Crispy Irish Sausage Potato Cups (Print)

Golden potato cups filled with savory Irish sausage and herbs, a handheld twist on classic comfort food.

# What You Need:

→ For the Mashed Potato Cups

01 - 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
02 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1/4 cup whole milk
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1/2 tsp salt
06 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
07 - 1/4 cup grated Irish cheddar

→ For the Sausage Filling

08 - 12 oz Irish pork sausages, casings removed
09 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1/2 cup beef or vegetable broth
12 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
13 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

→ For Assembly

14 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
15 - Extra grated Irish cheddar
16 - Sliced scallions or chives

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Boil potatoes in salted water until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well.
03 - Mash the potatoes with butter, milk, salt, and pepper until smooth. Let cool 5 minutes, then mix in the egg and cheddar.
04 - Spoon or pipe the mashed potatoes into the muffin cups, pressing up the sides and bottom to form a nest. Reserve a little mash to use as a topping.
05 - Bake the potato cups for 15 minutes until they hold shape and the edges start to crisp.
06 - In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Add onion and garlic; sauté until soft, about 3–4 minutes.
07 - Pour in broth, parsley, and thyme. Cook until most liquid evaporates, 3–4 minutes. Cool slightly.
08 - Remove potato cups from oven. Fill each with sausage mixture, then top with a spoonful of reserved mash and a sprinkle of cheddar.
09 - Brush the tops with melted butter. Bake 15–18 minutes more, until golden and crisp.
10 - Let rest 5 minutes before removing from tin. Garnish with sliced scallions or chives.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything you adore about bangers and mash, but in adorable portion-controlled vessels that look impressive with zero actual skill required
  • The crispy potato edges against the savory sausage filling creates this ridiculous texture situation that makes people go suspiciously quiet after their first bite
  • You can assemble them ahead of time and bake when guests arrive, which makes you look like a kitchen wizard while secretly drinking tea
02 -
  • Let the potato mash cool slightly before adding the egg, otherwise you'll end up with scrambled egg bits in your potato cups and that's just sad
  • The potato cups need that first bake alone to set their structure, otherwise they'll collapse under the weight of the filling and you'll have a delicious but ugly mess
  • Grease your muffin tin more thoroughly than you think is necessary, like really get into those corners, because stuck potato cups will ruin your day
03 -
  • Use a piping bag with a large tip to distribute the mash evenly into the muffin tins, which is way easier than trying to spoon it in neatly
  • Room temperature ingredients mix better, so take your butter, milk, and egg out about 20 minutes before you start cooking

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