Baked Mashed Potato Muffins
Baked mashed potato muffins are little mash-filled cakes baked in a muffin tin until golden, each one hiding a roasted Brussels sprout in the center. You build them from creamy mashed potatoes loaded with onion, garlic, green onion and cheese, then bake at 180C for 20-25 minutes. They are the best way to turn leftover mash into something new.
We all love fresh meals, hot out of the oven and bursting with flavor, but reheated leftovers are simply not the same. The taste is not right anymore, the texture is not right anymore, and that usually ends one of two sad ways: you eat without any joy, or you throw it away. Well, what if I told you those are not your only two options? I am an advocate for changing that, and there are so many ways you can use mashed potato leftovers.
My favorite by far is making baked mashed potato muffins. Over the years I have put together what I think is the best form of these little cakes, and trust me, you will love it too. Think of whatever you personally like to add as a side to a hearty bowl of mashed potatoes; whatever that is, I am sure you will be able to successfully incorporate it into these muffins. I promise the result will 100% fit the expectation. And do not forget to comment and tell me how it all went, because I always look forward to hearing your opinions.
This Recipe Works If You Need
- A way to use up leftover mash so a good batch of mashed potatoes never gets thrown away again.
- A make-ahead snack or side you can bake in one tray and grab cold from the fridge or warm from the oven.
- Finger food for a party that holds its shape, travels well on a platter, and disappears fast.
- A sneaky way to get more vegetables in, thanks to a whole Brussels sprout tucked inside each muffin.
- A fully plant-based comfort food, since every dairy element here has a plant-based swap that works just as well.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy edges, creamy middle. The muffin tin gives every cake more surface area against the hot metal, so you get golden crisp edges around a soft, cheesy center.
- A surprise in every bite. The hidden Brussels sprout roasts gently inside the mash and adds a savory, slightly nutty pocket you do not expect.
- Zero waste. This is leftover mash reborn, not reheated. It tastes like a brand new dish rather than yesterday’s dinner warmed over.
- Easy to scale. The mix fills 16 muffin cups, so it is built for batch cooking and freezing.
- Vegan or dairy, your call. The same method works whether you use plant-based milk, butter, sour cream and cheese or the dairy versions.
- Hands-off baking. Once the cups are filled, the oven does the work for 20-25 minutes while you set the table.
Ingredient Notes
Potatoes are the whole foundation, so reach for starchy, floury varieties like Russet or Maris Piper rather than waxy salad potatoes. Starchy potatoes break down into a fluffy, dry mash that holds its shape when baked, while waxy ones turn gluey the more you work them. You need three large potatoes here, and whether you start from fresh-boiled or day-old mash, the drier the better so the muffins set instead of slumping.
Onion and garlic get softened in olive oil before they go into the mash, and that step matters. Raw onion in a baked mash stays sharp and crunchy, but cooking it until translucent draws out the sugars and gives the whole muffin a sweet, mellow savory base. Dice them small and cook over medium heat so the garlic turns fragrant without browning, since burnt garlic will turn bitter in the finished cake.
Green onion goes in raw and stirred through at the end, so it stays bright and fresh against the cooked onion. Buy bunches with firm, perky tops and no slime where the green meets the white. Slice both the white and green parts thin for color flecks and a gentle oniony lift in every bite.
Cheddar cheese, shredded, is what makes these read as comfort food, plant-based or dairy. Shred it yourself from a block if you can, because pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking starch that stops it from melting smoothly. A sharp, mature cheddar gives the most flavor for the amount you use, and you save a handful to scatter on top in the last minutes of baking for a browned, bubbly crust.
Milk, butter and sour cream are the trio that loosen and enrich the mash. A splash of milk and a tablespoon of butter make it creamy, while the sour cream adds a slight tang that cuts through the richness. All three work plant-based or dairy; if you go plant-based, an unsweetened, unflavored milk is essential so you do not end up with faintly vanilla potatoes.
Brussels sprouts are the hidden heart, one per cake, so you need 16. Pick small, tight, bright green sprouts roughly the size you can bury in mash; large loose ones will not cook through in the muffin’s bake time. Trim the stem and peel off any tired outer leaves before tucking one into the center of each cup.
Flour, just two tablespoons, is the quiet binder that helps the muffins hold together and slice cleanly instead of crumbling. Stir it in evenly so there are no dry pockets, and reach for a gluten-free blend if you need these to be gluten-free.
Tips
- Keep the mash on the dry side. Drain the boiled potatoes really well and go easy on the milk. A wet mash spreads instead of holding a muffin shape, so add liquid gradually until it is creamy but still stiff enough to scoop.
