Korokke (Potato & Meat Croquette) コロッケ

These popular Japanese potato and meat croquettes called Korokke are breaded and deep-fried until golden and crispy on the outside but still creamy and succulent inside. This well-loved food in Japan is so delicious served with rice and salad or in your bento lunch. 

In Japan, Korokke (コロッケ) are as ubiquitous as fried chicken in convenience stores. They are tasty street food, casual diner food, specialty food, and a home-cooked dish loved by all ages. These potato and meat croquettes come with a crispy-crunchy crust that reveals a creamy, mashed potato filling. You need to try it to believe how good they are!

Since I always have a soft spot for potato dishes and crunchy food, korokke easily tops the chart of my favorite foods. I once had six pieces of these golden-fried patties for one dinner. Shhh…I shouldn’t be too proud of my big appetite, but I’m absolutely excited to share my best korroke recipe with you today.

What is Korokke?

Korokke is said to be originated from the French croquette or Dutch kroket. I don’t speak French, but when I looked it up, I learned that croquette came from the verb croquer in French, which is to crunch. Makes total sense! Since everyone loves a good crunch, the Japanese started adapting croquettes and it became a popular Japanese-western food in the early 1900s.

At the most basic, korokke is made of a mixture of mashed potatoes, ground meat, and vegetables that have been shaped into small round patties. They are then coated in panko breadcrumbs, and deep-fried until crispy.

These days you can many versions of korokke, with a variety of additions such as ground meat, vegetables, or seafood. Some are flavored with curry powder, and some make use of leftovers from nikujaga. Another must-try flavor is kabocha croquette (my recipe). Each region of Japan also has its own korokke, featuring famous local ingredients such as shrimp, crab, or sweet corn.

Quick Tips for Making the Best Korokke At Home

• Use starchy potatoes such as russet potatoes
• Use quality ground beef – I used organic beef.
• When mashing the potatoes, leave some small chunks for textures.
• Discard any moisture before combining the cooked meat & vegetable mixture with the mashed potatoes
• Use only panko breadcrumbs for an extra crispy exterior.
• Lastly, always make extra because they are great for leftovers, and store well in the freezer for up to a month!

My mom makes her Korokke without any written recipes, so over the years, I’ve developed my own version by adopting her method and making personal adjustments.

The recipe that I am sharing here includes carrots and shiitake mushrooms, which are typically not included regular korokke from the stores or my favorite korokke my mom makes. I started adding them to give some colors and extra nutrition when they were small.

I finally posted my mom’s korokke recipe in March 2012 if you’re interested. Her recipe is delicious, and I make this recipe all the time, so please give it a try!

Can I Air Fry or Shallow Fry Korokke?

The short answer is YES. I don’t own an air fryer; so I can’t provide the exact steps. However, many of my readers have tried air frying with my korokke recipe with success.

You can also use a frying pan to shallow fry Korokke. The inside is already cooked, so all you need to do is to brown the breaded outer layer. You just need less than 1/2 inch (<1 cm) of oil in the pan! It’s easy for cleanup, too.

What to Serve with Japanese Croquettes

Korokke can be enjoyed as a snack, appetizer, main, or as a featured dish in your bento lunch box. They are delicious on its own, but we also often serve it with a sweet-savory Tonkatsu sauce.

This homemade Korokke won’t disappoint you at all!

More Korokke Recipes You’ll Enjoy

• Mom’s Best Korokke Recipe (Japanese Croquettes)
• Baked Croquettes
• Korokke Bento
• Kabocha Korokke
• Croquette Sandwich
• Creamy Crab Croquette

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Korokke (Potato & Meat Croquette)

4.88 from 54 votes

These popular Japanese potato and meat croquettes called Korokke are breaded and deep-fried until golden and crispy on the outside but still creamy and succulent inside. This well-loved food in Japan is so delicious served with rice and salad or in your bento lunch. 

