crispy potato rings

these potato rings are comfort food at its crispiest, with a satisfyingly crunchy shell that gives way to a soft, pillowy centre. the ultimate snack!

why you will love this crispy potato rings recipe

• easy to make – these potato rings are fairly easy and quick to make, with not that many steps required and only a handful of ingredients needed.

• great for making in advance – these potato rings can be prepared and shaped in advance and then stored in the fridge or freezer. simply fry them up whenever you’re craving a crispy potato snack!

• comfort food and kid-friendly – these potato rings are such a classic comfort food snack, and would be a great treat to make at home for kids because of their simple flavours and fun shape.

how to make potato rings at home

to make these easy potato rings, we need to boil potatoes in water until fork tender, then drain them and mash them once cool. add seasonings, cornstarch and flour, and mix everything in until you get a soft potato dough. roll out equal sized pieces of the potato mixture until thin, and then shape them into circles. then, fry until crispy and golden, and we’re done!

potato rings ingredients

• potatoes- these will be peeled, cut, boiled and drained before mashing

• seasonings – i added a mix of salt, paprika, garlic powder and dried parsley to my mashed potato rings

• cornstarch – cornstarch will be used to bind the mixture together

• rice flour – i also add rice flour to the potato mixture to make them extra crispy

• oil – and neutral oil will work here. we’ll be using the oil for frying these potato garlic rings

tools:

• a pot -for boiling the potatoes

• colander – use a colander to drain your boiled potatoes. this is an important step because we need to make sure that there is no water left in the potato mixture before frying or our potato rings can burst in the oil.

• sieve or potato ricer – we want to make sure that our potato mixture is completely smooth and lump free before we shape it into rings. to do this, i would recommend passing the potato mixture through a sieve (which will take a bit more time) or using a potato ricer.

• wire skimmer – lift the potato rings out of the hot oil with a wire skimmer to drain any excess oil out

step by step instructions

for full measurements, keep scrolling down to the recipe below.

step one: peel potatoes, then cut them up and add to boiling water. boil the potatoes for 8-10 minutes or until they are fork tender.

step two: drain the potatoes until there is no water left, then transfer them to another bowl. set the potatoes aside to cool completely.

step three: mash the potatoes until soft, then pass the mashed potatoes through a sieve so that the potato mixture is completely smooth and lump free.

step four: add garlic powder, paprika, salt and dried parsley, and mix all of this into the mashed potato.

step five: add cornstarch and rice flour, and mix this into the potato mixture.

step six: mix everything together with a spoon or your hands until you get something that resembles a soft dough.

step seven: use around a teaspoon of potato mixture for each potato ring. use your hands to roll each one out on a flat surface. it should look something like a long and thin cylinder.

step eight: join the two ends of the cylinder to make a circle shape, making sure to press the ends together properly so that there are no cracks in your potato rings. repeat until all of the potato mixture is finished.

step nine: fry your garlic potato rings in oil at medium heat for a total of 3-4 minutes, or until they look golden and crispy, and make sure not to overcrowd the pan. you want to start by letting them fry in the oil for about 2 minutes and then stirring them a little so that we can switch sides, and letting them fry again. make sure to fry the potato rings in batches.

step ten: gently lift the potato rings out of the oil with a wire skimmer, and drain any excess oil.

step eleven: serve with your favourite dip, and let’s eat!

tips and notes

• be sure to drain the boiled potatoes until there is no water left behind. water in the potato mixture can cause the potato rings to burst in the oil.

• make sure your boiled potatoes have cooled completely before mashing and mixing with other ingredients. a cooler mixture will be easier to work with for this recipe.

• be sure to mash the potatoes until they are completely smooth and lump-free to achieve a creamy filling. i would recommend putting the potato mixture through a sieve after mashing the potatoes, or just using a potato ricer for this step.

• adjust any spices and seasonings to your taste. i wanted to keep this mashed potato rings recipe relatively simple, so i didn’t add too much, but feel free to add some extra herbs and spices, or even some cheese if you want!

• if, at any point, the potato dough feels a bit too soft and you’re struggling to shape the potato rings or roll out the dough, i would recommend just placing the dough into the fridge for a while so that it can firm up.

• if you find that the potato mixture is sticking to your hands as you’re rolling it out and shaping into rings, just add a small amount of oil to your hands before handling the potato mixture. this will just ensure that it doesn’t stick to your hands.

• make sure there are no cracks in your potato rings when shaping them

• chilling the potato rings in the fridge or freezer after shaping will also help them firm up and make them easier to fry. i didn’t do this, but if you struggle with frying, this step might make things a little easier.

• i did decide to keep this as a simple potato rings recipe, but if you want to go a little further and add some extra crunch and improve the appearance of these potato rings, you could also coat them in flour, egg and then breadcrumbs to give them a proper coating if you like.

• make sure your oil temperature is not too high when frying the mashed potato rings as this can cause the outside to burn quickly.

