Traditional British Bubble and Squeak
Bubble and squeak is a quintessentially British leftovers recipe, featuring potatoes and greens. It is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
This version is both vegetarian and vegan and forms individual patties rather than one large "cake", and if you are using leftover veg, it takes just 10-15 minutes to make.
Leftover Potato Cake.
The name bubble and squeak dates back to the 18th century in print.
They are a potato cake made from leftovers, usually leftovers from Sunday lunch; in that sense, they are very similar to Irish Boxty.
It is a quintessentially British dish that has big regional differences, much like a cottage pie. As a result, it is another one of those recipes that means so many things to different people.
I was always brought up with bubble and squeak being leftover boiled potatoes and cabbage.
Those leftovers were typically from a Sunday lunch, and this is what we had for "tea" on Monday.
I am now much more likely to cook this with sprouts, and I also add mustard. My grandparents would have thought me terribly extravagant!
Frequently Asked Questions
What sort of potatoes should I use?
You can get away with anything apart from very waxy salad potatoes because they will not hold together. The more floury the potato, the softer and more "mash-like" the bubble and squeak will be.
Can I use leftover mashed potatoes?
It depends. I put an obscene amount of butter in my mash, and that makes it unsuitable for this recipe. If you are more moderate with your butter/cream usage, then yes!
Do I have to use Brussels sprouts?
Nope, any old greens will do, everything from cabbage to kale. But if you're using leafy greens, be sure to dry them well before mixing them with the potatoes.
What is Henderson's Relish?
It is similar in many ways to Worcestershire sauce. It is not the same, and folk love to argue about which is the best. I use it in this recipe because it is both vegetarian and vegan.
Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, but if that is not a concern for you, use that instead!
Can I make this in bulk?
Absolutely! Freeze them up before frying, then cook them up right from frozen when you want them. They take 8-10 minutes to cook from frozen at a medium heat.
I freeze them on a baking tray, then stack them with baking parchment between them in a bag.
One final suggestion!
If you are not vegan or vegetarian, try cooking these in hard fat. Something like beef dripping, lard, bacon, duck, or goose fat really makes these sing!
Serving Suggestions.
We have established that I am not vegan or vegetarian, so I am free to serve this with eggs and bacon. I usually opt for fried eggs, but scrambled eggs would be awesome too!
If I'm feeling greedy, I'll add some sausages too!
It is also great with some thick-cut bacon chops!
This is often considered to be a breakfast recipe. Now I'm just a regular guy, and speaking honestly, breakfast is a far simpler affair than this!
Despite the fact that this is eye-wateringly easy, it is a lunch or dinner meal for me.
If you like the flavours but are less keen on getting your hands mucky, then you should try my cabbage and potato bake. It is essentially a deconstructed bubble and squeak!
Equipment Used
I do not recommend specific brands of equipment unless I think that it will make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- Mixing bowl.
- Sharp kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- 25cm or 10" frying pan.
- 9cm or 3½ cookie cutter (optional).
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.
Traditional Bubble and Squeak Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g Leftover Boiled Potatoes 1½ Cups
- 100 g Leftover Sprouts or Cabbage 1 Cup
- 1 teaspoon English Mustard
- 1 tablespoon Hendersons Relish
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Flour
- 2 tablespoon Cooking Oil
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a bowl and gently crush them with the back of a fork.
- Shred the sprouts or cabbage as finely as you can.
- Add in the mustard and Hendersons relish, then season with salt and pepper.
- Form into 2 potato cakes in a 9cm or 3½" cookie cutter; you can free-form them too!
- Roll the patties in the flour.
- Heat the oil over a medium-high heat in a frying pan at least 24cm (10") in diameter and fry the potato cakes for 3-4 minutes on each side.
I was reared on Bubble and Squeak in the 1940’s. I loved the smell of it cooking on the stove. When we had some extra ration coupons we would buy a tin of Corned Beef and mix it in with the potatoes and cabbage. Oh, it was heavenly!
What a dish! I sometimes make it now, still a really good meal!
I couldn't agree more 🙂
My Mom makes this before but she mushes altogether without egg. I love your version you separate them and add an egg on top, more beautiful and delicious.
I love the name of this dish! I want to make it for guests just so I can say, "Have some bubble and squeak!" You're lucky to have a garden! This dish looks delicious and easy to make and I can't wait to try it!
I was definitely a bubble and squeak child. Haven't eaten it for years though! I adore the idea of the addition of eggs! I'll have to introduce my Sicilian hubby to it!
Yes bubble and squeak is generally a left over dish mushing up the ingredients from a traditional British Sunday lunch. serving the following day with either fried or poached eggs.. I personally cook so as to avoid left overs but love the flavours of bubble and squeak so this is my homage to old school with a slightly 'modern' approach.
I love the name of this dish! I want to make it for guests just so I can say it! This dish looks delicious and easy to make and I can't wait to try it!
IN that case you really should check out one of my toad in the hole recipes 😉 😮 Don't worry there are no toads involved 😀
He absolutely needs to find out about Bubble and Squeak!
Teehee, that's how this dish evolved... The notion of left over mashed potato makes no sense to me at all #chefsperks 😉
Yummm! My grammy used to make this for me, but never with cabbage. Always looked more like a big pancake haha! Yours is gorgeous, of course. 🙂
That is the traditional way of making them with left over mashed potato and formed into a 'cake' and then fried in the obligatory butter. I rarely ahve leftovers so went all 'deconstructed', still tastes great 🙂
Thanks Whitney, it pretty much serves me well, although the pea and plum thing bombed 😉
Did you know Bubble and Squeak is a popular recipe throughout Fiji? The first time I heard of it was around 10 years ago when I was looking through a Fijian cookbook..funny, eh?
Really how awesome, that has to be through the British influence in Australia being exported to the Fijian Islands, isn't it funny how food travels?
Cheers Paige, the simple things are always the best 😀
Well hello again and thank you 😀 I like it when people ask me that question, Krumpli is a colloquial Hungarian term for a Potato, in the English its equivalent would be Spud which gets used in many ways but one of those ways is a nick name and one I carried around as a child for a while... Add that to the fact we grow about 150kg of potatoes a year it makes sense, but I like the air of mystery too 😉
Thanks Swayam 🙂
Thanks Kavey, I have in the past muched them all together and made them into a pattie to have on a bun, but I like this way better personally... So much fun to bring a big pan to the table and then allow people to help them selves.
Thanks Amanda, I'm with you on the name and any dish that makes you smile when you just say the name has to have something going for it 😉
It certainly is, left overs are a rarity for us but love bubble and squeak so played with the idea to turn it into a fairly low maintenance quick and simple midweek dinner.
This needs to become one of my go-to meals.
You should definitely give it a go it is really sijmple and you can change it up and add sweet potato, sprouts, parsnip... Anything you like really.
Oh my... that is about the cutest name for a meal... ever!! Toad in a hole is close... but this name just makes me smile!! I would be smiling with a fork in my hand too because it looks hearty and delicious!! I love cabbage... never paired it with an egg before... but I have to now!
Haha, we will have to agree to disagree... I reckon Toad in the Hole is much more amusing but either way both stonkingly good names and meals and if you keep your eyes open tomorrow you should catch a toad in the hole heading your way.
This is gorgeous!! I love the look of charred greens. It adds so much character to a dish. Really awesome recipe 🙂
Thanks Sara.