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These tortitas de papa (or Mexican-style potato cakes) are golden brown, crispy on the outside, and soft and cheesy on the inside. They’re incredibly flavorful and way easier to make than you’d think!
Potatoes are one of the few foods that I love in all forms – mashed, fried, sautéed, boiled, you name it. And these tortitas de papa are no exception.
They are pure comfort and indulgence. Their creamy and rich filling made with shredded cheese, sautéed onions, and a simple yet flavorful blend of spices makes it hard to eat just one.
Why I Love This Recipe
- They have the best crunch! The golden brown crispy exterior is truly perfection, while the inside is soft, cheesy, and well-seasoned.
- Incredibly easy to make. There are no fancy techniques. Just boil, mash, mix, and fry.
- Uses budget-friendly ingredients. These tortitas de papa use inexpensive and common pantry ingredients like potatoes, eggs, breadcrumbs, and spices.
- It’s customizable. You can keep them simple or add different cheeses, herbs, or even protein, like my homemade chorizo recipe, ground beef, or shredded chicken.
What Are Tortitas de Papa?
Tortitas de papa are Mexican-style potato cakes made from mashed potatoes mixed with seasonings, cheese, and breadcrumbs, then shaped into patties and pan-fried until crispy. They’re often served as a side dish, but honestly, they’re so good they can be the main event.
They’re also vegetarian, budget-friendly, and the best potato cakes I’ve ever had!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This is an overview of the key ingredients I used and why. For the full instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Yukon Gold potatoes: I like to use Yukon Gold because they’re extra creamy and have a naturally buttery and sweet flavor. Plus, they mash up perfectly. You can also use other types of potatoes like russet.
- White onion: These are sautéed until golden and sweet before being mixed into the potato patties.
- Seasoning blend: A simple mix of garlic powder, salt, cumin, paprika, and black pepper gives these potato cakes tons of flavor.
- Cheese: I mixed in shredded queso quesadilla because it melts into luxurious cheesy ribbons throughout the tortitas, but you can also use a different cheese like mozzarella, Oaxaca cheese, or Chihuahua cheese. Whatever you use, just make sure it’s a melting cheese (unlike cotija cheese).
- Fresh parsley: Adds some freshness and bright herb flavor to cut the richness of the potatoes. You can also use chives or green onions.
- Eggs and breadcrumbs: Helps to bind the tortitas together.
- Cornstarch: Helps give the tortitas an extra crispy and golden exterior when frying.
- Frying oil: You can use any neutral-tasting oil, like canola oil, avocado oil, or your favorite oil for pan-frying.
How to Make Tortitas de Papa
Make the potato mixture. Mix together the creamy mashed potatoes, sautéed onions, shredded cheese, parsley, egg, and dried seasonings in a large bowl. Then stir in ½ cup of plain breadcrumbs and chill everything in the fridge for 15 minutes to help it set and keep its shape while frying.
Shape. Mix in the remaining breadcrumbs and cornstarch, then shape the potato mixture into patties by rolling them into 10 balls and gently flattening them in between your palms. I like to place the patties on a large baking sheet while I work.
Shallow-fry the tortitas de papa in a large skillet for 3-4 minutes per side until crispy and golden brown, then transfer them to a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil.
Serve them as a side dish with your favorite dipping sauce or with a light salad.
Recipe Tips
- Chill the mixture before shaping. This helps the tortitas keep their shape when frying. This also ensures that the cheese doesn’t melt before it’s fried.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry in batches of 2 or 3 so they crisp up properly.
- Bake or air fry them instead. Don’t want to shallow-fry? Brush them with a bit of oil on both sides and then bake them at 425℉ for 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, or air fry them at 375℉ for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Variations
- Add protein. Make these a full meal by adding diced ham, crumbled and cooked chorizo, or ground beef for extra protein.
- Add veggies. You can fold in shredded zucchini, corn, or chopped broccoli as an easy and delicious way to incorporate more veggies (perfect for those picky eaters). Just make sure you squeeze out any excess moisture from the veggies (particularly zucchini and broccoli) before adding it to the potato mixture.
- Swap the cheese. You can use any melting cheese you prefer, like mozzarella, Oaxaca, Asadero, Chihuahua, or even cheddar cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can shape the patties and refrigerate them up to 24 hours before frying.
Yes! Brush with a little oil and bake at 425°F for 20-30 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
Not at all. But you can easily add heat by mixing in some chopped jalapeños or a cayenne.
Serving Suggestions
These crispy potato cakes are so delicious on their own, but I really enjoy them with a little dipping sauce.
In the photos, they’re shown with a simple dollop of sour cream and chopped cilantro, but sauces like jalapeño ranch, chipotle ranch, cilantro lime crema, traditional Mexican crema, or avocado crema would also be great!
Storing and Reheating
To store, keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, microwave the tortitas in 1-minute increments until warmed through, or heat them in a hot skillet to get the outside nice and crispy. You can also heat them in the oven at 425℉ for 5-10 minutes on each side or pop them in the air fryer at 375°F for 5 minutes.
More Recipes
Did you make this tortitas de papa recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! I love hearing about your experience, and it also helps others.
Tortitas de Papa
Ingredients
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes
- ½ tablespoon fine salt
- Water, as needed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small white onion, diced
- ½ cup shredded cheese (queso quesadilla, Oaxaca, mozzarella, or other melting cheese is best)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons plain bread crumbs, divided
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Oil, for frying
- For serving: sour cream, salsa, or dipping sauce
Instructions
- Add the potatoes, salt, and enough water to cover them in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 16-18 minutes, until fork tender.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl and allow them to completely cool, about 20 minutes.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the onions and saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until they are soft and start to brown. Set aside.
- Peel back and discard the skins from the potatoes. Using a hand masher or immersion blender, mash the potatoes until they’re fairly smooth and mashed.
- Add in the sauteed onions, shredded cheese, parsley, egg, garlic powder, kosher salt, cumin, paprika, and black pepper. Mix together with a spoon, spatula, or your hands until well combined.
- Mix in ½ cup of plain breadcrumbs until fully combined.
- Chill the mashed potato mixture in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to help it set and keep its shape while frying.
- Once chilled, mix in the remaining 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs and cornstarch.
- Shape the potato mixture into patties by rolling them into 10 balls and gently flattening them in between your palms. Place the shaped potato patties on a plate while you work.
- Heat 1 inch of frying oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Shallow fry the tortitas de papa 2-3 at a time, making sure to not overcrowd your pan. Fry each side for 3-4 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.
- Transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil.
- Serve as a side dish with your favorite dipping sauce or with a light salad.
Notes
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes are sweet and creamy, but you can use any other type of potato.
- To bake: Brush them with a bit of oil on both sides, then bake at 425℉ for 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- To air-fry: Brush them with oil on both sides, then air fry them at 375℉ for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
