Description
Crispy Japanese Potato Croquettes, known as Korokke, are golden-brown, fried patties made of mashed potatoes mixed with sautéed onions and optionally ground meat, coated in flour, egg, and panko breadcrumbs for an irresistibly crunchy exterior. Perfect as a savory snack or side dish, these croquettes deliver a wonderful mix of creamy interior and crisp coating, ideal for a comforting Japanese-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Croquettes
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 lb ground pork or beef (optional, for a non-vegetarian version)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce (optional, for flavor)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Coating
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
For Frying and Serving
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Lettuce or cabbage, for serving (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Boil the Potatoes: Place the peeled potato chunks in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.
- Sauté Onion and Meat: While the potatoes are boiling, heat a pan over medium heat and melt butter. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. If using ground meat, add it to the pan and cook until browned and cooked through. Season the mixture with salt and black pepper.
- Mash and Mix: Mash the drained potatoes until smooth. Incorporate the cooked onion and meat mixture, soy sauce, and milk into the mashed potatoes. Mix thoroughly until everything is evenly combined. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Shape Patties: Form the mashed potato mixture into oval or round patties, approximately 2-3 inches in diameter.
- Prepare Coating Station: Arrange the coating ingredients in separate shallow dishes: flour, beaten eggs, and panko breadcrumbs.
- Coat the Croquettes: Dip each patty first in flour, then in beaten egg, and finally coat thoroughly with panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to ensure the coating sticks well.
- Fry the Croquettes: Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat until hot. Carefully add the croquettes to the oil in batches, frying for about 3-4 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Drain Excess Oil: Remove the croquettes from the oil and place them on paper towels to drain any excess oil.
- Serve: Serve the croquettes hot, optionally alongside shredded lettuce or cabbage for garnish and freshness.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, simply omit the ground meat and increase the quantity of onions for additional flavor.
- Panko breadcrumbs are key to achieving the classic crispiness of Japanese croquettes; do not substitute with regular breadcrumbs.
- Make sure the oil is hot enough before frying to avoid greasy croquettes; test by dropping a small piece of bread or batter to see if it sizzles immediately.
- These croquettes can be prepared ahead and frozen; fry them directly from frozen for convenience.
- Serve with tonkatsu sauce or Japanese mayonnaise for authentic flavor enhancement.
