Potato Cutlets with Mushroom Stuffing (Draniki)
These vegan potato cutlets are crisp golden patties of mashed potato wrapped around a savory mushroom-and-onion filling, then pan-fried until the outside turns deep gold. Bound with psyllium husks (no eggs needed) and ready with simple pantry staples, they make a filling, comforting meal that works for families and gatherings alike.
I chose to be inspired by the Russian version of potato cutlets, which is called draniki. In my opinion, potato cutlets make for amazing comfort food, and this stuffed take turns a humble plate of potatoes into something worth setting in front of guests. The hot, crisp patty against a cool dip is a contrast I keep coming back to.
If I were to be completely honest, though, I think once you have eaten one piece, you won’t be able to stop, so the cutlets might turn into a main dish of their own. They are just that good. I believe these would make for an amazing appetizer too, so why not give them a try? I promise you won’t regret it, and neither will your loved ones.
This Recipe Works If You Need
- A make-ahead comfort food you can shape and chill before guests arrive
- A budget-friendly dish built almost entirely from potatoes, mushrooms and onion
- An egg-free, dairy-free patty that still holds together when fried
- An appetizer or a main course, depending on how many you put on the plate
- A naturally gluten-free option when you swap in GF flour
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No eggs required. Psyllium husks bind the potato dough beautifully, so the patties stay vegan without falling apart in the pan.
- Crisp outside, soft inside. Pan-frying mashed potato dough gives you a deep golden crust over a tender, creamy center.
- A hidden savory filling. The sauteed mushroom and onion center adds depth that plain potato patties just do not have.
- Flexible binder. Use psyllium for vegan, or 2 whole eggs if you prefer the vegetarian version.
- Crowd-pleasing. They are easy to scale up for families and gatherings, and they disappear fast.
- Pantry-friendly. Almost everything comes from staples you likely already have on hand.
Ingredient Notes
Potatoes are the backbone here, and you want a starchy variety like russet rather than a waxy salad potato. Starchy potatoes mash into a drier, fluffier puree that holds its shape when you fry it, while waxy ones turn gluey and wet. Boiling them unpeeled, as the recipe does, keeps water out of the flesh so the dough is not soggy. Pick firm potatoes with no green patches or sprouting eyes.
Button mushrooms form the savory heart of the filling. Look for caps that are closed and dry to the touch, with no slimy or darkened spots. Chop them finely so the filling is easy to enclose, and remember that mushrooms release a lot of water as they cook, which is exactly why you saute them down before stuffing.
Onion gets sauteed with the mushrooms to build a sweet, savory base. A minute in the hot oil before the mushrooms go in takes off the raw sharpness; you want it softened and fragrant, not browned hard.
Psyllium husks are the vegan binder that makes this work without eggs. They absorb moisture and turn gel-like, knitting the potato dough together so the patties do not crumble in the pan. If you would rather make the vegetarian version, swap in 2 whole eggs instead.
Flour goes into the dough and onto your work surface for shaping. It firms up the puree and stops it sticking to your hands. Use a gluten-free blend if you need the dish to be GF; the recipe is built to allow that swap.
Olive oil is used both to saute the filling and to fry the patties. A medium heat lets the cutlets color slowly and evenly without scorching before the inside warms through.
Fresh parsley brings a clean, green lift. Chop it fresh rather than reaching for dried, since the brightness is the whole point.
Tips
- Do not skip the chill. Resting the dough in the fridge for an hour lets the psyllium fully hydrate and firms the mixture, which is what makes it shapeable. Skip it and the patties slump and crack.
- Cook the mushrooms until the water is gone. Saute the filling for the full 10 minutes so the released liquid evaporates. A wet filling steams the dough from the inside and leads to a patty that falls open.
- Seal the edges well. Place the mushroom mixture in the center, fold the dough up and over, then form a patty with both hands so there are no gaps for the filling to escape.
- Watch for deep gold, not pale. Fry each side about 5 minutes on medium heat. You know they are ready when the crust is evenly golden and feels set; lift one to check the color before you flip.
- Flour your hands and surface. The dough is soft, so a light dusting of flour keeps it from sticking while you shape each cutlet.
