Try this delicious and chewy goodness of potato mochi with this easy recipe! If you're a fan of Japanese rice cakes, you'll love this simple alternative made with only four ingredients.

These chewy and delicious potato mochi are easy to make and perfect for your afternoon snack. Simply form the mashed potato mixture into balls and pan-fry them until golden brown.
Whether you're looking for a satisfying snack or a unique addition to your next party, potato mochi is sure to please. Give these a try!
- This recipe is for you if:
- You love Japanese chewy mochi cakes.
- You are looking for potato mochi recipe.
- You are looking for easy potato recipes.
Let me walk you through the ingredients and the instructions. If you want to check the recipe, jump to the recipe. Let's get started!
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About this potato mochi recipe
- Easy Japanese potato recipe
- Chewy and tasty snack
- A simple alternative to traditional mochi
- Require only four ingredients
What is Potato Mochi (Imo Mochi)?
Mochi is a traditional Japanese food made from sticky rice that is pounded into a smooth and chewy dough. It is a popular treat during the Japanese New Year celebration and is often used in various dishes and desserts.
Potato mochi, imo mochi in Japanese, is also a popular snack enjoyed by people of all ages.
During a time when rice production technology was not yet advanced, "Imo mochi" originated as potatoes were plentifully produced during this period and became a popular alternative to rice.
Even though regular mochi is now widely available, people still enjoy the unique taste and texture of potato mochi.
📋 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients (amounts are in the recipe card below).
- Potatoes - You can use any type of potato. I used new potatoes for this recipe, which have a delicate, sweet flavor and a creamy texture.
- Potato starch - Adding potato starch adds a chewy texture when cooked. You can substitute it with corn starch, tapioca starch, or glutinous rice flour.
- Salt - Add a little salt.
- Oil for pan frying - Use your regular oil. I used rice oil for this recipe.
🔪Instructions
Now, it's time to cook! Click here to watch the recipe video.
- Peel potatoes and cut them in half or small pieces.
- Steam them in a medium saucepan for about 10 minutes or until soft.
- Mash the potatoes in a large mixing bowl.
- Add potato starch and salt to the mashed potatoes, and blend to make a mochi dough.
- Make a round shape.
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat, place the mochi, and pan-fry for 2 minutes or until golden brown on each side.
Your simple but tasty potato mochi is now ready to be served.
Enjoy the deliciously chewy texture and savor the flavor of the potatoes. It's a perfect snack that you can enjoy at any time of the day!
Helpful tips
- After boiling the potatoes, mash them with a potato masher while they are still warm until the texture becomes smooth. If you prefer a sweeter taste, you can add 1 teaspoon of sugar, depending on the type of potato used.
- You can cook potatoes in boiling water instead of steaming them. To do this, simply place the potatoes in a pot of boiling water and cook them until they are tender.
- If your potatoes have excess oil on them after cooking, you can use a paper towel to remove them.
Storage
Place potato mochi in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Alternatively, you can freeze potato mochi before cooking for longer storage. Wrap them in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Cook the frozen potato mochi with oil without thawing them when eating.
How To Eat Them
Potato mochi can be enjoyed in various ways, such as plain or wrapped in a nori sheet and dipped in soy sauce. Some people also like to add fillings like cheese or vegetables to make them more savory.
Here are three easy examples you can try right away!
Mitarashi Glaze
Mitarashi glaze is a popular Japanese sauce that has a sweet and savory flavor profile, made by blending soy sauce and sugar. It is commonly used as a glaze for grilled mochi and dango (sweet rice dumplings) and can be easily made by mixing the ingredients together (the graze recipe is included in the recipe card below).
You can pour the sauce over the potato mochi or use it as a dipping sauce. Either way, you'll enjoy the sweet and savory taste.
Butter
Potato mochi can also be served as small pancakes! Simply add a piece of butter on top of the warm potato mochi and let it melt, adding a delicious flavor to the dish. They are the perfect bite-sized treat! Yummy!
Cheese Filling
This is my favorite!
For a savory twist, you can add cheese as a filling while forming the potato mochi. As the mochi cooks, the cheese will melt and create a deliciously gooey center.
The combination of the chewy texture of the mochi and the savory flavor of the melted cheese is sure to be a hit with anyone who tries it.
Thanks For Stopping By
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog♡ If you've tried this recipe (or any other recipe on the blog), please give it a star rating below!
Also, feel free to leave comments if you have any questions. I love hearing from you!
Chef JA Cooks is a Japanese food blog that shares simple and healthy Japanese home cooking recipes, including vegan and vegetarian. From traditional Japanese recipes to modern recipes with step-by-step instructions.
More Japanese Mochi Recipes You Might Like
📖 Recipe
Potato Mochi (Delicious Savory Snack)
Print Pin SaveEquipment
- 1 Frying pan 26cm , 10 inches
Ingredients
- 6 pcs Potatoes (small size), 360g
- 3 tablespoon Potato starch
- pinch Salt
- 1 tablespoon Oil for cooking
Mitarashi Glaze (optional)
- 2 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Potato starch
- 5 tablespoon Water
Instructions
- Steam potatoes: Peel potatoes, cut them in half, and steam them in a medium saucepan for about 10 minutes or until soft.
- Mash the potatoes: Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl and mash them.
- Make a dough: Add potato starch and salt and blend to make a dough.
- Make a round shape: Grab a piece of dough, roll it, and press it with your palm to form a shape.
- Pan-fry: Heat a frying pan over medium heat, pour oil, place the potato mochi, and pan fry for 2 minutes or until golden brown on each side.
- Mitarashi glaze: Add sugar, soy sauce, potato starch, and water to a saucepan over medium heat and mix until thickened.
Video
Notes
- Storage: Two days in the fridge and one month in the freezer; see the "Storage" section for more details.
- Substitute: You can substitute potato starch with corn starch, tapioca starch, or glutinous rice flour.
- Mash them with a potato masher until the texture becomes smooth while they are still warm. If you prefer a sweeter taste, add one teaspoon of sugar, depending on the type of potato used.
- You can cook potatoes in boiling water instead of steaming them.
- If your potatoes have excess oil after cooking, you can use a paper towel to remove them.
- Potato mochi can be enjoyed in various ways; see the "How to eat" section for more details.
Patty
What is the ratio of tapioca starch to pounds of potatoes? I cannot find a measurement.
JURI
Hi Patty, thanks for your question! You can use tapioca starch the same quantity of potato starch in the recipe card. The texture of the tapioca version might be less chewy, but it will still be delicious! I hope this is helpful!
Linda Hobbs
Great alternative when you don't have rice mochi. So easy. I'm going to try adding different sweet and savory fillings. Thx for sharing!
JURI
Yes! I'm happy to hear you like the recipe! Thank you for your comment, Linda!