These stuffed potato patties are the perfect weeknight dinner. Creamy mashed potatoes are stuffed with a tasty beef filling and seared to perfection.

It's so easy to make Persian recipes and many of them don't even call for an exotic ingredients. Dishes like Stuffed Fish with Pomegranates and Walnuts or Kotlet (Persian Meat Patties) are some of the dishes that are very common in Iranian households. This recipe stuffed potato patties is a family favorite that we've been making and loving for years and now I can't wait to share it with you.

Stuffed potato cakes

Simple potato patties are so easy to make and they taste great. I love making a big batch of them and have them during the week. If I have more time at hand, I will turn those simple potato cakes into these stuffed potato cakes by making an easy ground beef filling. These are so easy to make and kids love them. The addition of turmeric adds a nice color and flavor to this easy potato cakes recipe.

What do I need to make this recipe?

This recipe is made of two parts: the potato mash and the ground beef filling. Here are all the ingredients you need to make this recipe:

For the potato mash:

Potatoes
Eggs
Flour
Spices - Turmeric, salt and pepper

For the ground beef filling:

Olive oil
Onion
Ground beef
Spices - Salt, pepper and turmeric
Tomato sauce or tomato paste

That's all you need to make this delicious Persian recipe. We love biting into jumbo size potato cakes stuffed with this beefy goodness. It's definitely one of our favorite comfort foods.

What kind of potatoes to use?

For this recipe, you can use either russet potatoes or yukon gold potatoes. You need potatoes that are starchy enough so the mashed potatoes sticks together when stuffed and fried. Check out this article about different types of potatoes and their uses to learn more.

How to make stuffed potato cakes

Wash and peel the potatoes. Boil then until they are fork tender.
Drain and let them cool for about 5 minutes. Mash them using a potato masher or a fork.
Add in the eggs, flour, turmeric, salt and pepper. Mix well to form a sticky mixture.
To make the beef filling, heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
Saute onion until golden. This could take about 5 to 8 minutes.
Add in the ground beef and break it into small chunks. Brown the ground beef.
Stir in the salt, pepper and turmeric. Add in the tomato paste or the tomato sauce. Cook until the excess liquid is evaporated.
Wet your hands and form the potato patties in your hands. Top with about one tablespoon of the beef filling. Seal the edges completely, keeping your hands and fingers wet for easy sealing.
Heat some oil in a pan over medium heat. Sear the stuffed potato patties for about 5 minutes on each side until they're cooked completely.

What to serve stuffed potato cakes with

Like many other Persian dishes, these potato cakes can be served with typical Persian side dishes such as yogurt and cucumber (mast o khiar), Salad shirazi, marinated olives (zeytoon parvardeh) or just simple homemade yogurt (made in instant pot).

Do these freeze well?

These stuffed potato cakes freeze pretty well. There are two ways to freeze these:

Freeze uncooked patties: Make and shape the stuffed potato patties as instructed in the recipe but don't fry them. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the patties on the baking sheet in one layer. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and let it freeze for about 2 hours until the patties are solid. Once they are solid, place the in a freezer bag or in a container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To cook, take out as many patties as you need and let them thaw in the fridge (on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper). Heat some oil and fry them for about 5 minutes on each side.
Freeze cooked patties: Prepare the recipe as instructed in the recipe card. Let the patties cool completely and then place them in a container or a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, let them thaw for a few hours in the fridge and then heat them in the oven at 275ºF for 20 minutes or until heated through. You can also microwave these patties.

Kitchen tip: If you have ground beef filling leftovers, freeze them in a container and use them later to make soups, or repeat this recipe.

Tools and ingredients used in this recipe:

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