Festive cheese-stuffed hash brown balls
Festive balls of delicious-ness
Alright, my little potato lovers, let’s talk about these crispy golden bites of joy, cheese-stuffed hash brown balls. This is comfort food with a twist, where crispy hash browns on the outside meet a molten cheese surprise in the middle. We’re not just talking about any old cheese here either, oh no, this recipe is a full-on cheese fest with oozy mozzarella, creamy brie, and even a festive pop of cranberry sauce.
It’s indulgence, it’s satisfaction, it’s everything you could want in a bite-sized snack. Whether you’re whipping these up for a holiday party, movie night, or just a cheeky midweek treat, they’re absolutely going to impress.
Mastering the tricky hash brown
They’re not always the easiest thing to master. Not many potato dishes trip be up, but there’s something about a hash brown. They’re one of those deceptively simple foods that can easily turn soggy or fall apart on you if you’re not careful. Trust me, I’ve been there. Over the years, I’ve tried, tested, tweaked, and probably eaten my body weight in hash browns to get this recipe just right.
Now let’s make them festive…
With lots of cheese and cranberry sauce! The mozzarella brings the stretch (because who doesn’t love a cheese pull?), while the brie adds a creamy, luxurious richness. And then there’s the cranberry sauce. A little dollop of that tangy-sweet magic on the top transforms these hash brown balls from a delicious snack into something truly special. It’s a festive nod that gives you all the holiday vibes without going full Christmas dinner. Honestly, it’s genius.
And while these are undeniably impressive, they’re also surprisingly fun and easy to make. Yes, there’s a bit of hands-on work involved, like shaping the balls, stuffing the cheese, making sure everything’s sealed tight etc…but it’s the kind of recipe that’s as satisfying as it is delicious. Plus, you’ll feel like a total chef when you serve these up and watch everyone’s faces light up as they bite into that crispy, cheesy perfection.
What to serve with?
One of the things I love most about these hash brown balls is how versatile they are. Fancy them for breakfast? Pair them with a poached egg and some smoky bacon. Want to serve them as party food? Pop them onto a platter with a variety of dips, like sour cream, garlic aioli, maybe even a spicy sriracha mayo. Need a late-night snack? Well, you don’t need me to tell you these are absolute perfection straight out of the fryer, preferably while wearing your PJs and watching the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City reunion.
Oh, and let’s not forget about the deep-frying. I know frying can seem a bit intimidating if you’re not used to it, but trust me, it’s worth it. If you’re feeling fancy, you could even sprinkle a little flaky salt or grated Parmesan over the top as soon as they come out of the oil for an extra hit of flavour. Honestly, just writing about it is making me hungry.
Festive cheese-stuffed hash brown balls
By Poppy Cooks
https://www.poppycooks.com/recipes/brie-and-mozzarella-stuffed-hash-browns/
Ingredients
- 550g Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and halved
- 1 brown onion, peeled and finely diced
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 75g low moisture block pizza mozzarella, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 75g brie, rind removed, cut into 1 inch cubes
- Cranberry sauce, to dip
- Chives, chopped, to sprinkle
- Salt and pepper, plus vegetable oil to deep fry
Metric
Imperial
Instructions
- Chuck all of your halved potatoes into a pot of heavily salted cold water. Pop onto the heat and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down slightly and cook for 20 minutes until tender but not falling apart.
- Drain the potatoes into a colander and place back over the pan you cooked them in. Cover with a clean tea towel and place back over the turned off hob ring to dry for a few minutes in the residual heat.
- Divide the potatoes into 2/3rds and 1/3rd. Dice the 2/3rds of potato into small cubes and mash the remaining 1/3rd in a bowl. Mix together the diced and mashed potato carefully and stir through the cornflour and a large pinch of salt and pepper.
- Weigh out each individual hash brown ball to 70g/2.5oz each, then flatten out into large circles. Pop a cube of mozzarella or brie into each one (you should get 4 of each) and roll into balls. Place on a parchment lined baking tray and refrigerate overnight.
- When you're ready to go, preheat the oven to 200ºc fan/220ºc/420ºf. Heat a deep fat fryer or large pan of oil to 180ºc/350ºf, then deep fry your hash brown balls in batches until golden all over. Drain on kitchen paper then transfer to an oven tray.
- Bake in the oven for 5 minutes so the cheesy middles are super oozy, then give a healthy sprinkling of salt and top with chives and cranberry sauce.
1 Comment
Can you do a recipe for cranberry sauce