Shortcut Reuben Croquettes

Everything you love about a Reuben sandwich is recreated in these Shortcut Reuben Croquettes. Mashed potato, corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese are breaded and fried until golden and crispy. Serve with Thousand Island dressing as a dip. Shortcut ingredients make them easy!

With Saint Patrick’s Day around the corner, these croquettes would be perfect to celebrate the occasion. Because they are so easy and delicious, you’re gonna want to make them all the time! This finger food is great for parties, game day, or grazing in front of the TV.

What are croquettes?

Croquettes are believed to have originated in France. The word “croquette” is derived from the French word “croquer,” which means ‘to crunch’ or ‘to bite.’ This nosh exists in various forms in different parts of the world. Typically, these morsels consist of a cylindrical or ball-shaped filling that is breaded and fried. The interior is soft, while the exterior is crunchy. Croquettes are usually served as appetizers, snacks, or a main dish.

Are they truly easy to make?

Yes, these croquettes are! Convenience items from the grocery store allow for quick and easy preparation. On top of that, they take only 2-3 minutes to fry!

• Deli counter corned beef—no need to spend hours cooking your own or waiting for leftover corned beef dinner. Just order a couple of 1/4-inch thick slices from the deli counter.
• Instant mashed potato—saves a lot of time over peeling, boiling, and mashing from scratch mashed potatoes.
• Store-bought Thousand Island Dressing—get your favorite brand for a quick and easy dip option, or make your own if you wish.
• Pre-packed shredded cheese—you can grate your own, but pre-packaged works wonderfully.

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

• Instant mashed potato, prepared
• Deli counter corned beef
• Sauerkraut
• Shredded Swiss cheese
• Eggs
• Flour
• Panko crumbs
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Oil for frying

Recipe highlights:

• Prepare instant mashed potato according to package directions minus 1/4 liquid. Place in a mixing bowl. Chill.
• Cut corned beef into 1/4-inch dice.
• Coarsely chop Swiss cheese.
• Add drained sauerkraut, corned beef, and cheese to the mashed potato.
• Mix to combine. Form into 2-inch balls.
• Coat with flour, then egg wash, then panko crumbs.

• Fry in preheated 350° F oil until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes.
• Serve with Thousand Island Dressing.
• Refer to the recipe card below for detailed instructions.

View the how-to video or save it for later with this Pinterest Pin.

Can you bake croquettes?

While frying produces the best color and crunch, you can also bake croquettes. Oven bake at 375°F for 15 to 18 minutes

Can they be made ahead?

You can prepare the croquettes a day or two ahead and finish the rest on the day of serving. Prep up to and including the formation of the potato balls. Chill until you’re ready to serve; then all that’s left to do is bread and fry them. The purpose of waiting until the last minute to add the breading is to achieve the ultimate crispiness.

If you want to make them ahead to freeze, first prepare the croquettes and form the potato balls. Place them in the freezer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet until frozen, about 2 hours. Transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container until ready to use. The croquettes can be frozen for up to 2 months. When ready to cook, you just need to defrost, apply the breading, and then fry.

How to store leftovers:

• Refrigerated —these croquettes can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to four days. Make sure to cool completely at room temp before storing. Reheat at 350° F for about 8 -10 minutes or until heated through.
• Frozen—Place croquettes on parchment paper lined platter. Place in the freezer for 2 hours until frozen. Transferred to an airtight container or a Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat directly from frozen in the oven at 400° F for 16-20 minutes or until heated through.

Helpful tips:

• If the potato filling sticks to your hands while forming the balls, dampen your hands with water. It helps prevent sticking.
• Refrigerate the prepared mashed potatoes while you prep the remaining ingredients. It helps to firm up the potatoes and makes it easier to roll them into balls. I don’t have any problems with the potatoes falling apart when forming balls, but if you do, refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours (or freeze for 30 minutes). This firms them up, and they will hold their shape better.
• Baked croquettes are lighter in color than fried ones. To give them a nice golden color, pre-bake panko crumbs before coating the croquettes. Bake panko at 350° F until lightly golden, about 4-5 minutes.

