AI-generated illustration of golden bubble-and-squeak potato and cabbage patties with smoked bacon

Side dish

Bubble and Squeak with Smoked Bacon

Published 15 October 2026 · Updated 21 October 2026

Crisp, golden-edged and deeply savoury, bubble and squeak turns humble cooked potato and cabbage into a patty that is soft and buttery within and loudly crunchy without. Fried in butter and the rendered fat of smoked back bacon, each cake catches on the pan and forms a rich brown crust while the centre stays moist and tender. It is the finest second life a Sunday roast can give its leftovers.

Not kitchen tested by The Black Farmer.
Serves 4
Prep 44 min
Cook 42 min
Total 88 min

Ingredients

  • Big Potatoes - 500g

    Potatoes

    500g

    The Black Farmer Big Potatoes - 500g; peeled and cut into even 3cm chunks, then boiled, drained and roughly crushed

    £1.80

  • Green Cabbage, Small - Each

    Green cabbage

    200g, trimmed and finely shredded

    The Black Farmer Green Cabbage, Small - Each; use about 200g from one small head with the core and tough outer leaves removed

    £1.80

  • Bacon - Back (Smoked) — 250g

    Smoked back bacon

    4 rashers (about 100g)

    The Black Farmer Bacon - Back (Smoked); chopped into roughly 1cm pieces and fried until crisp

    £6.00

  • Longman's Unsalted Roll Butter (200g)

    Butter

    25g

    Cold, folded through the mixture for richness

    £3.80

Adds 4 items across 4 products — £13.40 total.

Pantry ingredients such as oil, salt and herbs are not included.

Other Ingredients You'll Need

  • Rapeseed oil — 15ml (For frying the bacon; the rendered bacon fat stays in the pan to fry the patties)
  • Fine salt — to taste
  • Ground black pepper — to taste

Method

Prepare the vegetables and bacon

Allow 12 minutes to peel the potatoes and cut them into even 3cm chunks, then trim the green cabbage of any tough outer leaves and the core and finely shred about 200g. Chop the smoked back bacon into roughly 1cm pieces. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover them with plenty of cold water, ready to boil. Keep the shredded cabbage and the chopped bacon separate for now.

Boil and steam-dry the potatoes

Allow 20 minutes to bring the potatoes to the boil over a high heat, then turn down and simmer until a small knife slides through a chunk with no resistance and they are tender all the way through. Drain them into a colander and leave them to steam for 3 minutes so the surfaces dry out, because drier potato browns better. Tip them back into the warm pan off the heat and crush them roughly with a fork or masher, keeping some small lumps of texture rather than working them to a purée.

Cook the cabbage

Allow 4 minutes to cook the shredded cabbage in a steamer basket over the potato pan, or in a little boiling water, until just tender but still bright green. Drain it well and press out any excess moisture. Overcooked or wet cabbage makes the patties heavy and hard to crisp.

Cool before shaping

Allow 20 minutes to spread the crushed potato and the drained cabbage out on a baking tray and leave them until cold and dry to the touch. Cold, dry mixture holds its shape when shaped and crisps better in the pan; warm mash falls apart. If you are not using it within two hours, cover and refrigerate it, then bring it back to room temperature only as needed.

Crisp the bacon

Allow 6 minutes to heat the rapeseed oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and fry, stirring, until it is golden and crisp and the fat has rendered. Lift the bacon out with a slotted spoon and set it aside, leaving the bacon fat and oil in the pan to fry the patties.

Mix and season

Allow 3 minutes to put the cold crushed potato, cooled cabbage and crisp chopped bacon into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and season generously with salt and black pepper, then fold everything together until evenly combined. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning, because the crust adds no salt of its own.

Shape the patties

Allow 4 minutes to divide the mixture into four equal portions and shape each into a round patty about 2.5cm thick, pressing firmly so it holds together. If the mixture feels loose, press it a little harder rather than adding flour.

Fry until crisp and golden

Allow 12 minutes to set the pan of reserved bacon fat and oil over a medium heat. Lay the patties in without crowding and fry for about 6 minutes until the base is deep golden and a crust has formed, then turn them carefully with a fish slice. Fry the second side for about 6 minutes more until equally golden and the patties are piping hot through the centre. Add a little more oil or butter only if the pan looks dry.

Rest and serve

Allow 2 minutes to rest the patties on kitchen paper to drain, then 2 minutes to plate them. Serve at once with a fried egg, grilled tomatoes and brown sauce, or beside cold roast meat with gravy.

Serving Suggestion

Serve the patties hot with a fried egg and grilled tomatoes, or with brown sauce for a proper fry-up. They also sit well beside cold roast meat with gravy, or with a spoonful of chutney or wholegrain mustard. Accompaniments are not included in the recipe quantities or timing estimate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why must the potato and cabbage be cold before shaping?

Cold, dry mixture holds its shape and develops a proper crust in the hot fat. Warm mash is too soft and tends to fall apart in the pan, so the cooling stage is what makes the patties hold together and crisp up.

Can I use leftover roast potatoes and cabbage?

Yes, that is the classic use. Roughly chop or crush cold leftover roast potatoes and finely chop cold cooked cabbage, then continue from the mixing stage. Using leftovers removes the boiling, cabbage and cooling stages and shortens the timings considerably.

How do I stop the patties falling apart in the pan?

Press them firmly when shaping, keep the mixture cold and dry, do not overcrowd the pan, and wait for a real crust to form before the first turn. Turn each patty once with a fish slice rather than fiddling with them.

Can I leave out the bacon?

Yes, the dish works without it. Fry the patties in the butter plus a little extra oil instead of bacon fat, and season a touch more generously to make up for the missing salt and smokiness.