Fried potato cheese sticks will soon become a family favorite viral recipe.
This delicious golden brown snack (that reminds us of satisfying deep-fried street food) is a creamy yet crispy alternative to homemade french fries.
Why you will love making Fried Potato Sticks
This crunchy snack made from a simple potato mixture proves that it doesn’t take a lot of ingredients to create delicious, robust potato fries.
Unlike regular potato slices to make potato chips or fries, mashed potato sticks bring all the natural flavors of the hearty russet potato to the forefront and create a soft interior and a crunchy exterior.
This one is not a healthy snack – it’s an “I don’t give a crap, I want something delicious to eat” snack. That crispy exterior will not let you down.
Where did this Viral Potato Snack come from?
This tiktok famous potato recipe was started and hit the ground running by creator @patrickzeinali. He says this dish has a “crunch so loud that you can hear it from the back.”
See all of his recipes by following on his channel here and the original video below:
Would we make these again?
They tasted like a really good homemade fry and I added some grated Parmesan, salt, and chopped fresh parsley.
If I were making these again, I would add garlic powder (or even freshly roasted garlic) and maybe some paprika or something to add more flavor to the mix itself.
Ingredients:
- russet potatoes
- cornstarch
- mozzarella cheese
- salt and black pepper
- vegetable oil
- grated parmesan cheese
- chopped fresh parsley
How to make Potato Cheese Sticks
- Peel and cube potatoes. Place into a large pot of water, ensuring it covers the top at least by 1″. On medium-high heat, bring to a boil and continue to boil until potatoes are soft and tender. Drain water and return potatoes to the pan. Mash with a potato masher. Let stand to cool for a bit.
- Add cornstarch, and mozzarella cheese, season with salt (and optional pepper), and mix well with a spoon.
- Then, use your hands (this is why you need your potatoes to be cooled a bit) and knead well.
- Divide dough in half and place half of the dough into a quart-size resealable bag.
- Remove the air and seal it shut. Use your fingers and hands to flatten the bag. Repeat until you have two bags full.
- Place both bags in a single layer (not on top of each other) in the freezer for 30 minutes. This will allow the potatoes to solidify so you can cut them into sticks.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat until hot. Alternatively, although not as common in a home kitchen, use a deep fryer.
- Remove potatoes from the freezer and rip apart the bag to remove the dough. Discard bag.
- Cut into 1/2″ strips and cut the strips in half. Working in batches, carefully fry potatoes for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
- Drain potato cheese sticks on paper towels and repeat until all sticks are fried.
- Serve seasoned with additional flaky sea salt, grated parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh parsley.
Expert Frying Tips
- The mashed potato sticks stuck together in a chunk, so I had to put one in at a time, wait a bit and then put another, etc. The recipe creator did show that in the video but of course, we tried doing more than one at a time. It’s a no go in a regular saucepan unless the sticks already have a brown crisp on the exterior.
- This side dish recipe has plenty of space to get creative by adding tons of seasoning and fresh herbs. We suggest a little cayenne pepper and chili powder for heat as well.
- Serve potato cheese sticks with a great dipping sauce! We recommend adding a homemade yum yum sauce recipe, sriracha aioli, chipotle mayo, or our favorite recommended appetizer condiment, this fresh cucumber dip recipe.
- Make loaded potato stick ‘nachos’ by piling high on a late and adding cheese, sour cream, fresh crispy bacon, and dill.
Related Viral Potato Recipes
- This incredible smashed garlic butter crispy potatoes recipe is as simple and full of flavor as it gets. Prefer a smashed red potato recipe instead? Try this one.
- TikToks easiest crunchiest potatoes ever.
- These soft potato pillows are the snack that keeps you coming back for more.
- Prefer a sweet potato? This maple bacon sweet potato recipe is flawless for holiday menus.
- One of the top potato recipes ever, internet-famous roasted parmesan potatoes have hundreds of 5-star reviews.
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TikTok Potato Cheese Sticks
Equipment
- saucepan
- slotted spoon
- paper towels for draining
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded
- ½ tsp salt
- vegetable oil enough for a saucepan
Optional Topping
- grated parmesan cheese
- chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Boil Potatoes
- Peel and cube potatoes. Place into a large pot of water, ensuring it covers the top at least by 1″. On medium-high heat, bring to a boil and continue to boil until potatoes are soft and tender. Drain water and return potatoes to the pan. Mash with a potato masher. Let stand to cool for a bit.
Make Potato Cheese Sticks
- Add cornstarch, and mozzarella cheese, season with salt (and optional pepper), and mix well with a spoon. Then, use your hands (this is why you need your potatoes to be cooled a bit) and knead well.
- Divide mashed potato dough in half and place half of the dough into a quart-size resealable bag.
- Remove the air from the bag and seal it shut. Use your fingers and hands to flatten the bag. Repeat until you have two bags full.
- Place both ziplock bags in a single layer (not on top of each other) in the freezer for 30 minutes. This will allow the potatoes to solidify so you can cut them into sticks.
- Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat until hot. Alternatively, although not as common in a home kitchen, use a deep fryer.
- Remove potatoes from the freezer and rip apart the bag to remove the dough. Discard bag.
- Cut potatoes into 1/2″ strips and cut the strips in half.
- Working in batches (please see tips), carefully fry potatoes for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. As a tip, use tongs to lower potato sticks into the oil one at a time.
- Drain potato cheese sticks on paper towels and repeat until all sticks are fried.
- Serve seasoned and loaded with additional flaky sea salt, grated parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- The mashed potato sticks stuck together in a chunk, so I had to put one in at a time, wait a bit and then put another, etc. The recipe creator did show that in the video but of course, we tried doing more than one at a time. It’s a no go in a regular saucepan unless the sticks already have a brown crisp on the exterior.
- This side dish recipe has plenty of space to get creative by adding tons of seasoning and fresh herbs. We suggest a little cayenne pepper and chili powder for heat as well.
- Make loaded potato stick ‘nachos’ by piling high on a late and adding cheese, sour cream, fresh crispy bacon, and dill.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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