Potato Cheese Sticks

Golden and crispy on the outside, soft and cheesy on the inside, these Potato Cheese Sticks are the perfect snack or appetizer. Made with mashed potatoes, Parmesan cheese, and a touch of seasoning, they’re deep-fried to perfection for a crunchy yet creamy bite. Sprinkle with chili powder for a spicy kick, or serve with ketchup for a classic dipping option. Best enjoyed hot and fresh!

Equipment

• Kitchen scale or measuring cups
• Medium pot (For boiling and deep frying)
• Large mixing bowl
• Potato masher or fork
• Rectangular pan (Mine is 8×6 inch, you can use a different size one.)
• Plastic Food Wrap
• Kitchen thermometer (to monitor oil temperature)
• Cooling rack (or large plate lined with kitchen paper)

Ingredients  

• 4 large russet potatoes (We will be needing 4 cups of mashed potatoes.)
• ½ cup glutinous rice flour (70g)
• ¼ cup cornstarch (40g)
• ¾ cup shredded cheese (lightly packed) (90g; I used a mix of 50% Parmesan and 50% mozzarella cheese. Feel free to use either one, both, or any other cheese of your choice.)
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• oil (For deep frying; Can use vegetable oil, Canola oil, Peanut oil, Sunflower oil…)
• chili pepper powder (Or ketchup)

Instructions 

1. Peel 4 large potatoes. Cut them into evenly sized chunks, about 1-2 inches each.

2. Place the potato chunks in a medium pot and cover them with cold water. Add 1 tsp of salt (optional) to the water.

3. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let the potatoes simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until they are fork-tender.

4. Once cooked, drain the potatoes using a colander.

5. Weigh out 850g of boiled potatoes and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. (If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you can measure approximately 4 cups of mashed potatoes after mashing.) Use a potato masher or a fork to mash them until smooth and lump-free.

6. While the mashed potatoes are still warm, add glutinous rice flour, cornstarch, shredded cheese, salt, and pepper.

7. Mix and knead thoroughly until a smooth dough forms.

8. Line a rectangular pan (or dish) with plastic food wrap. Transfer the dough into the pan and press it evenly to form a uniform layer.

9. Cover and place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up the dough.

10. Once the dough is firm, take it out of the freezer and turn it onto a cutting board. Carefully peel off the plastic food wrap.

11. Use a knife to cut the dough into 8 sticks, each approximately 1 inch x 1 inch x 6 inches. Optionally, use the back of the knife to press lines onto the surface of the sticks to create a pattern. This increases the contact area between the oil and the potato, making the surface crispier.

12. Heat oil in a deep fryer or large pan to 320°F (160°C).

13. Fry the potato cheese sticks for 5 minutes until slightly golden but not browned. Remove them and set aside on a cooling rack.

14. Raise the oil temperature to 350°F (175°C).

15. Fry the potato cheese sticks again for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until they turn golden brown and crispy.

16. Remove the fried sticks from the oil and place them on a cooling rack or a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain excess oil.

17. Sprinkle with salt and chili pepper powder or dip in ketchup for extra flavor. Serve hot.

Tips for Making Perfect Potato Cheese Sticks

1. Choose the Right Potatoes:

Use starchy potatoes like Russet, Idaho, or Yukon Gold for a fluffy and smooth texture. Avoid waxy varieties like Red Bliss or fingerling potatoes, as they can be too dense for this recipe.

2. Peel and Cut Evenly:

Peel and cut the potatoes into evenly sized chunks before boiling. This ensures they cook uniformly and prevents some pieces from overcooking while others remain undercooked.

3. Weigh the Potatoes After Boiling:

Potatoes vary in size and water content, so even though we are boiling 4 potatoes, we won’t necessarily use all of them. Weighing the potatoes before boiling isn’t ideal, as different potatoes absorb varying amounts of water during boiling, depending on their size, chunk dimensions, and cooking time.

To ensure consistent results, weigh the boiled potatoes instead to use the exact amount needed (850g or about 4 cups mashed). This helps prevent the dough from being too wet or too dry.

4. Mash Thoroughly:

Mash the potatoes until smooth and lump-free. Lumps in the dough can cause the potato cheese sticks to fall apart during deep frying.

However, over-mashing potatoes can break down their starch granules too much, releasing excess starch and creating a gluey, gummy, or overly dense texture. Therefore, just mash the potatoes until they are lump-free.

5. Shape Using a Rectangular Pan:

Use a rectangular pan lined with plastic food wrap to shape the dough evenly. This ensures consistent stick sizes and makes cutting easier after chilling.

6. Chill for Better Cutting:

Freezing the dough helps firm it up, making it easier to cut into sticks and maintain shape during frying.

Freezing for 30 minutes should suffice. If you accidentally freeze it for too long and the dough becomes too hard to cut, simply let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes to soften slightly.

7. Cut Evenly and Add Texture:

Cut the dough into evenly sized pieces for consistent frying. You can cut them into long sticks or cubes for shorter frying times.

Use the back of a knife to press lines onto the surface of each piece, increasing the cooking surface area. This helps the sticks fry more evenly and makes the surface crispier.

8. Double-frying method:

The double-frying method is used in this recipe to achieve perfectly crispy potato cheese sticks with a tender interior. Here’s why it works:

1. First Fry (at 320°F for 5 minutes):
   • The lower temperature cooks the inside of the sticks gently without over-browning the outside. This step ensures the dough is heated through and helps set the shape of the sticks.
2. Second Fry (at 350°F for 30 seconds to 1 minute):
   • The higher temperature crisps up the exterior quickly, creating a golden, crunchy crust while preventing the interior from overcooking.

This method prevents the cheese sticks from becoming greasy or overly soft, delivering the perfect texture contrast between the crispy exterior and the soft, cheesy interior.

9. Avoid Overcrowding the Pan:

Fry in small batches to maintain consistent oil temperature and ensure even cooking.

10. Add Cheese Variety:

When mixing shredded cheese into the mashed potatoes, ensure the potatoes are still warm so the cheese melts and blends smoothly with the other ingredients.

Feel free to experiment with a mix of cheeses, such as mozzarella for a stretchy texture or cheddar for a sharper flavor. Adjust the cheese blend to suit your taste.

11. Vegan Adjustment:

If you want to make this recipe vegan-friendly, simply skip the cheese. The texture and taste will be slightly different, but the result will still be delicious and satisfying.

12. Season Immediately:

Sprinkle salt and chili powder on the sticks as soon as they’re out of the fryer to ensure the seasoning sticks well.

13. Serve Hot:

Potato cheese sticks are best enjoyed right away while they’re crispy and the cheese is melty. Reheating may cause them to lose their crispiness.

If you don’t think you’ll finish all 8 sticks at once, feel free to halve the recipe.

My other potato recipes you will also like: