These scalloped potatoes in batter are a good old Yorkshire recipe that's still going strong over 60 years after my mother first made them for me! They are made with slices of potatoes, coated in a light batter and shallow-fried for a few minutes on each side until the potatoes are tender and the batter is golden and crispy! Comfort food doesn't get much better than this!
If you grew up in the north of England, especially in Yorkshire, the chances are you've come across these crispy scalloped potatoes. Not seafood scallops! These little beauties are made with slices of raw potato, dipped in a simple batter and fried until golden and puffed!
I remember my mum making them! And coming home from school to a delicious meal of scalloped potatoes, crunching through the crispy golden batter to get to the creamy potato inside. Sometimes we had them with fish fingers and peas, but more often than not we'd eat them fresh out of the pan, with a dollop of tomato sauce to dip them in.
These days, of course, people are far more health-conscious, and these battered scalloped potatoes probably wouldn't find their way onto most people's tables.
However, thinking about it, these crunchy battered potato slices are not all that bad for you! They are shallow-fried so there's not too much oil involved, and as long as you only serve them occasionally as a treat, they make a tasty addition to your culinary repertoire. Especially on a busy Friday night when you want something quick and easy to feed the family without resorting to a takeaway from the local chippy!
I'm a firm believer that anything in moderation can't do you any harm. As long as you are not eating these every night of the week, these battered potato scallops are a way to add a little variety to the way you normally prepare potatoes.
If you are looking for other recipes for chips or fries, why not try this recipe for crispy potato fries. You might also be interested in this recipe for a potato frittata, or even these German fried potatoes.
Jump to:
Why you should try these battered potato scallops
- Stood the test of time. My mum made these in the late 50s/early 60s, but I've noticed a few posts on Facebook recently from a fish and chip shop in the north of England who have started selling battered chips!
- Budget-friendly. With a simple batter made with flour, egg and milk plus a few potatoes, these scalloped potatoes are a cheap and cheerful recipe.
- Livens up your normal fish and chips. Pair these scalloped potatoes with a few fish fingers or a piece of lightly battered fish, plus a dish of peas, and you have a plate of fish and chips with a difference!
- Super tasty. The crunchy batter wrapped around soft potatoes is seriously satisfying.
- Kid-friendly. I can vouch for that. One of my fondest food memories is coming home from school on a cold winter's day to a plate of these battered potatoes with a dollop of tomato sauce!
Recipe information:
Prep time: 15 minutes to peel and slice the potatoes and mix the batter.
Standing time: 10 minutes to allow the batter to rest and the potatoes to soak in cold water.
Cooking time: This total elapsed cooking time depends on the size of your pan. Each batch cooks and browns in around 8 minutes (approximately 4 minutes per side). If you cook them in 2 batches, it will take less than 20 minutes.
Yield: The recipe as written makes about 12 scalloped potatoes, but you can easily double up the ingredients to make a larger batch.,
Ingredients for battered potato slices
**You can find the exact ingredient measurements on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**
- Potatoes. The potatoes should be peeled and cut into thin slices. Use a mandolin to cut nice, even slices of potatoes. If you don't have a mandolin, use your knife skills and cut them with a sharp knife instead. Just make sure you don't cut them thicker than one-eighth of an inch. Thicker than this, and the potatoes won't cook properly in the time it takes the batter to brown.
- Vegetable oil. I didn't include it in the photo, but you will need a neutral-flavoured vegetable oil for frying the battered potatoes. I tend to use either sunflower or rapeseed oil.
Batter
This is a simple batter made with only 3 ingredients
- Flour. This is self-raising flour, which gives a lighter batter than plain flour. If you only have plain or all-purpose flour, add a teaspoon of baking powder for every cup of flour.
- Egg. I used a large egg, but medium-sized eggs will be fine too.
- Milk. Full-fat or semi-skimmed; it doesn't make any difference.
- Salt. This is optional, but it makes a world of difference to the taste. Fried potatoes love salt. I normally sprinkle the sliced potatoes lightly with salt before coating them, and also add half a teaspoon to the batter.
Instructions
Step 1: Whisk the batter ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. You should have a thickish batter that coats your spoon. Set it aside to rest while you prepare the potatoes.
Step 2: Peel the potatoes and cut them into one-eighth-inch-thick slices. Place them in a bowl of water and let them stand for 10 minutes, then drain the water and pat the potatoes with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Step 3: Heat the oil in a pan until it sizzles when you add a drop of water. Dip them into the batter and place them carefully into the oil.
Step 4: Fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Turn the heat down if the batter is browning too quickly.
Drain on a paper towel, sprinkle with salt and vinegar and serve hot.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your potato fritters always turn out perfectly.:
- The batter should be a thick coating consistency, similar to a pancake batter. If it's too thin, it will not stick to the potatoes, and if it's too thick, it will be stodgy when cooked.
