18 Reasons cooking instructor and cookbook author, Annelies Z., shares how to turn a $4 bag of potaotes into many delicious meals. Watch and cook along as she transforms leftover mashed potatoes into quick and easy Tuna Mashed Potato Cakes and Savory Mashed Potato Pancakes using everyday pantry items as a base. Rethink your leftovers and try these out for a quick mid-day lunch or dinner post-holiday meals!

RECIPES

Tuna Mashed Potato Cakes
Recipe by Annelies Zijderveld
YIELD: 6 cakes

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces tuna, drained
• 1⁄2 cup mashed potatoes
• 1⁄4 cup almond flour (or enough almonds ground to flour to yield 1⁄4 cup)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon dried dill
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt
• black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Mist a baking sheet with cooking spray.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients.
4. Once mixed, use a 1⁄3 cup measure to portion out tuna cakes.
5. Lightly pat the tops flat and cuff the edges to shape the cakes.
6. Mist the tops of the tuna cakes with cooking spray.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the sheet pan. Flip the tuna cakes. Bake 10 minutes more so the bottoms and tops crisp up slightly.

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NOTES: I love these tuna cakes and you will too. With just a few ingredients and a little bit of mixing you will have the basis for a tasty protein-rich lunch ready to go. If you don’t have almond flour, you can grind the almonds to flour. They are, along with the egg, the binder for the tuna cakes so if you go for a coarser grind of almonds, they might not hold together as well. If you want them to be sturdier, mix in an additional egg. The recipe is naturally gluten-free which can be helpful for those who are not eating gluten. I might suggest making a double batch and then freezing half of them so you can reheat and eat easily. Try 350F for 12 minutes. The tuna cakes will not spread while baking but give them about an inch space between at least to ensure easy flipping. I like to eat them with grainy mustard or serve them with aioli and a simple kale salad (massage shredded kale leaves with olive oil and lemon) completes the nutrient-rich meal that is budget-friendly too.

Savory Mashed Potato Pancakes
Recipe by Annelies Zijderveld
YIELD: 6 pancakes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (whole wheat or other flours work well here too)
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄4 cup mashed potatoes
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Swipe the inside of a griddle or cast-iron skillet with oil using a paper towel.
2. Preheat the griddle over medium low heat.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt for 10 strokes.
4. Using a wooden spoon, mix in mashed potatoes, egg, and melted butter until combined but still a bit lumpy.
5. Turn the heat up to medium. Drip a drop of water in—if it sizzles, the griddle is ready to go.
6. Pour about 1⁄2 cup of batter into the griddle, cooking the first side for 3 minutes or until the top breaks out in bubbles and starts to look like it’s drying.
7. Flip the pancake and cook for 2 more minutes.
8. Repeat the process, cooking the rest of the batter.

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NOTES: You could keep your mashed potatoes rustic, keeping the skins on and they would add extra texture to the pancakes—just make sure to scrub the skin and aggressively season your mashed potatoes before adding them into this batter. In the video, I used whole wheat pastry flour, but not everyone has that on hand, so the recipe calls for all-purpose flour. If you have a more toothsome flour like spelt that would be lovely in these pancakes too. You could also increase the cornmeal by 1 tablespoon if you want more texture. If your pancakes are coming off too dark, turn the heat down to medium low. I like to serve the pancakes with labneh (or Greek yogurt), some of the simple kale salad (shredded kale leaves massaged with oil and lemon juice) and roasted chickpeas. You could easily fry an egg and crown it over the pancakes, flourishing them with a slash of Tapatio and sliced scallions too. Lastly, I will freeze whatever pancakes we don’t eat and then toast them up for a quick breakfast.

More recipes, cooking tips, and videos from 18 Reasons:

• Chef Hacks to Reduce Wasted Food
• Radish Greens & Chicken Pie
• Crispy Cauliflower with Carrot Top Salsa Verde
• Quick Greens Gratin

Learn more about 18 Reasons in this article from Edible East Bay.

18 Reasons is a Chef Partner of the Stop Food Waste campaign. They are a nonprofit cooking school on a mission to empower our community with the confidence and creativity needed to buy, cook, and eat good food every day.