Bubble and Squeak (Potato Cakes) (2024)

The Flavor Bender Recipes Breakfast and Brunch Bubble and Squeak (Potato Cakes)

1 hr 10 mins

Easy Recipes

Breakfast and Brunch

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Disclaimer: The Flavor Bender is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. There are links on this site that can be defined as “affiliate links”. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases (at no cost to you) that will help support this website.

Author:Dini K.

Bubble and Squeak (or Potato Cakes) is a British classic, and an easy and flexible recipe. You can make it from scratch OR use up leftover veggies.

Flavorful, colorful, fluffy, creamy and so so good. Perfect as a breakfast or brunch recipe!

Bubble and Squeak (Potato Cakes) (1)

Apart from being really fun to say, Bubble and Squeak is such an easy and flexible recipe. It’s my number 1 choice when I have to use up leftover vegetables from a roast or from any meal.

What is bubble and squeak?

Bubble and squeak is a classicBritish dish, which typically features leftover veggies after a holiday, such as Christmas.

The one “rule” is that youmust have potatoes and cabbage (or Brussels sprouts), but beyond that, you can add anything else you like – carrots, peas, herbs, cheese, corn, or even broccoli!

Bubble and Squeak (Potato Cakes) (2)

I love to eat potatoes for breakfast. This oven roasted breakfast potato hash and curried potato hash are two my favorite breakfast dishes. So, as you can imagine, I adore bubble and squeak.

Can I use eggs in this bubble and squeak recipe?

I like to use a combination of vegetables to make my bubble and squeak colorful. I also add an egg to the potatoes, just to make the dish a bit softer. But you can skip the egg if you like these potato cakes to be firmer.

This bubble and squeak recipe is great for using up leftover potatoes and other veggies

I have given instructions in this recipe to make these delicious potato cakes from scratch, but also with the option to make them with leftover potatoes and vegetables as well.

This bubble and squeak recipe is PERFECT to use up leftover potatoes from Thanksgiving recipes or Christmas recipes or a Sunday roast. And it’s great for breakfast, brunch, lunch or even dinner! 🙂

You can top these potato cakes with some breakfast sausage, bacon or eggs, or a combination of them.

Bubble and Squeak (Potato Cakes) (3)

I first shared this bubble and squeak recipe over 2 years ago, as part of my Asian spiced breakfast sausage and bubble and squeak stacks recipe, but I make it so often, I decided to redo the post WITH a video as well!

Here I topped my bubble and squeak with Asian spiced breakfast sausages and a perfectly poached egg, but you’re more than welcome to switch it up and use bacon instead. Here’s my recipe for Asian spiced breakfast sausages.

Bubble and Squeak (Potato Cakes) (4)

I love the bright colors, the awesomeflavors and aromas in this potato cakes dish. Since the potatoes aren’t fully mashed, you have little chunks of potatoes with bits of sweet carrot and cabbage.

Fluffy, creamy, chunky, and flavorful. And then that runny, golden, egg yolk…. It’s a meal that never fails to brighten my day, and it’s one of my absolute favorite weekend brunch options. I know you’ll love it too! 🙂

Looking for more recipes?Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram.

5 from 5 votes

Bubble and Squeak (Potato Cakes)

Author: Dini K.

Yield: Makes 8 patties

Cuisine: British, European

Bubble and Squeak is a British classic, and an easy and flexible recipe. You can make it from scratch OR use up leftover veggies. Flavorful, colorful, fluffy, creamy and so good. Perfect for breakfast or brunch!

EASY – The perfect recipe for leftover mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes. Very easy to make and customizable too. Perfect for beginners!

US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements.Common Measurement Conversions.

Prep: 30 minutes minutes

Cook: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Difficulty:Easy Recipes

Servings: 8 patties

Print Rate

Ingredients:

  • 680 g cooked potatoes or leftover roasted potatoes
  • 1 cup chopped cabbage or ¾ cup chopped, leftover cooked cabbage, or brussels sprout
  • 1 cup chopped carrots or ¾ cup chopped, leftover roasted carrots
  • Feel free to add 1 – 2 more types of vegetable peas, corn, spinach etc
  • 3 scallions/spring onions thinly sliced
  • 1 egg optional
  • ½ tsp salt or to taste
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 3 tbsp melted butter

Instructions:

  • If using raw carrots and cabbage – saute the raw carrots and cabbage in a pan for a few minutes until softened. You can also add peas and corn to this mix if you're using them. Set aside. If you are using leftover carrots and cabbage, this step is not required.