- Brush the liners with oil, do not skip it. Mashed potato loves to stick. A light coat of oil on each liner or cup is what lets the baked muffins release cleanly with crisp edges instead of tearing.
- Build them in two layers. Fill each cup halfway, press the Brussels sprout into the center, then top with more mash so the sprout is fully sealed inside. An exposed sprout dries out and a buried one steams perfectly.
- Save the top cheese for the end. Add the extra shredded cheese only in the last few minutes of baking. You know they are ready when the tops are golden and the cheese has melted into a bubbling, browned crust.
- Let them rest before unmolding. Give the muffins a few minutes out of the oven to firm up. Straight from the tin they are soft and fragile; a short rest sets the structure so they lift out whole.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap the hidden vegetable. If Brussels sprouts are not your thing, tuck in a cube of steamed broccoli, a spoon of cooked spinach, or a roasted mushroom instead. This is exactly the “whatever you like as a side” idea, built right into the muffin.
- Make them fully plant-based or fully dairy. Every dairy element here, milk, butter, sour cream and cheese, has a plant-based version that behaves the same way, so the recipe flexes to whatever you keep in your fridge.
- Go gluten-free. Replace the two tablespoons of flour with a gluten-free flour blend or a spoon of cornstarch to bind without changing the texture.
- Change the cheese, change the mood. A smoky cheese, a handful of grated parmesan-style hard cheese, or a spoon of nutritional yeast each push the flavor in a different direction while keeping that savory base.
Storage and Make Ahead
These muffins keep beautifully, which is half the point of a recipe built from leftovers in the first place. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a hot oven or air fryer rather than the microwave so the edges crisp back up instead of going soft. They also freeze well; lay them on a tray to freeze solid, then transfer to a bag, and reheat straight from frozen.
To make them ahead, you can prepare the mash mixture a day in advance and keep it chilled, then fill and bake when you need them. They are made for batch cooking and easy meals, the same way I lean on leftovers recipes to keep nothing going to waste. If you love this potato-and-cheese combination, you will probably enjoy my healthy vegan mashed potato bowl too, and for more savory bites in a muffin tin, take a look at these gluten-free savory muffins with mushrooms.
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Baked Mashed Potato Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 potatoes large
- 1 onion chopped
- ½ cup green onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic diced
- ½ cup plant-based milk
- 1 tbsp plant-based butter
- 1 tbsp plant-based sour cream
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup plant-based Cheddar cheese shredded
- 16 Brussels sprouts one for each muffin
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Peel and chop the potatoes. Boil in water until fully cooked through.
- Drain and mash.
- Add the milk and butter. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat up the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and garlic, and cook until translucent.
- Transfer the mixture to the mashed potatoes. Add the sour cream, flour, green onion, and cheese. Mix to combine.
- Brush the liners with oil. Fill half of them with the mashed potato mixture.
- Put 1 Brussels sprout in the middle, then top up with more mash.
- Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes.
- A few minutes before they’re done, add a bit more shredded cheese on top.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, that is exactly what this recipe is for. Day-old mash actually works better than fresh because it is drier and firmer, so the muffins hold their shape. Just make sure your leftover mash is on the stiff side, then stir in the onion, garlic, green onion, cheese and flour before filling the muffin tin.
They can be. The recipe is built to go either way: the milk, butter, sour cream and cheese can all be plant-based or dairy. Use unsweetened plant milk, vegan butter, dairy-free sour cream and plant-based cheese and you get a fully vegan version with the same creamy texture.
Bake them at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 to 25 minutes. Add a little extra shredded cheese on top in the last few minutes so it melts into a browned crust. They are ready when the tops are golden and bubbling.
Usually the mash is too wet or there is not enough binder. Drain your boiled potatoes thoroughly, keep the milk to a minimum so the mash stays stiff, and do not skip the two tablespoons of flour that hold everything together. Letting the muffins rest a few minutes after baking also helps them set before you unmold them.
No, the Brussels sprout is a fun hidden centre but it is optional. You can swap it for a cube of steamed broccoli, a spoon of cooked spinach, a roasted mushroom, or leave it out entirely. The recipe is designed around adding whatever vegetable you like to serve with mashed potatoes.
Yes. You can mix the mashed potato base a day in advance, keep it chilled, then fill and bake when needed. Baked muffins keep in the fridge for up to 4 days and freeze well; reheat them in a hot oven or air fryer so the edges crisp up again.
I could eat this every day and never get bored! 10/10