- If you are not sure about the consistency, try frying one slice of battered potato to test. If the batter seems too thick, thin it down with a splash of milk. If it seems too thin, whisk in an extra spoonful of flour.
- Don't make the potato slices too thick. The batter browns in a few minutes, and if the potatoes are thickly cut, they will not have time to cook properly.
- Pat the drained potato slices well with a piece of paper towel before coating them with the batter. Wet potatoes will cause the batter to slide off and cause excess spattering.
- Don't add the potatoes to cold or just warm oil, or they will absorb the oil and turn greasy. The oil should be hot enough to sizzle when you add a drop of water. If you have a thermometer, it should register 180°C or 350°F. The potatoes should brown slowly at this temperature and take around 4 minutes to turn golden..
- By the same token, don't let the oil get too hot or the batter will burn before the potato is cooked. Turn the heat down if they seem to be browning too quickly.
- Finally, don't overcrowd the pan. This will make it difficult to turn the scalloped potatoes and will also lower the temperature of the oil.
- For the best flavour, sprinkle with salt and vinegar while still hot.
Variations
- Favour the batter. Add a teaspoon of garlic granules, ground paprika or onion powder to the batter. You could also add a teaspoon of dried herbs, such as parsley, thyme or oregano. For a spicy version, add a teaspoon of curry powder or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Cheesy scallops. Sprinkle the scallops with grated Parmesan cheese as soon as they come out of the hot oil. Alternatively, add the cheese to the batter itself.
- Make scalloped vegetables. Instead of potatoes, try frying slices of (well-dried) courgettes, aubergine or sweet potato. You can also use this batter for frying onion rings (dip the onion in seasoned flour before coating) or cauliflower florets.
Equipment
These are the main items of equipment you will need to make battered potatoes.
- A mixing bowl and a whisk to mix the batter.
- A mandolin or a sharp knife to slice the potatoes.
- A bowl to soak the potatoes in water.
- A frying pan and a spatula for cooking and turning the scalloped potatoes.
How to scale the recipe
The recipe as written will make about 12 potato scallops from 2 medium potatoes, and the batter will be more than sufficient to coat these.
If you choose to use larger potatoes (baking potato size), then you will get more slices from one potato, and you will probably need more batter.
To make a large batch of batter, you can simply double the batter ingredients.
For frying the scallops, start with one cup of vegetable oil and add extra if needed.
When deciding how many potatoes to use, you should consider what you intend to serve with the battered potatoes. If you are serving them with a piece of fish and a helping of peas, for instance, then you will probably need 4 slices per person (depending on appetite).
Storage and reheating
Leftover cooked potato scallops can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Do not store the raw potatoes in the uncooked batter. The batter will discolour and turn watery.
Scalloped potatoes turn soggy once cold. The best way to reheat (and re-crisp) them is to lay them in a single layer in the air fryer and cook at 190C / 360F for 3 minutes. Turn the fritters over and cook for a further 3 minutes.
You can also reheat the scalloped potatoes in a preheated hot oven. Arrange them on a baking tray and bake for 5 to 6 minutes.
This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
FAQ
It's best to use thinly sliced raw potatoes for this recipe - they cook through in the oil and provide a contrasting texture of crispy batter and soft potato. Cooked potatoes would tend to turn mushy and fall apart.
However, if you want to cook the potatoes first, I would recommend cutting them into 1-cm-thick slices and parboiling for no longer than 3 to 4 minutes. Let them cool and dry thoroughly before coating them in batter and frying.
A floury variety of potato, such as Maris Piper or King Edward, works best. They soften beautifully inside, while still holding their shape. Avoid waxy potatoes as they take longer to soften and may not cook through in the time the batter takes to brown.
Not really. They are not suitable for air-frying as the batter will run through the holes in the basket.
If you have an air fryer with a removable inner basket, you may be able to use that.
However, the air fryer is perfect for reheating and crisping leftovers.
Make sure your potatoes are completely dry before coating with batter. Also, the batter should be quite thick (like double or heavy cream) so that it clings properly.
Any neutral-flavoured vegetable oil with a high smoke point (such as sunflower or rapeseed) will be suitable. I would avoid olive oil as it has a lower smoke point.
Save for later
If you would like to make these potato scallops in batter, why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
Related recipes
Visit my recipes from the British Isles recipes page for other traditional English recipes. Here are a few you might enjoy
📋The recipe
Scalloped potatoes in batter
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Frying Pan
Ingredients
- 2 medium potatoes
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup / 35 grams self-raising flour
- ¼ cup / 60 ml milk
- salt to taste
- 1 cup sunflower oil (approximately) for frying
Instructions
Make the batter
- Whisk the batter ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. You should have a thickish batter that coats your spoon. Set it aside to rest while you prepare the potatoes.1 large egg, ¼ cup / 35 grams self-raising flour, ¼ cup / 60 ml milk, salt
Prepare the potatoes
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into one-eighth-inch-thick slices. Place them in a bowl of water and let them stand for 10 minutes, then drain the water and pat the potatoes with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.2 medium potatoes
Fry the scallops
- Heat the oil in a pan until it sizzles when you add a drop of water. Dip slices of potato into the batter and place them carefully into the oil.1 cup sunflower oil
- Fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Turn the heat down if the batter is browning too quickly.
