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Crispy and Flavorful Air Fryer Potato Puffs Recipe

Potato puffs in an air fryer are a delicious way to enjoy a tasty snack or a tasty potato side dish.

They are effortless to prepare, and it is a great recipe if you have leftover mashed potatoes.

Because giving life to the leftovers is one of the most satisfying things to do.

delicious potato puffs recipe

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Why This Recipe Is The Best

Super Easy: It only takes a few steps and very few ingredients to create these delicious soft potato balls with an incredible crunch outside.

A recipe for recycling leftovers: The best way to give leftover mashed potatoes a new shape.

Customizable: You can create crispy potato puffs for every taste with this recipe.

What You Need For This Homemade Potato Puffs

Potatoes: The best potatoes for this recipe are potatoes with lots of starch, such as russets, which are characterized by a very low water content and a high starch content, making them particularly floury.

Red potatoes are also great for this recipe.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps make these potato puffs even crispier outside.

Seasoning of choice: I used salt, black pepper, and parsley to make these potato puffs flavorful, but the combinations are endless.

Imagine potato puffs with rosemary or curry-flavored; I don’t know which to try first!

Olive oil or avocado oil: We will use oil to help us shape our balls.

Optional dip:  Classic ketchup or ranch dressing works well.

How To Make Potato Puffs At Home

To prepare the potato mixture for your air fryer potato puffs, boil a large pot of peeled and diced potatoes in cold water and salt until tender.

boiled potatos

Drain the potatoes and mash them with a fork or potato masher until smooth. 

Add cornstarch, chopped fresh parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and black pepper to the mashed potatoes.

Mix everything until it is well combined. 

Wet your hands with some oil and start making potato balls.

how to make potato puffs - shape the potato

Preheat your air fryer,  and place the potato puffs in a single layer in the air fryer basket.  

You don’t need to add extra oil.

potato puffs in theair fryer basket

Cook in the preheated air fryer for 13 minutes. Give a good shake halfway through until they are crispy

and golden brown on the outside.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Recipe Notes & Tips For The Best Results

  • Give all puff potatoes the same size; you can help yourself with a cookie scoop to form the puffs all the same size.
  • Preheat the air fryer.
  • Add one tablespoon of cornstarch until you have a firm, easily workable dough; the amount of starch may vary because it varies with the amount of water in the potatoes, which cannot be predicted.
  • Always check during cooking, as cooking time may vary from air fryer to air fryer.

Variations

The variations we can make to this recipe are endless.

  • Don’t have cornstarch?

Replace it with rice flour or potato starch.

  • Add chili pepper for spicy-tasting balls.
  • Add mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese inside for super stringy puff potatoes.
  • Use your favorite seasonings. Taco seasoning, curry, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder.

Make them with the spices you like best.

  • Coat with breadcrumbs for super crispy puff balls.

For a healthier version of this recipe, try using sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. 

  • If you don’t have an air fryer, you can make them in the regular deep fryer, cooking them in vegetable oil until golden brown or in the oven for 20 minutes at 200 degrees F.

What To Serve With Potato Puffs

Pair potato puffs with a super crispy chicken cutlet or this popular marry me chicken tiktok.

Add to the plate some fresh vegetables such as air fryer broccoli or boiled carrots for a classic and satisfying meal.

I also love to serve them when I make this bacon wrapped sonoran hot dog recipe or hot Italian sliders, they are perfect together.

Or simply serve them together with your favorite dipping sauce, such as ranch, barbecue sauce, or sour

cream for a tasty appetizer or quick snack that everyone will love.

You can make a bowl of snack potatoes, combine sweet potato fries,  french fries, and these potatoes

puffs are the perfect snacks for game nights or in front of a movie.

FAQ’s 

Potato puffs and tater tots are the same?

Tater tots are typically made with grated potatoes that are then molded into small cylindrical shapes. Potato puffs, on the other hand, are made by mashing potatoes with other ingredients and then forming them into balls. 
In terms of taste and texture, tater tots tend to be more crunchy and crisp, while potato puffs are soft and fluffy on the inside with a crispy exterior. 

Delicious Potato Puffs Recipe In Air Fryer

potato puffs recipe

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Yield: 26 potato puffs

Potato Puffs In Air Fryer

potato puffs recipe

Get ready for a delicious and easy-to-make snack with this potato puffs in air fryer! Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 large Russet potatoes (13 oz)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 cup Cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
  • Chopped parsley
  • Olive oil

Instructions

  1. Begin by cooking the potatoes. Peel, cut them into chunks, and cook them in cold and salt water for about 15 minutes, until soft.
  2. Drain and transfer them to a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher.
  3. Add chopped parsley, salt, black pepper, and the cornstarch a little at a time and mix until well combined until smooth and easy to shape.
  4. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 3 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, shape the potato puffs.
  6. Coat your hands with a little olive oil to help shape the potatoes better. Shape into balls of all the same size for homogeneous cooking.
  7. Air fry for 13 minutes at 400 degrees F. Shake the basket occasionally to ensure even cooking.
  8. Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

Cooking times may vary depending on the size and thickness of your puffs. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

26

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 54Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 47mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g

Nutrition is automatically calculated by Nutritionix - please verify all nutrition information independently and consult with a doctor or nutritionist for any and all medical and diet advice.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram and tag thebellavita_blog

More delicious air fryer potato easy recipes:

As I have surely told you before, the air fryer is one of my favorite ways of cooking potatoes.

I love these garlic and parmesan cheese fries, these slice potatoes or these wedge potatoes that are super crispy. 

But not just potatoes, the air fryer is perfect for so many air fryer side dish recipes, like these zucchini or

these crispy mushrooms.

the bella vita

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Judith

Thursday 11th of May 2023

What is the green stuff in and on the potato puffs? I don’t think it’s mentioned in the recipe. Thank you.

Angie

Friday 12th of May 2023

Is parsley :)

Sarita

Tuesday 2nd of May 2023

Oh my goodness - I think we have a new favourite potato recipe in the house! So good - and easy to make.

Claire

Sunday 30th of April 2023

These were AMAZING!!! My kids decided they were better than potato tots and asked for them again tomorrow. So easy to make and I love that I can mix up the flavors

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