Recommended supplies:

(Affiliate links. The products I recommend are either what I use, are on my wish list, or come highly rated.)

• I like using a 3-quart saucepan or frying. It allows me to fry 4 croquettes at a time, and the deep sides help contain splashing.
• Fine mesh strainer for straining the sauerkraut.
• A Two tablespoon capacity scoop to help form uniform size potato balls.
• Grease splatter screen to contain splashing for easy cleanup. This is a set of three different sizes.
• A slotted spoon or kitchen spider to dip and remove croquettes from the hot oil.

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Corned Beef and Sauerkraut Croquettes

Author: Thao | In Good Flavor Cooking Method:Frying Cuisine:American Courses:Appetizers Recipe Keys: F Frying

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 15 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time: 45 minutesServings:16 Servings

Description

Everything you love about a Reuben sandwich is recreated in these Shortcut Reuben Croquettes. Mashed potato, corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese are breaded and fried until golden and crispy. Serve with Thousand Island dressing as a dip. Shortcut ingredients make them easy!

Ingredients

• 1 (4-ounce pkg.) roasted garlic mashed potatoes, prepared (or 2 generous cups freshly mashed) *
• 1 cup lightly packed sauerkraut
• 1/2 pound deli corned beef, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 1/2 (just over 3 ounces) cups shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 large beaten egg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups panko crumbs
• 2 large eggs + 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
• Thousand Island Dressing for Dipping
• neutral oil for deep frying (canola and vegetable are great options)

Instructions

1. * Prepare mashed potato according to package instructions, but reduce the liquid by 1/4 cup. This is done to prevent overly wet croquette filling, which will be difficult to form. Transfer to a mixing bowl and spread potato to allow for faster cooling. Refrigerate while you continue prepping.
2. Place sauerkraut in a fine mesh sieve. Use a spoon or spatula to press against the sides of the sieve to extract liquid. Drain well and discard the liquid. Wipe excess liquid off the sieve. Set aside.
3. Slice corned beef into 1/4-inch strips, then cut into 1/4-inch dice. Set aside.
4. Coarsely chop long strands of Swiss cheese.
5. Place flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl for dredging. Beat eggs and water in a second shallow bowl for egg wash. Add panko crumbs to a third shallow bowl.
6. Add corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and 2 beaten eggs to the mashed potato. To form croquettes, scoop potato filling using a 2 tablespoon ice cream scoop. Form into a ball with the palms of your hands. Place on a parchment paper lined surface. Continue forming balls. If there is excess sticking, dampen your hands with water before rolling.
7. Preheat a medium-sized saucepan or skillet filled with 1 1/2-inch of oil to 350° F. If your skillet is shallow, do not fill more than 1 inch below the depth of the pan. Just make sure to turn your croquettes over halfway when frying.
8. Working it one ball at a time, coat it in flour mixture (then pass the potato ball between your hands a few times to tap off excess flour). Next, roll in egg wash, then in panko crumbs. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Continue breading all of the potato balls.
9. Gently lower 4 croquettes at a time into the oil. Cook until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes, turning over halfway. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain.
10. Serve hot with Thousand Island dressing for dipping.
11. Makes about 15-18 croquettes.

Notes

• If you have time, refrigerate mashed potato for at least one hour before forming balls. Refrigeration firms up the mashed potatoes and makes them less sticky when forming balls. It also helps hold their shape when frying. I have not had issues with the croquettes falling apart during frying.
• If your croquette filling does not hold together and cracks while forming balls, add a small splash of milk to the mixture.
• Baked croquettes are lighter in color than fried. To give them a nice golden color, pre-bake panko crumbs before coating the croquettes. Bake panko at 350° F until lightly golden, about 4-5 minutes.

Keywords:Fried Potato, St. Patrick’s Day, Croquettes, Frying, Corned Beef, Shortcut Ingredients, Reuben Sandwich

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