    1 cup chopped carrots, 1 cup chopped cabbage

  • Place the potatoes in a bowl. Add the spring onions, egg, salt, pepper, and butter, and mix to combine, while mashing the potatoes slightly. Make sure to leave some chunks of potatoes.

    680 g cooked potatoes, 3 scallions/spring onions, 1 egg, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, 3 tbsp melted butter

  • Add the cooked vegetables to the potatoes and mix to combine. Taste and season to your taste.

    1 cup chopped cabbage, 1 cup chopped carrots, Feel free to add 1 – 2 more types of vegetable, ½ tsp salt

  • DIvide the potato mixture into 8 portions and flatten each portion to form an even patty. Set aside.

  • Pour some oil to coat the bottom of a non-stick pan. Heat over medium high heat, and fry each Bubble and Squeak patty in the hot oil, until browned on both sides.

  • The bubble and squeak patties are soft (esp if you use an egg), and will be delicate. Use a wide spatula to help flip them over without breaking them.

  • Remove the browned bubble and squeak and place it on a wire rack in a warm oven to drain, and to keep it warm.

  • Serve these with bacon, breakfast sausages or smoked salmon for breakfast or brunch (these potato cakes can be used as a substitute for English muffins).

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1pattieCalories: 220kcal (11%)Carbohydrates: 24g (8%)Protein: 3g (6%)Fat: 13g (20%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 32mg (11%)Sodium: 417mg (18%)Potassium: 437mg (12%)Fiber: 3g (13%)Sugar: 2g (2%)Vitamin A: 2846IU (57%)Vitamin C: 12mg (15%)Calcium: 23mg (2%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”

Course:Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine:British, European

Did you make this?Tag me on Instagram!I love seeing what you’ve made! Tag me on Instagram at @TheFlavorBender or leave me a comment & rating below.

More Recipes You'll Love...

  • Asian Spiced Breakfast Sausages

  • Steak and Sweet potato Hash

  • Mini Monster Cakes - Step by Step Decorating Tutorial

About Dini

Dini Kodippili is a professional food writer, recipe developer, food photographer, cookbook author, and baker. Dini has been featured on HuffPost, Cosmopolitan, Forbes, Delish, Food & Wine and more. Learn More

Reader Interactions

5 from 5 votes (2 ratings without comment)

Leave a Review

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Renee Goerger says

    Bubble and Squeak (Potato Cakes) (9)
    This may be my favorite potato cake recipe! All the ingredients are spot-on and the flavors and colors are incredible!! Great recipe!!

    Reply

  2. Linda says

    Bubble and Squeak (Potato Cakes) (10)
    Our family made potato pancakes all the time with leftover potatoes and added such things as corn beef from St Patrick’s Day or beef from a pot roast but I’ve never tried them with veggies and cabbage. Sounds great and love the idea of putting an egg on top for breakfast and maybe adding bacon to the potatoes.

    Reply

  3. Tamara says

    What a cute name! I have some cabbage sitting in the fridge, I should make these. How do you think they would taste with sauerkraut?

    Reply

  4. Healthy World Cuisine says

    Bubble and Squeak (Potato Cakes) (11)
    The drippy egg shots get us every time! How lovely and a perfect use of leftovers. Can’t wait to see your new book! Just pinned!

    Reply

Bubble and Squeak (Potato Cakes) (2024)

FAQs

What is bubble and squeak made of? ›

Bubble and squeak is a fried British dish made with potatoes and cabbage. It's quite similar to the Irish colcannon. Bubble and squeak, which often contains meat such as ham or bacon, is traditionally made on Monday with the leftovers from Sunday's dinner or on Boxing Day with leftovers from the Christmas feast.

What do British people call potato cakes? ›

Bubble and Squeak (or Potato Cakes) is a British classic, and an easy and flexible recipe. You can make it from scratch OR use up leftover veggies. Flavorful, colorful, fluffy, creamy and so so good. Perfect as a breakfast or brunch recipe!

