Perkedel
In its own language: ꦧꦼꦒꦼꦢꦶꦭ꧀
Indonesian-Javanese fritters made from mashed potato or other vegetables
Perkedel is a type of fritter from Indonesia, especially Java, made mainly from mashed potato mixed with spices and sometimes meat or vegetables. It is served hot or at room temperature, often as a side dish or appetizer, and is also found in Malaysia and Singapore through Javanese influence.
- Perkedel is usually made from mashed potato, not meat.
- It is shaped into patties and deep fried until golden.
- Popular as a side with soto ayam (chicken soup) in Indonesia.
- Variations use corn, tofu, fish, or even shrimp.
- Linked to Dutch frikadellen but adapted with local ingredients.
What is Perkedel?
Perkedel are round, flat fritters usually made from mashed potato, sometimes mixed with other ingredients like ground meat, corn, tofu, or fish. The mixture is seasoned with scallion, garlic, and pepper, then shaped into patties, dipped in egg, and deep fried. They have a golden, crisp exterior and a soft, savory inside. Other vegetables or proteins may be used, making for many variations. The taste is mild and savory, with a hint of spice from pepper and sometimes chili.
Where does Perkedel come from?
Perkedel traces its roots to Dutch frikadellen, a meatball or minced meat dish brought to Indonesia during colonial times. Over time, Indonesians adapted the recipe, replacing meat with mashed potato as the main ingredient. The dish became especially popular in Javanese cooking and spread to Malaysia and Singapore through Javanese migration. Unlike its Dutch ancestor, perkedel is more often vegetarian or mixed with small amounts of meat or other fillings.
How is Perkedel made?
To make perkedel, potatoes are sliced and deep fried or baked instead of boiled, to keep the mixture from becoming too soft. The fried potatoes are mashed and combined with chopped scallion, garlic, black pepper, and sometimes ground meat, corn, tofu, or fish. The mixture is shaped into small, flat patties, dipped in beaten egg, and deep fried until golden. In Malaysia, a version called tauhu begedil involves stuffing the potato mix into tofu puffs before frying.
How and when is Perkedel eaten?
Perkedel is commonly eaten as a side dish or appetizer. In Indonesia, it is often served with nasi kuning (yellow rice) in ceremonial tumpeng platters, or alongside soto ayam (chicken soup) and sayur sop (vegetable-chicken soup). In Malaysia, it is a popular street snack, sometimes served with a spicy soy-based dip called sambal kicap. Perkedel can be enjoyed hot or at room temperature, making it suitable for meals or as a snack.
Kinds of Perkedel
There are many types of perkedel. Perkedel jagung uses corn instead of potato. Perkedel tahu is made with mashed tofu, and perkedel ikan uses minced fish. The Malaysian tauhu begedil involves stuffing the mixture into tofu before frying. Some versions include shrimp or other vegetables. The ratio of potato to meat or other fillings can vary, and some versions are entirely vegetarian.
What Perkedel means
Perkedel is a familiar part of daily meals in Indonesia and Malaysia, often found at home, in markets, and at street stalls. It is a common accompaniment to festive rice dishes and soups. The dish reflects the blending of local and colonial influences in Indonesian cuisine. In Malaysia and Singapore, its presence is linked to Javanese communities and their culinary traditions.
Questions people ask about Perkedel
What is perkedel made of?
Perkedel is mainly made from mashed potato mixed with scallion, garlic, black pepper, egg, and sometimes flour. Other versions may include corn, tofu, fish, or ground meat.
Where does perkedel come from?
Perkedel comes from Indonesia, especially Java, and has spread to Malaysia and Singapore through Javanese communities. Its origins are linked to the Dutch frikadellen.
How is perkedel cooked?
Potato slices are deep fried or baked, then mashed and mixed with seasonings and other ingredients. The mixture is shaped into patties, dipped in egg, and deep fried until golden.
Is perkedel vegetarian?
Perkedel can be vegetarian if made only with potato and vegetables, but some versions include ground meat, fish, or shrimp. The dish varies widely.
When is perkedel usually eaten?
Perkedel is eaten as a side dish or snack, often with rice or soup, and can be served hot or at room temperature.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Perkedel", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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