Air Fryer Bubble & Squeak is the perfect way to make the most of leftover vegetables and mashed potatoes. It is so easy to make as the air fryer does all the work for you and is incredible versatile too!
What is bubble & squeak?
Bubble & Squeak is a British dish made with leftover mashed potatoes and vegetables. These are mixed together and then traditionally pan fried.
The unusual name, Bubble & Squeak is thought to come from the sound that is made whilst cooking. Back in the 18th century when the dish was first recorded, it was just beef and cabbage mixed together and fried.
Over the years this changed and potato and other vegetables were added and the beef was removed.
why cook bubble & Squeak in an air fryer?
I have been pan frying bubble and squeak for years. However since cooking it in the air fryer, I genuinely don’t think I will pan fry it again!
But what makes air frying bubble and squeak better? Unlike pan frying, you can leave the air fryer to do all of the work for you. You don’t have to monitor it and can get on with other things.
Air frying also uses less oil then pan frying. I add more oil each time I add a new batch of patties to the pan to get them nice and crisp which can add up. With the air fryer I spray with a little oil to help the process but it isn’t essential.
Also depending on the size of your air fryer you should be able to cook more patties than you might be able to fit in a pan.
which vegetables to use?
Savoy cabbage and carrots are common vegetables to use in bubble and squeak, but you really can use what you have.
The whole idea of bubble and squeak is to use up leftover vegetables, usually after a roast dinner. So whatever you have will work.
I do tend to always add carrots to mine and I have been known to use tenderstem broccoli instead of cabbage because I always have that in my fridge.
My mashed potatoes more often than not have milk and butter added, and always plenty of salt. These patties will work whether your leftover mashed potatoes have milk and butter added or not. However if they aren’t seasoned, please make sure you add salt and pepper if you like.
If you have some leftover roast potatoes you can definitely add these in too. You could even use leftover boiled potatoes if you wanted. They aren’t traditional but use what you have!
I now make sure I cook extra vegetables so that I will definitely have enough to make this air fryer bubble and squeak the next day. I look forward to it as much as the first meal!
a very easily adapted recipe
Air fryer bubble and squeak is a very easily adapted recipe and definitely not written in stone.
As I have mentioned already, you can use different vegetables. Broccoli, parsnips, brussels sprouts are other vegetables that would all work well. You can use as many or few different vegetables as you like.
You can also use different quantities of the vegetables. My recipe is much more a guide and very flexible. I don’t expect you to have exactly 300g of leftover mashed potato.
If you don’t have as many leftovers as you wanted, you can always cook up a few more vegetables to add to make enough to serve everyone.
Or if you just have leftover mashed potatoes, you could make my leftover potato patties.
do you need to preheat an air fryer?
That depends on your air fryer, some require preheating whilst others don’t. I have a Ninja 7-in-1 multicooker and a Ninja Foodi Flexdrawer and I have never preheated either of them.
If your air fryer does require preheating, check the patties a minute or two sooner than the recipe states. Likewise if you are cooking more than one batch of air fryer bubble and squeak, the further patties are likely to cook a little quicker.
can you use an air fryer liner?
Air fryer liners are a great time saving addition because they are usually easier to wash than the basket of your air fryer.
Most reusable air fryer liners are silicone and although they are handy to have, I wouldn’t recommend using them for all recipes.
This air fryer bubble and squeak is a recipe I would definitely recommend using a liner. I prefer to use parchment paper to help prevent these patties from sticking to your air fryer basket.
The moisture from the potatoes and vegetables increases the risk of them sticking which is why I think lining your air fryer is the best option. Parchment paper or any liner similar won’t interfere with the cooking time as it is very thin.
I’ve written a whole post on whether you should use an air fryer liner, check it out for more information.
How many people does this recipe serve?
How many people this serves really depends on how big you make your patties.
I use a very large ice cream scoop to portion up the patties and I make eight with the quantities below. You can make them whatever size you like obviously.
It also depends which meal you are serving them for as to how many people it will serve. For example for breakfast or brunch you might only want one with an egg; but for dinner you may want three.
I know I sound like a broken record at this point, but this recipe is really flexible so you can easily use more leftover mashed potatoes and vegetables to feed more people.
How long will air fryer bubble & Squeak last?
Leftover mashed potato and vegetables will keep in the fridge for up to three days.
Once you have made the bubble and squeak you can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. I would then eat them the next day. You can reheat them in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes to keep them crisp or the microwave.
How to serve air fryer bubble & squeak
Bubble and squeak is versatile and can be served with lots of different options.
It makes a lovely brunch served with a fried or poached egg. You could also add some bacon for an extra delicious meal.
When it comes to main meals, it is most commonly served with leftover roasted meat. At Christmas when most people have lots of leftovers bubble and squeak is a popular Boxing Day meal with leftover turkey.
My personal favourite way of serving it is with cold Honey Glazed Ham, Pressure Cooker Red Cabbage with Apple and a fried egg. I am not exaggerating when I say how much I love this meal!
Other recipes you might like
- Leftover Potato Patties
- Air Fryer Potato Recipes
- Air Fryer Loaded Potato Skins
- Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Garlic
- Air Fryer Roasted Parmesan Tenderstem Broccoli
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Air Fryer Bubble & Squeak
Air Fryer Bubble & Squeak is the perfect way to make the most of leftover vegetables and mashed potatoes. It is so easy to make as the air fryer does all the work for you and is incredible versatile too!
Ingredients
- 300 g mashed potatoes cold
- 150 g cooked carrots cold
- 80 g cooked cabbage cold
- spray vegetable oil not fry light
Instructions
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Preheat your air fryer if required
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Add 300g mashed potatoes, 150g cooked carrots and 80g cooked cabbage to a large bowl
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Mash all of the ingredients together well
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Use a large ice cream scoop or spoon to make patties. Gently press them into patties
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Line your air fryer with parchment paper. Spray one side of the patties with vegetable oil before placing them oiled side down on the parchment paper. Spray the other side with a little more oil
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Air fry at 200℃ for 16 minutes, gently turning them half way through
Recipe Notes
My leftover mashed potatoes more often than not have milk and butter in them and always salt. If your potatoes aren’t already seasoned, add salt and pepper if you’d like. These patties will work whether the potatoes have milk and butter added or not.
Quantities are a guide and can easily be changed.
Store leftover patties in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Nutritional information is a guide only and may vary.
Janice says
I made these today, using an ice cream scoop makes it mess free and all the patties come out the same size which is very satisfying. They were quick to cook and really delicious to eat. I’ll definitely be making them again.
Curly says
I am a huge fan of an ice cream scoop! Glad you liked them 🙂
Carol says
Hi i am going to make these today do you take the tray out of the air fryer and put the parchment paper on the bottom of the draw many thanks
Curly says
Hi Carol, no I put the parchment paper on top of the tray to line it. Hope you like them 🙂
Chloe says
My dad tried making them with your method after we both enjoyed your other potato patties and these were just as great!
Curly says
Oh fantastic 🙂
Karen says
This is a great way of using up leftover vegetables, tastes so much better than just reheating. I’ve made these a few times now, adding whatever leftovers I happen to have at the time.
Curly says
So pleased you like them Karen, they are very versatile!