Cheese Croquettes were one of my favorite snacks when I visited Japan. The potatoes are soft and fluffy, and the breadcrumbs give a fantastic crunch. Since coming back, I make these for my family quite often and they're always a huge hit!

cheese croquettes on plate; one is cut in half to show cheese oozing out.

To be honest, I always thought croquettes were Japanese food. But when I started researching for this post, I learned they are actually French! The word croquette comes from another French word "croquer" which means "to crunch."

From my research, I learned that Japanese and French croquettes are actually very similar. The main difference is that French croquettes use a bechamel sauce to bind the potatoes together, while the Japanese ones do not. The idea is that the bechamel sauce makes the potatoes easier to shape, but personally, I did not have any issues when I didn't make a bechamel.

What potatoes to use?

In my opinion, starchy potatoes like Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes work the best. You want to use any type of potato that you would normally use for mashed potatoes.

After you mash the potatoes, they should still be very chunky and look something like the picture above. Even though it is not smooth, the potatoes will stick together very well when you shape them

Type of cheese for croquettes

As you can tell, the type of cheese is very important for the croquettes. I highly recommend using mozzarella because it melts the best of all cheeses, and gives the BEST cheese pull.

pressing cheese into center of potato ball.

I also like to add cream cheese to the mashed potatoes. I initially did it as a fun experiment, but I realized I love the tangy flavor that it adds, especially since it balances the richness from the deep-frying.

How long to cook the croquettes?

The length of cooking time is VERY important for cheese croquettes. If you do not cook them long enough then the cheese will not melt. I have found a quick 2-3 minutes on each side at 350°F is perfect to get a golden crust and melted cheese inside.

Cheese Croquettes

These cheese croquettes are honestly one of my favorite things to eat. They are crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. The cheese on the inside is perfectly melted.

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Prep Time 25

Cook Time 5

Total Time 30

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine French, Japanese

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

2 lb Russet potatoes (or Yukon gold) (about 4 potatoes)
4 cloves garlic (smashed)
2 tablespoons salt
¼ cup cream cheese
2 tablespoons butter
¼ teaspoon black pepper

For breading

2 large eggs
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups breadcrumbs
mozzarella (cut into 1-inch cubes).

Instructions

Peel and chop the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Add them to a large pot along with the smashed garlic and salt. Cover the potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until tender.
Drain the water and remove the garlic. Add the cream cheese, butter, and black pepper. Mash the potatoes until everything is combined but do not overmix. The mixture should still be very chunky.
In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, flour, and salt until smooth.
In another shallow dish, add the breadcrumbs.
Grab a ball of mashed potato (about ½ a cup) and press a piece of cheese into the center. Dip in egg wash then coat in breadcrumbs. Repeat until you run out of potatoes.
Heat 1 inch of oil to 350°F. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Serve with gravy or ketchup.