Print Pin

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Chilling Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the Korokke Patties

• ▢ 2 lb russet potatoes (about 4 potatoes)
• ▢ 1 onion
• ▢ ½ carrot
• ▢ 2 shiitake mushrooms
• ▢ 2 Tbsp neutral oil (for sautéing)
• ▢ 1 lb ground beef
• ▢ 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ▢ ¼ tsp white pepper powder
• ▢ freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• ▢ 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell)

For the Breading

• ▢ ½ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour)
• ▢ 3 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell)
• ▢ 2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

For Deep–Frying

• ▢ 3 cups neutral oil (or enough for 2 inches (5 cm) of oil to completely submerge the patties)

For Serving

• ▢ tonkatsu sauce (you can make Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce)

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

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Instructions

 

• Before You Start…Please note that this recipe requires 15–30 minutes of chilling time. 

  Gather all the ingredients.
  

To Prepare the Korokke Mixture

• Peel and cut 2 lb russet potatoes into quarters. To a large pot, add the potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring it to a boil. Cook the potatoes until a skewer pierces the potato easily, about 15–20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and drain the water completely. When you do so, use the lid to hold back the potatoes so they don’t fall out of the pot.
  
• Move the pot back to the stove. On low heat, shake the pot so that the remaining moisture will completely evaporate (but don’t burn them).
  
• Turn off the heat and mash the potatoes, leaving some small chunks for texture. Set aside.
  
• Meanwhile, finely chop 1 onion and ½ carrot. Remove the stems from 2 shiitake mushrooms and finely chop the caps.
  
• Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Then, add 2 Tbsp neutral oil. Add the onion and sauté until soft.
  
• Add the carrot and shiitake mushrooms and cook until soft.
  
• Add 1 lb ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. When the meat is cooked through, add 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ tsp white pepper powder, and freshly ground black pepper (to taste). Remove from the heat.
  
• Drain the meat and add it to the pot with the mashed potatoes. Tip: Leave the cooking liquid behind as we don‘t want to introduce more moisture.
  
• Crack and add 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell) to the mixture.
  
• Mix it all together until everything is well combined.
  

To Shape the Patties

• While the mixture is still warm but not hot, form the Korokke patties into an oval shape. Place them on a plate or tray and refrigerate for 15–30 minutes. (Do not skip!) Important: Cooling them prevents them from exploding while deep-frying. If you place warm patties in the hot oil, the internal temperature of the korokke will increase fast, causing them to release steam and explode through the breading. Resting the patties also helps the ingredients meld together.
  

To Bread the Korokke

• Meanwhile, prepare ½ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour), 3 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) (beaten), and 2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)on 3 separate trays or bowls. Take the patties out of the refrigerator and dip each patty in the flour, beaten egg, and panko, in that order.
  
• Now they are ready for deep-frying.
  

To Deep-Fry

• To a wok or a heavy-bottomed pot, add 3 cups neutral oil or enough for at least 2 inches (5 cm) of oil in the wok/pot. Bring the oil to 340–350ºF (170–180ºC) over medium or medium-high heat, using an instant-read cooking thermometer to check the temperature. Then, deep-fry the Korokke in batches until they are golden brown. The inside is already cooked, so all you need to do is to fry them until golden brown. Tip: When you deep-fry, do not crowd the pot because the oil temperature will drop quickly. Your ingredients should take up no more than about half of the oil surface area at any one time. For more helpful hints, read my post How to Deep-Fry Food.
  
• Transfer the Korokke to a wire rack or a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Continue deep-frying the rest of the patties. Serve immediately with tonkatsu sauce.
  

To Store

• You can store the leftover in an airtight container and freeze up to a month. To reheat, put the frozen or half-defrosted Korokke on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper and bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 15 minutes or until the inside is warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 522 kcal · Carbohydrates: 46 g · Protein: 22 g · Fat: 28 g · Saturated Fat: 8 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 6 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 10 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 150 mg · Sodium: 389 mg · Potassium: 963 mg · Fiber: 3 g · Sugar: 3 g · Vitamin A: 991 IU · Vitamin C: 10 mg · Calcium: 81 mg · Iron: 4 mg

Author: Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: beef, potato

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