What are potato cakes called in America? ›

In some states it's known as a 'potato scallop', in others it's a 'potato cake', and for years the debate has been bantered back and forward between protagonists. “It might be a 'scallop' of potato but let's not confuse it with a serve of scallops!

Why are my potato cakes soggy? ›

If you find that your potato pancakes often come out too soggy, a lack of heat is the most likely culprit. Both the skillet and the oil you're frying your pancakes in must be the right temperature to ensure the best possible texture.

What do the British call bubble and squeak? ›

Cabbage is approximately 92% water, per Healthline, which releases as the cabbage wilts, bubbling and sputtering in the hot pan. The appeal of the name 'bubble and squeak' is a matter of opinion, but if you don't fancy it, you can always call the dish by its Scottish name, 'rumbledethumps' (via Britannica).

What goes well with bubble and squeak? ›

A great leftover recipe that can be made with any vegetable leftovers. Serve with a poached, fried or scrambled egg and crispy bacon or with poached smoked haddock fillets or grilled trout. Pop them in the freezer at the end of step 4 for a delicious snack on another day.

Are potato cakes Irish or Scottish? ›

It seems the Irish call them Potato bread, the English call them potato cakes (Lancashire), Scottish call them potato scones (tottie scones). Irish potato bread is typically made from mashed potato, and either flour or baking soda, and is usually fried.

Do Americans have potato cakes? ›

In parts of England and North America, a potato cake is a patty of hashed potatoes, a kind of rösti or hash brown. These are available both fresh and frozen in supermarkets, and are served by many restaurants, such as fast food restaurants like McDonald's and Whataburger, often as part of the breakfast menu.

What do they call mashed potatoes in England? ›

Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Mashed potato or mashed potatoes (American, Canadian and Australian English), colloquially known as mash (British English), is a dish made by mashing boiled or steamed potatoes, usually with added milk, butter, salt and pepper.

Are Potato Cakes the same as latkes? ›

Potato pancakes have a creamy, almost mashed-potato-like center, with a thin, golden, crisp exterior. Latkes, on the other hand, should have a deeply browned crust, with wispy, lacy edges. Latkes also aren't hash browns.

What do Australians call Potato Cakes? ›

Here a 'scallop' refers to what we called a 'Tasmanian scallop' in Sydney. These days I call it a 'potato cake'. This causes much discussion between my Victorian born parents and us NSW kids! When I grew up, they were scallops or potato scallops, in Victoria they're potato cakes.

Are Potato Cakes and hash browns the same? ›

Are Hash Browns and Potato Pancakes the Same Thing? Potato pancakes are more complex than hash browns. Hash browns are pan-fried shredded potatoes, whereas potato pancakes are mixed with a binder, seasoned typically with onion or garlic, and formed into patties before cooking.

Is bubble and squeak good for you to eat? ›

This traditional hot dish is a great way to use up leftover vegetables, but use the minimum amount of oil when frying to keep the fat content down. What makes a healthy, balanced diet?

Does bubble and squeak contain egg? ›

Add the beaten egg to the mashed potato, then mix in the cabbage, spring onions and bacon with the pan juices. Season. Melt the rest of the butter and oil in the frying pan and swirl to cover the surface. Add the potato mixture and level the top, pressing it down lightly.

Do Americans have bubbles and squeaks? ›

The dish is not common in the US but is not unknown; an American recipe from 1913 resembles Rundell's version, with the addition of a border of mashed potato. In 1983 the American food writer Howard Hillman included bubble and squeak in his survey Great Peasant Dishes of the World.

What are sticky bubbles made of? ›

You just need three simple ingredients for Melody's recipe (water, sugar, and liquid dish soap) and the bubbles come out awesome. They're sticky so you can catch them, they float for a long time, and it's quick to stir up a new batch when you need it!

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Fredrick Kertzmann

Last Updated:

Views: 5878

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (46 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Fredrick Kertzmann

Birthday: 2000-04-29

Address: Apt. 203 613 Huels Gateway, Ralphtown, LA 40204

Phone: +2135150832870

Job: Regional Design Producer

Hobby: Nordic skating, Lacemaking, Mountain biking, Rowing, Gardening, Water sports, role-playing games

Introduction: My name is Fredrick Kertzmann, I am a gleaming, encouraging, inexpensive, thankful, tender, quaint, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.