All it takes to blow up on TikTok nowadays is apparently a potato, wet bread, and a hot pan. They’re called crispy potato nuggets, and honestly, I can see why everyone wants them so much. TikToker @cgdmyildiz_ was the first to get the wave going, and it’s already at 363K likes. After her came @courtneys_bites and @essen_paradies, making nearly identical golden nuggets with both videos getting 1.3M and 545K likes respectively. When three separate people have this much motion on the same idea, you already know it’s gonna keep blowing up.
Believe it or not, the secret is soggy bread.
Not gonna lie to you, this is deceptively simple, which I imagine played a part in why it spread so fast. All three of these versions start off with boiling and mashing the potatoes. Next the bread gets soaked, squeezed dry, and then cut up into a bunch of squares. I know it sounds weird, but don’t worry; we’ll get into that later. From there it’s cornstarch and a spice mix, usually garlic powder, paprika, chili flakes, and then salt & pepper, though one recipe swaps in chili and thyme instead. Once you have everything mixed into a dough, just shape it into nugget-like shapes and fry until you get that beautiful golden crisp. I do wonder if someone has tried shaping these into dinosaurs, though.
Everyone’s got thoughts on the wet bread.
As expected, the internet has its opinions about wet bread being used in a potato nugget. A lot of people in the comments are pretty much split down the middle, with some even saying it’s basically the same as French toast and others saying the bread lost them entirely. It’s always interesting seeing how the comment sections always turn into Michelin star chefs once people make viral food. Although one person did make a good point to use a potato peeler so you don’t waste too much of the potato. To be fair though, this does say a lot about this trend. Even though there’s a bit of work to be done, it’s still simple enough that everyone feels qualified to have a take on it, which is what keeps a video circulating for days versus hours.
Bring home the crunch.
The best part about this is that you don’t need anything “fancy” to make these yourself. If you happen to already have a bag of potatoes in your kitchen, then you’re basically halfway there. Also, don’t forget to pair it with a dipping sauce. While ketchup is reliable and all a crispy potato really needs, @essen_paradies’ idea to dip it in sweet chili sauce has me licking the screen, if I’m being honest.
Don’t you just love when TikTok brings another kitchen experiment to your feed? I know I do. Give it about a week and you won’t be surprised if this becomes one of your new favorite snacks.