TikTok's Bubble Potato Pillows Are A Delicious Cross Between Tots And Gnocchi

Potato-centric dishes like gnocchi and tater tots hold a universal appeal rooted in the comforting, versatile nature of potatoes. Gnocchi, with its soft, pillowy texture, provides a neutral canvas for flavorful sauces or accompaniments. Tater tots, meanwhile, have an air of nostalgia about them. These crispy, bite-sized nuggets of grated and fried potato offer a satisfyingly crunchy exterior with a tender inside.

What if you could combine the two? With bubble potato pillows, as seen in a viral TikTok video, you can have the best of both of these potato favorites. Uploaded by user @msshiandmrhe, the bubble potato pillow video has amassed more than 10 million likes and nearly 40,000 comments. "This is basically Potato Gnocchi without egg then fried! Sounds awesome!" one user commented, while another described the creation as "potato nuggets." 

People picked up on a few unique tricks the creator used in making the potato pillows. For one, she peeled the potatoes by cutting a thin ridge in their skins around their middle, boiling them, and then dunking them in an ice bath. The skins came right off. "OK but that peeling trick?? I'm so upset I was never taught this." She also used a garlic press to mash them, though as a few people pointed out a potato ricer would work as well. This helps the potatoes to have a lighter, airier texture than traditionally mashed potatoes, which contributes to the success of the recipe.

Part of what makes the viral bubble potatoes so good is their pillowy puff and the crunchy external texture, both of which develop thanks to the double-frying method. This technique appears to be directly inspired by pommes soufflées, one of the many different styles of fries you should know about. This French culinary creation, known for its unique texture, is the original potato pillow and is characterized by its a two-step frying process. Initially, the slices of potato are cooked in hot oil at a lower temperature, causing them to puff up. After a brief cooling period, the potatoes are then fried again at a higher temperature until they achieve a golden and crispy exterior.

@msshiandmrhe

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Though several commenters said they made this with all-purpose wheat flour and it turned out tasty, the glutinous rice flour is a unique choice that contributes significantly to successful bubble potato pillows. According to Ms. Shi & Mr He, the originator of the TikTok recipe, glutinous rice flour is responsible for binding the pillows together. Glutinous rice is a short-grained rice that's higher in certain starches than other grains, which makes it stickier — in fact another term for it is sticky rice. This quality in the rice flour contributes to the tender texture of the potatoes inside their crispy shell.

As with most fried potato recipes, these little pillows are satisfying on their own, but also open to a variety of tweaks. The bubble potato pillows are a great neutral canvas for other bold flavors. You can play around with mixing and matching different toppings and sauces once you have your finished product. The original creator dusts them with chili powder, but you could also use parmesan cheese, smoked paprika, curry powder, or any of your favorite herb blends. Ketchup is the obvious dipping sauce, of course, but you could mix it up with spicy mayonnaise, marinara sauce, or whatever your condiment of choice is. Take a tip from fry-lovers around the world, and dip these in malt vinegar, gravy, or even honey.

If double-frying isn't your style, you can also whip up the viral bubble potato pillows using an air fryer. Ms. Shi recommends air frying the pillows at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 18 minutes for optimal results. Many commenters asked Ms. Shi to try filling the pillows with cheese, but she advised against it unless you're using an air fryer, in which case Ms. Shi advises putting the cheese on top as opposed to inside of the bubble potato pillow. "Every piece of potato I wrapped cheese inside was leaking. Putting cheese on the top turned out much better," she commented.

Whether you're a potato purist or a fan of culinary experimentation, these little pillows of crispy potato perfection are worth a try.