• when oil temperature is too low, however, the potato rings will absorb excess oil and become greasy. so, we really need to make sure that the oil is hot enough but not too hot to ensure that our potato rings are perfectly crispy.

• to test your oil to ensure that it’s ready for frying, try frying a smaller test potato ring. it should sizzle gently when you place it in the oil, and take about 2-3 minutes to start turning a golden brown colour, depending on its size. if it browns or too quickly or slowly, you might need to adjust the heat. there should also be even, steady bubbling around the potato ring. if the oil bubbles violently or vigorously, your oil is too hot.

• make sure you don’t overcrowd the pan when frying the potato rings in order to maintain the oil temperature and ensure even cooking. i would recommend frying the potato rings in smaller batches.

• if you’re short on time or would like to make this mashed potato rings recipe in advance for another day, you can prepare the mixture and shape the potato rings, then store them in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to fry them up.

• when it comes to freezing these potato rings for later use, arrange the shaped potato rings in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or baking paper. make sure they are not touching each other to prevent them from sticking together. place the baking tray with the potato rings in the freezer and allow them to freeze for 1-2 hours, or until they are firm to the touch – this will prevent them from clumping together when stored. then, you can transfer the frozen potato rings to freezer-safe bags or airtight containers.

frequently asked questions

1. what type of potatoes would work best for this potato rings recipe?

   – i would recommend using starchy potatoes like russet potatoes for the best texture, as they’ll give you potato rings that are crispy on the outside and fluffy and soft on the inside.

2. can i make these potato rings in the air fryer?

   – i haven’t tried this personally, but you should be able to air fry these potato rings to make them a little healthier. preheat your air fryer to 190°c (375°f), then arrange the potato rings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they are not touching. brush or spray them lightly with oil, then cook them for about 10-12 minutes, making sure to flip sides halfway through. they should be golden brown and crispy when done.

3. can i bake these potato rings in the oven?

   – again, i haven’t tried this personally, but you should be able to bake these potato rings instead of frying them. arrange the potato rings on a baking tray lined with parchment paper/baking paper. lightly spray or brush the potato rings with oil, then bake them in a preheated oven at 220°c (425°f) for about 25-30 minutes, or until golden and crispy, making sure to flip sides halfway through.

4. what dipping sauces go well with these potato rings?

   – you can serve these potato rings with a variety of dipping sauces. some classic options that would go well include ketchup, aioli, sour cream and chive, or garlic mayo.

5. why are my potato rings falling apart?

   – it could be that there is too much moisture in your potato mixture. you want to make sure to drain the boiled potatoes completely and let them dry and cool before mashing them. if you find that the potato mixture is still too soft, you can also place it in the fridge for a while so that it firms up.

6. can i make these potato rings ahead of time?

   – yes, you can make the potato mixture and shape the rings ahead of time, and then place them in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to fry them. place them in the fridge if you intend to fry them up the next day or later on the same day. if you plan to store these for longer before frying them, i would recommend storing them in the freezer.

7. can i make these potato rings from leftover mashed potatoes?

   – yes, these potato rings can be made from leftover mashed potatoes. just make sure your mashed potatoes are fairly thick and not too soft or loose, then add any extra ingredients or seasonings you’d like to add before shaping them.

8. can i make these potato rings without cornstarch and rice flour?

   – i use a combination of cornstarch and rice flour in this potato rings recipe because i found that it gave me the best potato rings with the crispiest texture. if you’re okay with the potato rings being slightly less crispy, you can skip the rice flour and use extra cornstarch in place of it. if you don’t have either of these on hand, you can use plain flour or all purpose flour but keep in mind that they won’t be as crispy.

   – if you have potato starch on hand, you can also use this in place of the cornstarch or rice flour.

9. can i add cheese to the potato mixture?

   – absolutely! you can definitely mix some cheese into the potato mixture for some extra flavour.

10. how do i make these potato rings spicy?

    – if you want to make these potato rings spicy, just add some extra spices like cayenne pepper, red chilli powder or red chilli flakes to the potato mixture with the rest of the seasonings.

11. why did my potato rings turn out greasy?

    – the reason for your potato rings turning out greasy is most likely due to oil temperature. this usually happens when oil temperature is too low, so you want to make sure that the oil is hot enough before you add the shaped potato rings to it. this recipe calls for frying the potato rings over medium heat, and adding the potato rings to oil that has been heated up over medium heat. (if you’re unsure about whether the oil is hot enough or not, i’ve written out a way to test the oil in the tips and notes section).

12. why are my potato rings bursting in the oil when i fry them?

    – if your potato rings are bursting in the oil, it could be for a number of reasons. it could be because of excess moisture in the potato mixture, so make sure your potatoes are well-drained and not wet before forming them into rings.

    – it could also be because of air pockets trapped inside the potato rings. to avoid this, make sure to close up the rings firmly and get rid of any cracks to eliminate any air pockets. it’s also important to be gentle when frying these potato rings, so fry them in batches and avoid overcrowding the pan.

recipe