Salami baskets with mashed potatoes

Salami cups with mashed potatoes usually appear at small parties when you need something savory, quick, and visually interesting on the platter. You don’t need much experience to make them. The recipe works well when you already have mashed potatoes ready or leftovers from another meal. The slices of salami should maintain their shape and not become too crispy. I make these cups when I have guests or when I want a hearty snack with minimal effort.

Quick Info

Total time: about 25 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Servings: 12 cups
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: savory snack, appetizer

Ingredients

12 slices of summer salami (not removed from the casing)
Oil for frying (preferably neutral-flavored)
Mashed potatoes (enough to fill the 12 cups)
Olives, for decoration
Lettuce (optional, for serving)
(Optionally: beef salad or cream cheese, for other filling variations)

Preparation method

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium to high heat. Don’t use too much, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan well; otherwise, the slices of salami will float and won’t keep their shape.
2. Place the slices of salami in the hot oil. Practical tip: do not remove the casing from the edges before frying; otherwise, the salami won’t curl up and won’t have the shape of a cup.
3. Fry the slices briefly on each side until the edges begin to curl and the salami becomes slightly crispy on the edges, but not completely dry. About 30-40 seconds on each side is enough, but it depends on the thickness of the slices.
4. Remove the slices immediately onto a plate covered with paper towels. Let them drain well of oil. After cooling, the edges remain curled.
5. Fill each cup with mashed potatoes. Don’t overfill, or they will deform. The mashed potatoes should be firm enough, not soft.
6. Decorate with olives or to taste. You can also add a leaf of lettuce for serving if you wish.
7. If you’re not in the mood for mashed potatoes, you can use beef salad or cream cheese for the filling. I use whatever I have on hand, depending on what leftovers I have in the fridge.

Why I make the recipe often

Salami cups with mashed potatoes are quick and don’t leave much mess. They are great to make when you need an appetizer with simple ingredients. It helps that I can also use leftover mashed potatoes or other creams. Especially at parties or when you want to put something simple on a platter with cold cuts.

Tips and variations

Tips

1. To achieve perfect cups, do not peel the salami from the casing before frying.
2. Watch the frying time. If they stay too long, they become rigid and can’t be easily filled.
3. Let the slices cool on paper towels so they don’t remain oily.
4. The mashed potatoes should be a bit firmer to hold well in the cup.

Substitutions

- If you don’t have summer salami, you can try another type of stick salami, but the texture and taste will differ.
- Instead of mashed potatoes, you can use any denser savory cream (for example, plain cream cheese).
- For decoration, you can replace the olives with thinly sliced pickles or a piece of roasted pepper.

Variations

- Fill the cups with beef salad or cream cheese if you don’t want mashed potatoes.
- Instead of olives, you can use slices of roasted bell pepper or finely chopped green onions.
- You can make smaller cups if you use thinner sliced salami.
- For a different taste, add a pinch of paprika over the mashed potatoes before filling the cups.

Serving ideas

- They look great on a platter with cold cuts or cheeses.
- You can place them alongside other cold snacks at a buffet.
- They work as an appetizer at parties, picnics, or even at festive meals.

Frequently asked questions

1. Why should I keep the casing on the slice of salami?
The casing helps form the cup. Without it, the slices won’t curl up when fried and will remain flat.

2. Can I prepare the cups a day in advance?
I don’t recommend it because the fried salami loses its crispy texture and can become soft after sitting with the filling.

3. How can I prevent the salami from becoming too crispy or hard?
Fry the slices briefly over medium-high heat. If you leave them too long, they dry out too much and can’t be filled anymore.

4. Should the mashed potatoes be cold or warm when I put them in the cup?
The mashed potatoes can be at room temperature or slightly warm. Don’t put them in hot, so as not to soften the salami.

5. Can I use something other than summer salami?
Yes, but not all types of salami behave the same when fried. Look for one with a dense structure, not very thinly sliced dry salami.

Nutritional values

The values are estimates and depend greatly on the brand of salami, the amount of oil absorbed, and the type of mashed potatoes.

For one cup (salami, mashed potatoes, olive):

- Calories: approx. 70-90 kcal
- Protein: 2-3 g
- Fat: 5-7 g (depending on salami and how much oil remains)
- Carbohydrates: 3-5 g (from mashed potatoes)
These are just indicative, not calculated exactly.

Storage and reheating

Salami cups with mashed potatoes are best right after preparation. I don’t recommend them for long storage because the fried salami becomes soft, and the mashed potatoes change texture. If you need to make them in advance, fry the salami and prepare the mashed potatoes separately, then assemble them just before serving. Reheating after assembly is not recommended.