Substitutions and Variations
- Vegetarian binder. Replace the 4 Tbsp psyllium husks with 2 whole eggs if you are not keeping the dish vegan; both bind the dough.
- Gluten-free. Use a gluten-free flour blend in place of regular flour, both in the dough and for dusting.
- Different mushrooms. Button mushrooms are the base, but any finely chopped mushroom you sauté down to remove its moisture will work in the filling.
- Herbs. Fresh parsley is the recipe’s herb, but you can stir extra chopped greens through the filling or scatter them over the finished patties for serving.
Storage and Make Ahead
The dough is built for making ahead. After mixing in the psyllium (or eggs) and flour, it needs to chill for at least an hour before shaping, so you can mix it earlier in the day and fry just before serving. Shaped, fried cutlets keep in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat well in a hot pan, which crisps the crust back up far better than a microwave. Serve them with chopped greens, peas, pickles or vegan sour cream, and the cool dip against the hot patty is exactly that contrast I love.
If you are cooking your way through the potato bin, these pair naturally with the rest of my potato recipes. Try the comforting potato pancakes for another fried-potato favorite, the crowd-feeding vegan scalloped potatoes for a cozy side, or browse my full collection of healthy potato recipes for more ideas.
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Potato Cutlets with Mushroom Stuffing – Draniki
Ingredients
- 6 potatoes
- 2 cups button mushrooms
- 1 onion
- 8 Tbsp flour use gluten-free flour if needed
- 4 Tbsp psyllium husks or 2 whole eggs, for vegetarian version
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper ground
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp parsley fresh, chopped
Instructions
- Add the unpeeled potatoes to a large pot and cover with water.
- Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Add salt.
- Lower the heat and cook the potatoes on low for about 30 minutes, or until tender.
- Discard the water. Fill the pot with cold water and peel the potatoes. Mash them until smooth with a potato masher.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the mushrooms and onion.
- Heat a pan over medium heat and add the oil. Add the chopped onion and saute for about a minute.
- Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper and continue to saute.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
To make the dough:
- Add the psyllium husks (or eggs) and flour to the mashed potatoes and mix to incorporate.
- Chill in the fridge for an hour.
To form the cutlets:
- Dust a surface with flour. Take 1 Tbsp of potato dough, place 2 tsp of the mushroom mixture in the center, and fold the edges to enclose the filling. Form a patty with both hands.
- Heat a large pan with 1 Tbsp oil over medium heat.
- Add the patties to the pan and fry each side for about 5 minutes, or until golden.
- Serve with chopped greens, peas, pickles, or vegan sour cream.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Potato cutlets are patties made from mashed potato dough shaped around a savory filling and pan-fried until golden. This version is inspired by the Russian draniki and is stuffed with a sauteed mushroom-and-onion mixture. The outside turns crisp while the inside stays soft and creamy.
Yes. The default recipe is vegan because it uses psyllium husks instead of eggs to bind the potato dough. If you prefer, you can make a vegetarian version by swapping the 4 Tbsp psyllium husks for 2 whole eggs. The rest of the ingredients are plant-based.
Two things matter most. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least an hour so the psyllium hydrates and firms the mixture, and cook the mushroom filling for the full 10 minutes so its liquid evaporates. A dry, well-rested dough and a dry filling hold together far better when you fry.
Starchy potatoes like russets work best because they mash into a drier, fluffier puree that holds its shape during frying. Waxy potatoes hold too much water and turn gluey. Boil them unpeeled, as the recipe does, to keep extra water out of the flesh.
Yes. The recipe is built to allow it. Just swap the regular flour for a gluten-free blend, both in the dough and for dusting your work surface. The psyllium binder is naturally gluten-free, so the dish becomes fully GF with that one change.
Serve them with chopped fresh greens, peas, pickles or vegan sour cream. The cool dip against the hot, crisp patty is a lovely contrast. They work as an appetizer or, if you keep eating them, as a main dish in their own right.
My go-to comfort food 🙂 Fried are the best!
Hi Ruxandra thank you for sharing your recipes, I’ve been following you for years and I always love the results!! For those potato cutlets, could I bake them instead of frying or pan searing?
Thank you, Caroline! I’m not sure, I think frying gives it a better texture. I’m worried that if you bake these they may be dry and crumbly.