One for the littlies in your life today. After the popularity of my Sunday Dinner Leftover Cakes, my kids are equally as crazy about these little shallow-fried patties (AKA bombs!) of Leftover Mashed Potato and Veggies, Tuna and Cheese. It’s a flavour combination that works for most little people and happens to be a fine way of sneaking into their tummies a multitude of Hidden Veggies. If your little people are particularly veggie adverse then I advise chopping the veggies very finely, but because the overall flavour is such a pleasing one I doubt they’ll even notice the sneaky good stuff.
Whenever I make any dinners involving mash and veggies, which happens to be pretty often in our house, I always cook a little extra so I can make these tasty little bombs the next day. It’s then a matter of simply mixing the cold mash with any cooked veggies, a little cheddar and a can of tuna. Shaping into patties and coating in breadcrumbs, polenta or panko (or a mixture of any of these) and shallow frying in a little sunflower oil. They can then be served with yet more veggies or baked beans. And there you have it, a generally pretty wholesome dinner easily made in minutes.
And they taste really really good. I really should admit I do make the odd extra for us big people too!
I’m entering my frugal dinner time treat to a couple of challenges. Firstly to the first ever Credit Crunch Munch, a new event co-hosted by Helen at Fuss Free Flavours and Camilla at Fab Food 4 All.
And secondly for my first ever time to the No Waste Food Challenge held by Kate from Turquoise Lemons, and this month hosted by Elizabeth’s Kitchen. The theme this month handily happens to be Mashed Potatoes!.
And so on to this cinch of a recipe:
Cheese & Tuna Veggie Bombs
Perfect for Toddlers and Young Children, Bigger Kids, Family Dinners, Mid-Week Suppers, The Veggie Adverse. And the leftover ‘leftovers’ can be frozen for a later, even quicker, dinner.
Makes 8 to 10 small patties:
300g of cold Mashed Potato
200g of cold cooked Veggies (if you don’t have enough leftover veggies then you can always top up with defrosted frozen peas or sweetcorn), finely diced
185g tin of Tuna, drained
75g of Cheddar Cheese or similar, grated
3 heaped tablespoons of dry Breadcrumbs, Polenta or Panko (or a mix of any of these)
Sunflower Oil
Simply combine all the ingredients bar the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Shape into even patties. Place the breadcrumbs/polenta/panko in a flat bottomed bowl.
Now coat the patties in a fine layer of the crumbs and set aside on a plate until you’re ready to fry.
Take a frying pan and pour in enough sunflower oil to make a very fine layer on the bottom. Heat on a low to medium heat. When the oil is hot carefully place your bombs in the oil. You’ll probably have to fry them in a couple of batches.
Fry on both sides until golden brown all over. Drain on kitchen roll and serve.
You might also like:
Chicken Goujons: Kids Fish Pie:
Chez Foti 
January 31st, 2013 at 4:17 pm
Why have I never thought of putting a tin of tuna in potato cakes!? This is a fantastic idea and one I am definitely going to try with my children the next time we have leftover mash. Thank you for entering the no waste food challenge!
February 3rd, 2013 at 1:02 pm
Thanks Elizabeth. I started with making ‘Leftover Sunday Dinner Cakes’….basically all the leftovers of a sunday dinner formed into a patty and fried. And since my kids loved them more than the preceding sunday dinner I’ve moved onto adding other things too, like canned fish or just veggies and cheese!
January 31st, 2013 at 4:20 pm
We have some leftover potato in the fridge, and I was wondering how to cook it for tonight’s tea – problem solved, thanks!
February 3rd, 2013 at 1:05 pm
They’re such a fab way of using up leftovers, and we nearly always seem to have bit of mash lurking in the fridge. Hope you like them!
January 31st, 2013 at 5:22 pm
Your fish cakes look and sound delicious and very nutritious with the oily fish and veggies. Thank you for entering Credit Crunch Munch;-)
February 3rd, 2013 at 1:05 pm
Thanks Camilla, looking forward to lots more entries to Credit Crunch Munch!
January 31st, 2013 at 8:59 pm
Oh Lou, I so envy you. My kids won’t touch tuna! I have tried to make very similar things to these before and met the usual utter resistance! Honestly, this evening was typical – they refused to eat the boiled potatoes I had made stating that they hate potatoes (they love potatoes).I can’t even cook the things they like and be sure they will eat them. Some days I just despair… (moan over, thanks for listening xx)
February 3rd, 2013 at 1:09 pm
Oh gosh, that sounds like hard work! It’s so frustrating isn’t it when you cook something and meet with total resistance. I usually have to use a good deal of blackmail to coerce mine into eating these days, particularly anything new. Though once they start they’re usually fine. Though anything with tuna is always OK in our house, they’re both huge fans….albeit tuna sandwiches are the only sandwiches they’ll eat!
February 1st, 2013 at 10:53 am
These look great Louisa, another brill idea to sneak veggies/healthy stuff into food children will love. I think I’ll be eating them too though.
February 3rd, 2013 at 1:12 pm
Oh I eat them too, always making a couple extra to munch on while the littlies are tucking in!
February 2nd, 2013 at 5:24 pm
[…] Louisa used up some leftover mashed potato in cheese and tuna veggie bombs for her children. Apparently they love these, and they are a great way of sneaking some extra […]