on a sheet pan. (If you're making these ahead, cover and chill the potato balls until you're ready to cook).
  • Air Fryer Instructions: Preheat the air fryer at 400°F. Spritz the croquettes with cooking spray, then place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Flip them halfway through. Repeat until all croquettes have been cooked.
  • Oven Instructions: Preheat oven to 425°F. Spritz the croquettes with cooking spray. Bake on a sheet pan for 10 minutes. Flip them halfway through.
  • The croquettes will be soft after cooking (using either method). Let them sit for a minute or two before transferring to a serving dish. Season with some coarse salt and garnish with fresh herbs, if you like. 

Notes

This recipe was developed using the Air Fryer Lid for a 6-quart Instant Pot. Having made other recipes in this appliance, I find I have to reduce the cooking time or temperature because this unit retains heat very well. Every air fryer is unique, so you may find you need to increase the cooking time for your particular brand. I recommend cooking up a couple test croquettes and adjust accordingly.

Nutrition

Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 159IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg
Keywords.air fryer, game day, st. patrick's day, stove top
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