Bubble and squeak cakes with poached eggs

Name: Bubble and squeak cakes with poached eggs
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 500g cold mashed potato; 200g cooked cabbage, shredded; 100g cooked carrot, diced; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 tbsp plain flour; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 1 tbsp butter; 4 eggs; 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Crisp-edged cakes of leftover mash and cabbage, topped with a runny poached egg.

Time35 min
LevelEasy
Costabout £1.04 a head

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

4 servings

Ingredients

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500 gcold mashed potato
200 gcooked cabbageshredded
100 gcooked carrotdiced
1onionfinely chopped
2 tbspplain flour
2 tbspsunflower oil
1 tbspbutter
4eggs
1 tbspwhite wine vinegar

Method

1
Soften the onion in the butter for 6 minutes. Tip into a bowl with the mash, cabbage, carrot and plenty of black pepper.
6 min
2
Mix well and shape into 8 patties. Dust with the flour and chill for 10 minutes.
10 min
3
Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the cakes for 4 minutes each side until crisp and golden.
8 min
4
Bring a pan of water to a gentle simmer with the vinegar. Swirl and slip in the eggs. Poach for 3 minutes.
3 min
5
Top each stack of cakes with a poached egg and a pinch of pepper.

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.