- Drain on paper towel, then keep warm in a warm oven until all the scallops have been cooked.
Notes
- The batter should be a thick coating consistency, similar to a pancake batter. If it's too thin, it will not stick to the potatoes, and if it's too thick, it will be stodgy when cooked.
- If you are not sure about the consistency, try frying one slice of battered potato to test. If the batter seems too thick, thin it down with a splash of milk. If it seems too thin, whisk in an extra spoonful of flour.
- Don't make the potato slices too thick. The batter browns in a few minutes, and if the potatoes are thickly cut, they will not have time to cook properly.
- Pat the drained potato slices well with a piece of paper towel before coating them with the batter. Wet potatoes will cause the batter to slide off and cause excess spattering.
- Don't add the potatoes to cold or just warm oil, or they will absorb the oil and turn greasy. The oil should be hot enough to sizzle when you add a drop of water. If you have a thermometer, it should register 180°C or 350°F. The potatoes should brown slowly at this temperature and take around 4 minutes to turn golden..
- By the same token, don't let the oil get too hot or the batter will burn before the potato is cooked. Turn the heat down if they seem to be browning too quickly.
- Finally, don't overcrowd the pan. This will make it difficult to turn the scalloped potatoes and will also lower the temperature of the oil.
- For the best flavour, sprinkle with salt and vinegar while still hot.
- Leftover cooked potato scallops can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Do not store the raw potatoes in the uncooked batter. The batter will discolour and turn watery.
- Scalloped potatoes turn soggy once cold. The best way to reheat (and re-crisp) them is to lay them in a single layer in the air fryer and cook at 190C / 360F for 3 minutes. Turn the fritters over and cook for a further 3 minutes.
- You can also reheat the scalloped potatoes in a preheated hot oven. Arrange them on a baking tray and bake for 5 to 6 minutes.
- This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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Andrew Terry says
Glad to see that, like me, some of your commenters eschew the consumption of animal products and that they suggest plant alternatives. (You don't need eggs to make batter!) I am alarmed that you propose the use of Canola oil rather than regular cold-pressed rapeseed oil - Canola is highly processed and is renowned for being hazardous to health. Canola originates from North America and is not in common use in the UK so why would you even suggest it for a British staple such as scalloped potatoes?
VeganAndy
VJ says
Hi Andy - Thank you for taking the time to comment. I do know what Canola is, and as my readers are international, I like to mention products that are available in their particular areas. I would never presume to dictate the use of any particular product as I believe my readers are intelligent enough to make up their own minds. Regarding scalloped potatoes being a British staple, I thought that it would be nice to give people in other countries the opportunity to try it for themselves. And at least I didn't suggest using lard!
Laraine Anne Barker says
Thanks so much. My recipe was considerably different, basically flour and water and baking powder, which I also used for fish in batter, and I cooked them in a deep fryer, in good old-fashioned beef dripping. We call them potato fritters in New Zealand and I no longer have a deep fryer so was looking for a recipe that can be shallow fried. This sounds perfect.
VJ says
Hope you enjoy them. I grew up eating these. They were my favourite after-school snack!
Chantelle Jepson says
I've been looking erywhere for this recipe so thanks so much! My Moms from Burnley and she just passed this year. I've been missing hher and longing for her cooking! She called these skons but when I try and look these up on Google all I can find are scones (another childhood fav my Mamas would call sad cake as it's a depression era recipe maybe even prior) which are totally different. These are savory and delicious! Thanks so much!!
VJ says
Aw, thanks Chantelle. Glad I could help.
Maureen Cram says
Making these tonight for supper... I also don't eat animal products so will use cashew milk and a bit of baking powder. When we are not in the US we live in George South Africa :). This is also a recipe that reminds me of my London childhood :). Many thanks for posting it.
VJ says
I hope you enjoy them 🙂
Jean TEMPEST says
A blast from my past -served in Oldham chippies - The amount just right for the two of us. However as we don't eat eggs or drink cows milk I substituted them for cream of tartare and bi-carb and soya milk. They were devine.
VJ says
Definitely an old-time recipe! My mom used to make them when I was growing up in England in the late 50s. Good to know your substitutions turned out so well 🙂
Cheryl Farrens says
My mother was british and she made potatoes like this which she called "specials". I'm going to make some tomorrow. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
VJ says
Hi Cheryl, hope you enjoy them. My mother used to make these all the time when I was growing up 🙂