There’s a reason why mashed potatoes are a common occurrence on family dinner tables day in and day out. Potatoes are cheap and plentiful, and mashed potatoes are a quick, easy standby that you don’t really need to give a lot of thought to. You boil them; you mash them; you mix in something creamy; you add in some spices; and done. Where the real beauty of mashed potatoes comes in is when you have leftovers, which almost always happens.

Now, eating leftover mashed potatoes cold from the fridge isn’t what we’re talking. Nor are we talking about heating up some leftover mashed potatoes in the microwave, because that won’t do your leftovers justice. You might be surprised to learn that mashed potatoes make an excellent ingredient in a range of recipes that’ll be just as delicious the next day as your mashed potatoes were the night before.

Gnocchi

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Gnocchi is a small dumpling that can be made out of all sorts of ingredients from semolina to wheat flour to potato. And potatoes of the leftover mashed variety will work just as well as a base for cooking up some gnocchi.

Fried Potato Cakes

Fried potato cakes are probably the easiest way to use up leftover mashed potatoes, and they work beautifully for breakfast or brunch fare. Mix in some chopped vegetables and some ground beef, pat into a patty, and then coat them in flour before frying them up in a skillet. Serve with some eggs over easy and a piping hot cup of coffee.

Croquettes

Probably the most obvious dish to make with leftover mashed potatoes is potato croquettes. They’re simple to make, they’re filling, and they’re surprisingly tasty when they’re served up with a light cheese sauce on the side. In fact, they’re the American equivalent to the Peruvian favorite: Yuca Huancaina (fried yuca strips with a Peruvian cheese sauce)

Mashed Potato Muffins

Leftover mashed potatoes are actually a perfect ingredient for a morning after menu. You can even use them as a base for muffins. It’s true! Whip up your leftovers with some shredded cheese, green onions, and an egg (as a binding agent). Scoop them into a cupcake tin and bake at 375 degrees for half an hour.

Potato Bread

An absolutely delicious potato bread can be made from leftover mashed potatoes, which is a really great way to use up a bunch of potato leftovers and have them last for a while. You can find a full recipe on Teaspoon.com. While bread isn’t terribly complicated, it is a more time-intensive recipe, but it can make for a great weekend cooking project if you have leftovers during the weekend.

Do you have any favorite recipes for using up leftover mashed potatoes? If so, share them with us and our readers in the comments section!