Vegan Air Fryer Mashed Potato Balls

Got leftover mashed potatoes? Liven them up with a batch of these Vegan Air Fryer Mashed Potato Balls! Perfectly crispy on the outside with a pillowy potato filling on the inside, they're easy to make and ready in just 10 minutes in the air fryer! These gluten-free air fried mashed potato balls make a great party appetizer or side dish.

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Why deep fry when you can AIR FRY?

I'm really surprised that none of the air fryer companies are using that as their slogan.

Sometimes, I think I should have been a slogan writer.

Seriously.

Anyway, back to these absolutely amazing mashed potato balls!

Because all mashed potatoes deserve a second chance!

Hey, that could be another slogan...

OK, fine. I'll stop.

Maybe. 😉

But seriously, you really have to try these potato balls.

Ingredients you'll need

• Cold, Leftover Vegan Mashed Potatoes
• Aquafaba (Canned Chickpea Liquid)
• Nutritional Yeast
• Gluten-Free, Vegan Bread Crumbs
• Grated Vegan Parmesan Cheese (I used Thrive Market brand grated Parmesan-Style cheese)
• Dried Parsley
• Garlic Powder
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• Fine Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
• Non-Aerosol, Propellant-Free Olive Oil or Avocado Oil Spray

Why air fry?

By air frying these mashed potato balls instead of deep frying them, the only oil needed is that which is used to lightly spray the air fryer and the bread crumb coating so it browns nicely.

How to make air fryer mashed potato balls

First, prepare the coating by combining bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, garlic powder, black pepper and salt on a plate.

Then, add aquafaba to a bowl and place nutritional yeast on a plate. Set aside.

Remove the mashed potatoes from the refrigerator and form into ball. 

To form them, use a small cookie scoop to scoop out the potatoes into your hand and then roll into the shape of a ball (as shown in the collage below).

Place on a plate and repeat until all of the potatoes are used up.

The cookie scoop I used was a #40 disher. This size will give you 16 potato balls. You can use a #50 disher instead which will yield a few more balls. I don't recommend making them bigger as they will be more likely to fall apart the bigger they are.

Then, roll each ball into the nutritional yeast, followed by the aquafaba and then the bread crumb mixture (as show in the collage below). 

Place on a plate and continue until all of the balls are coated.

If your brand of air fryer comes with an elevated crisper plate/tray, be sure to insert it into the basket.

For example, my Ninja air fryer comes with a crisper plate insert.

Spray the inside of the air fryer with non-aerosol, propellant-free olive or avocado oil spray.

Then, place the potato balls in a single layer in your air fryer basket.

Now, lightly spray the tops of the potato balls.

Air fry at 390° F for 10-15 minutes until the potato balls are golden brown but not burned, lightly shaking the basket 3-4 times during cooking. 

Tips for making the best air fryer potato balls

• It's VERY IMPORTANT that the mashed potatoes be both COLD and FIRM or they won't form properly or stay together, especially if they are loose. Be sure to use a recipe that elicits a firm result. I used leftovers from these mashed potatoes with almond milk and vegan cream cheese that I had made the night before. If you are planning on making mashed potatoes just for this dish, I recommend making them the night before so that they are cold enough to work with. 
• Don't make the potato balls too big as they will be more likely to fall apart the bigger they are. I find I get the best results with a #40 disher or #50 disher.
• If you want to prep these in advance, you can store the prepared potato balls on a plate in a single layer in the refrigerator for a few hours. Lightly lay a paper towel over top of them so they do not get smushed. Keep them in the fridge up until the time you are going to air fry them.
• You can double the recipe if needed. If you do so, you will most likely have to air fry in batches. Just be sure to keep the second batch of potato balls in the fridge while you are air frying the first batch.

Ideas for serving

Garnish the mashed potato balls with additional vegan Parmesan and scallions or herbs such as chives or parsley.

Serve with some vegan sour cream, vegan cheese sauce, or tomato sauce.

You can also enjoy them with our oil-free vegan ranch dip or mayo-based vegan ranch dressing. 

Storing and reheating

If you have leftover leftover mashed potato balls, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

They will last about 1-2 more days depending on when you originally made the mashed potatoes.

You can reheat them in the oven or toaster oven at 400° F until warmed throughout.

You can also pop them back in the air fryer at 390° for a few minutes until warmed throughout, shaking the basket a couple of times during reheating.

More air fryer recipes

• Air Fryer Home Fries
• Salt and Pepper Air Fryer Tofu
• Air Fryer Chickpeas
• Air Fryer Tempeh Bacon
• Air Fryer Asparagus
• Air Fryer Carrots

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