Hash Brown Potato Pom Poms 🤤

A fun name for your new favorite way to eat potatoes!

Get Amanda Neal’s recipe below 👇

Hash Brown Potato Pom Poms
Recipe courtesy of Amanda Neal for Food Network Kitchen
Level: Intermediate
Total: 1 hr 25 min
Active: 1 hr
Yield: 6 to 8 servings (makes 30 to 35)

Ingredients

Creamy Jalapeño Dip:

1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
1/2 cup shredded white Cheddar (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 scallions, coarsely chopped
1 small clove garlic, grated
1 jalapeño, stemmed and coarsely chopped (seeded for less heat)
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large lime
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Hash Brown Potato Pom Poms:

2 pounds russet potatoes
1 cup shredded white Cheddar (about 4 ounces)
1/4 cup bacon bits
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic, grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable or canola oil, for deep-frying
2 large eggs
24 ounces frozen shredded hashbrowns (about 6 1/2 cups; see Cook’s Note)

Directions

Special equipment: a deep-fry thermometer

For the creamy jalapeño dip: Puree the cilantro, Cheddar, mayonnaise, sour cream, scallions, garlic, jalapeño, lime zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper in a food processor until bright green and smooth.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Chill until ready to serve.

For the hash brown potato pom poms: Prick the potatoes all over with a fork, then place them on a microwave-safe plate and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on high until tender when pierced with a paring knife, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.

Use a paring knife to remove the potato skins, then transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher until smooth and evenly mashed. Stir in the Cheddar, bacon bits, scallions, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and several grinds of pepper until evenly combined. Roll the potato mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls (30 to 35 total).

Meanwhile, fill a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with enough oil to come 2 inches up the side of the pot. Attach a deep-fry thermometer and heat the oil to 350 degrees F over medium-high heat. Line a baking sheet with a wire rack. Additionally, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Whisk the eggs in a small shallow baking dish until combined. Put the hashbrowns in a medium shallow baking dish. Working in batches, roll the potato balls in the egg wash, then gently press into the hashbrowns to evenly coat.

Working in 4 or 5 batches, carefully drop a few of the hash brown potato pom poms into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, crispy and warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet to drain, then sprinkle immediately with salt. Transfer to the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining hash brown potato pom poms, bringing the oil back up to temperature between batches.

Serve the warm hash brown potato pom poms with the creamy jalapeño dip on the side for dipping.

Cook’s Note: Be sure to buy frozen hash browns with the longest, thinnest shreds. Any shredded hashbrown product will work, but longer, thinner shreds will look more pronounced and crispier once fried, like a pom pom.

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