Bubble and Squeak

Imagine opening your fridge to the sight of last night’s roast dinner leftovers, staring back at you with a promise of delicious potential.

Meet British import Bubble and Squeak, the cheeky hero of the leftover world, about to surprise you with one delicious breakfast.

British cuisine, known for its comforting and hearty meals, has dishes with names that are sure to bring a smile to your face. These whimsically named dishes often have histories as rich and intriguing as their flavors. We truly enjoyed cooking Toad in the Hole, Welsh Rarebit and Lancashire Hotpot in our GypsyPlate Kitchen, bringing back memories of our England Travels.

Now today’s Bubble and Squeak has been on our radar for many years, and we were amazed at the flavors simple leftovers can create, just by frying them to perfect crispiness. Somehow all the flavors from the veggies get accentuated when frying in butter or lard. Those Britishers sure know how to indulge in a proper Monday breakfast after a full on Sunday roast dinner!

This dish gets its whimsical name from the playful sounds it makes as it sizzles and fries in the pan. So, let’s learn about Bubble and Squeak, where the humble potato and its vegetable companions become the stars of a dish that’s as fun to make as it is to eat.

What is Bubble and Squeak?

Bubble and Squeak is a classic and quintessential British dish that has its origins in 18th century England. It is a brilliant example of culinary ingenuity, transforming leftovers into a delightful and satisfying meal. Traditionally made with the remnants of a Sunday Roast dinner or Christmas dinner, specifically roasted potatoes and a mix of vegetables like peas, carrots, and cabbage, this dish is pan-fried until the ingredients combine into a crispy, golden hash or a patty.

The name “Bubble and Squeak” charmingly refers to the sounds the mixture makes as it cooks, bubbling and squeaking in the pan.

The mixture is fried to achieve a crispy, caramelized exterior, offering a contrast to the soft, flavorful interior. Bubble and Squeak can be served in two ways: as a hash or formed into a large patty or a cake.

Mashed or roasted potatoes act as the binder to hold the rest of the ingredients. Some recipes call for eggs along with veggie mixture if forming smaller patties. It’s a testament to British resourcefulness, turning leftovers into a comfort food staple.

Served with a side of fried or poached eggs and bacon, Bubble and Squeak transforms leftovers into a comforting and classic meal, perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Ingredients Needed

• Oil and Butter: For frying and adding flavor. They help in crisping Bubble and Squeak as well. Some cooks also use lard or leftover pan drippings.
• Potatoes: Roasted or mashed, they form the base.
• Vegetables: Leftovers like peas, corn, broccoli, cabbage, and carrots. Basically, whatever leftover veggies you have.
• Seasonings: Salt and pepper for basic seasoning.
• Eggs: Fried or poached, served on top.
• Bacon: Optional, for garnish and extra flavor.

Bubble and Squeak Recipe

You can make this British classic in two popular methods. The first “hash” style Bubble and Squeak turns out more crispy, and is traditionally served in small restaurants and taverns.

For either method, first you will want to finely chop all of your vegetables and mash everything into a coarse mixture.

Traditional Fry: Mash together roasted or mashed potatoes and chopped vegetables. Heat oil and butter in a pan, then add the mixture and press it down uniformly.

Fry until the bottom caramelizes, then stir and press down, repeating until crispy and browned throughout.

Patty Form: After frying the mixture as in the traditional method, instead of serving as is, press it into a large patty in the pan. Cook until one side is crispy, then carefully flip the entire patty to crisp the other side.

Alpana’s Tips

1. Maximize Crispiness: For that irresistible crust, make sure the pan is hot before you add your mixture. Use a nonstick skillet for the best crispy exterior (we initially tried cast iron, and all the good crispy stuff stuck to the pan). Press the mixture down flat and let it cook undisturbed for a few minutes before flipping or stirring.
2. Flavor Boost with Meat: If you’re including bacon, fry it first, then use the rendered fat to cook your vegetables and potatoes. This will give a lot of meaty flavor to your Bubble and Squeak.
3. Vegetable Variety: Don’t shy away from mixing different vegetables. Carrots, peas, Brussels sprouts, and even kale can add color, texture, and nutrients. Just make sure they are finely chopped and pre-cooked to ensure even cooking.
4. Season Well: Leftover vegetables and potatoes can be a bit bland, so be generous with your seasoning. Apart from salt and pepper, you can add herbs like parsley, thyme or rosemary, or a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
5. Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: If you’re making a large amount, cook in batches. Overcrowding the pan can steam the ingredients instead of frying them, which means you’ll miss out on those crispy edges.
6. Perfect Pairings: Bubble and Squeak traditionally pairs well with fried or poached eggs, but don’t stop there. Try it with a side of grilled tomatoes, a dollop of chutney, or A1 sauce.
7. Make it a Meal: While Bubble and Squeak is often eaten as a side or for breakfast, it can easily become a main dish. Add chunks of leftover roast, sausages, or even shredded chicken to turn it into a hearty dinner.
8. Leftover Gravy: If you have it, serve Bubble and Squeak with leftover gravy. It’s yum.
9. Reheating Tips: If you have leftovers of Bubble and Squeak, reheat them in a pan over medium heat to restore the crispiness. Avoid the microwave, which can make it soggy.

Bubble and Squeak is a fun and smart way to turn your leftovers into a yummy meal. It’s all about being creative with what you have in your fridge, like mixing up old potatoes and veggies to make something new and tasty. You can try different mixes every time, making it your own special dish.

So the next time you’ve got some leftovers, think of Bubble and Squeak as your go-to recipe for making something delicious and cozy. It’s a cool way to save food and enjoy cooking. Now we know what we are cooking every Boxing Day or on Friday after Thanksgiving here at the Beisers’.

Bubble and Squeak, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

Try these other breakfast and brunch ideas:
Biscuits and Gravy
Turkish Menemen
Eggs Cochon
Dutch Baby
Denver Omelette
Shrimp and Grits
Eggs Bhurji
Shakshuka

Bubble and Squeak

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp oil, plus more if needed for crisping
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 4-5 leftover roasted potatoes (skin removed) or 3 cups mashed potatoes
• 3-4 cups leftover vegetables (peas, corn, broccoli, cabbage, carrots)
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 4 large eggs, fried or poached to serve
• cooked bacon, to garnish and serve (optional)

Instructions

1. Start by chopping and mashing roasted potatoes in a a bowl or sheet pan. Chop bigger veggies like carrot, cabbage and broccoli and mash them into the potato mixture. Lastly add corn and peas and mash them a little with the rest of the mixture. You can leave this mixture on the coarser side if you prefer.
2. Heat oil and butter in non stick skillet or pan.
3. You have two options to cook bubble and squeak. The traditional way is to fry it as hash until crispy and caramelized. For this, spread the mixture evenly in the heated skillet and let it sizzle for 2-3 minutes. When it starts to brown up, flip and fry the mixture, occasionally pressing it into the pan to brown a little before turning. Do this several times until it all caramelizes. You can add a drizzle more butter or oil along the sides to crisp it more if desired.
4. The other option is to serve Bubble and Squeak in patty form. For this, fry the mixture the same as above until it caramelizes. In the final step, make a big patty by pressing the mixture together into patty form. Let the base cook for 2-3 minutes to get crispy on the bottom. Then carefully flip the patty over and cook the other side until crisp.
5. Serve it along with fried or poached eggs and bacon.

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 463Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 17gCholesterol 210mgSodium 956mgCarbohydrates 42gFiber 8gSugar 6gProtein 16g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.