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This crispy Japanese potato croquette is filled with a velvety potato filling studded with sweet caramelized onions and hand-minced pork.
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Korokke (コロッケ)

Japanese potato croquette (コロッケ - Korokke) is a meat and potatoes Japanese comfort food that I've leveled up using a few kitchen techniques. With a crispy panko shell holding together a creamy mashed potato filling with sweet caramelized onions and bits of savory hand-minced pork, this Korokke recipe does take a bit of work, but I promise you the results are worth the effort.
Course Entree
Cuisine Japanese-Western
Level Intermediate
Main Ingredient Pork, Potato
Diet Dairy-Free
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 245kcal
Author Marc Matsumoto

Equipment

Ingredients

for Korokke filling

  • 320 grams pork shoulder
  • 500 grams potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 120 grams onion (1 small onion, minced)
  • 1 tablespoon potato starch (about 11 grams)
  • 60 ml low sodium chicken stock
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

for breading Korokke

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 100 grams fresh Panko
  • vegetable oil (for frying)
Grams + US Cups - US Standard

Instructions

  • Thoroughly wash and scrub the 500 grams potatoes to remove any dirt or debris. Add the potatoes to a pot and cover with 2-3 inches of water. Cover and bring the water to a boil. Once the water comes to a full boil, remove the lid and lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook the potatoes until a skewer can easily be passed through them (about 30-40 minutes).
    500 grams potatoes
    Boiling potatoes for korokke.
  • Slice the 320 grams pork shoulder into thin slices with a knife and then cut the slices into strips.
    320 grams pork shoulder
    Hand mincing pork for korokke.
  • Turn the strips 90 degrees and mince the pork into pieces that are about ⅛-inch in size. Mix the pork with the 1 tablespoon oyster sauce to marinate.
    1 tablespoon oyster sauce
    Mincing pork for croquettes.
  • Add the 1 tablespoon potato starch, 60 ml low sodium chicken stock, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper into a bowl, and then grate in ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg with a Microplane. Stir until the starch is evenly dispersed.
    1 tablespoon potato starch, 60 ml low sodium chicken stock, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
    Gravy for Japanese potato croquettes.
  • Once the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the water and let them cool enough to handle. You can peel them and mash them using a potato masher or fork, but I prefer a potato ricer, which eliminates the need to peel them.
    Mashing potatoes using a ricer.
  • Add the 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 120 grams onion to a frying pan over medium heat and saute until the onions start to brown (~4-5 minutes).
    1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 120 grams onion
    Sauteeing onions.
  • Add the minced pork and then stir-fry until the pork begins to brown and a good amount of fat has rendered out (~4-5 minutes).
    Sauteeing pork and onions for korokke filling.
  • Give the stock and starch mixture a stir to redistribute and pour it into the pork and onions. Stir aggressively until it forms a paste.
    Browned meat and onions for Japanese croquette.
  • Add the mashed potatoes and fold the mixture together until uniform in color and texture.
    Mashed potatoes meat and onion filling for Japanese Croquettes.
  • Dump the potato mixture into a tray and flatten it out. Cover the mixture directly with parchment paper to keep it from drying out, and let it cool to room temperature. Cover the tray with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
    Filling for Japanese Korokke.
  • When you're ready to fry the Korokke, heat 2-inches of vegetable oil in a pot with high sides to 320°F (160°C). Prepare a cooling rack lined with 3-4 sheets of paper towels.
    vegetable oil
  • Use a pastry knife to divide the potato filling into 8-12 blocks.
    Dividing korokke filling with a pastry knife.
  • Scoop each block out and use your hands to shape them into patties that are no thicker than an inch. Be sure to get rid of any air pockets or cracks; otherwise, the Korokke will explode when you fry them.
    Shaping korokke patties.
  • Roll the potato patties in the ¼ cup all-purpose flour to create a thin, even coating, and then pat them between your hands to remove any excess flour.
    ¼ cup all-purpose flour
    Dusting croquette patties with flour.
  • Add the 100 grams fresh Panko into a tray or bowl, and then beat the 1 large egg in a bowl until it is uniform in color.
    100 grams fresh Panko, 1 large egg
  • Use one hand to dip and roll each potato patty in the egg to give it a uniform coating and then transfer it to the panko.
    Coating korokke with egg.
  • Use your other hand to scoop the panko on top of the potato croquette and gently pat and squeeze the panko into the patty to get it to adhere. Repeat with the rest of the patties.
    Breading korokke with panko.
  • To fry the Korokke, gently lower them into the preheated oil and fry them, flipping them over every 2 minutes until they are golden brown and crisp (this should take about 6 minutes).
    Deep frying korokke.
  • Drain the Korokke on the paper towel lined rack and serve while hot with a bed of shredded cabbage and sauce (tonkatsu, okonomiyaki, chunou, or Worcestershire sauce all work).
    Draining fried potato croquettes on paper towels.

Video

Notes

I have instruction for making the shredded cabbage I serve this with here.

Nutrition

Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 530mg | Potassium: 324mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 72IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 3mg