Corned beef hash cakes with cheesy topping

Name: corned beef hash cakes with cheesy topping
Cook time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings

These cheesy corned beef hash cakes are very easy to make, and you can save time by using leftover mashed potato instead of boiling some from scratch.

corned beef hash cakes with cheesy topping and a poached egg

Shutterstock

Published - 23 Dec 2025

Cheap and filling, this is easy to knock up. Topping the cakes with locally sourced cheeses, from Cornish Blue to Caerphilly, Stilton to Sussex Slipcote (made from ewe’s milk), adds a tangy twist.

The only hiccup could be the key for the corned beef can breaking off. It always does. It’s one of life’s inevitabilities.

Cooking time

25 mins

Serves

Ingredients

500g potatoes (Desiree, if you can find them)
2 tbsp oil
4 spring onions, chopped
1 can corned beef
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
150g locally sourced cheese (try something new)
Knob of butter
Salt and pepper

Method

Slice the potatoes and place them in a saucepan. Cover them in water and bring to the boil.
While the potatoes are boiling, heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and add the spring onion. Heat till soft.
When soft, drain and then mash the potatoes (butter optional), adding seasoning.
Mix the corned beef and onions together with the potatoes, adding Worcestershire sauce (or tomato ketchup if you prefer).
Put the mixture into a frying pan, using a spatula to flatten it. Cook for 4-5 minutes..
Using the spatula, take out the mixture and place it on a sheet of greaseproof paper. Allow it to cool for a bit before carefully forming the mixture into four individual cakes.
Crumble/slice the cheese equally over the cakes, and place under the grill for a couple of minutes. If you don't have a grill, put it on the top shelf of a pre-heated oven until the cheese has melted.
Serve as part of a fry-up or with toast, perhaps with a poached egg on top.

Three mini Christmas cake muffins topped with glace cherries and pecan nuts in a square basket lined with gold star paper

Mini Christmas cake muffins with rum

Honey-roast parsnips

Mary Berry’s simmered red cabbage

Christmas pudding with Guinness and brandy butter

A delicious Christmas pudding recipe combining Guinness, rum and brandy to bring extra festive cheer to the table.

Marcus Wareing's turkey gravy recipe

TV chef Marcus Wareing shares his favourite recipe for Christmas gravy.

Savoury choux bun canapés with watercress and cream cheese filling

Cheesy watercress puff pastry stars

Savoury pastries with a peppery cream cheese and watercress topping make a perfect party canapé.

Roast hasselback potatoes

The ridges cut into these roast hasselback potatoes create a particularly crunchy, roasted outer layer, perfect for a showstopping Christmas dinner.

Fig on a plate garnished with rocket, walnuts and orange pieces

Festive figs with feta

This simple Christmas starter is easy to prepare and looks very impressive.

Brussels sprouts with nutmeg

Try these delicious Brussels sprouts stir fried with nutmeg - ideal for Christmas dinner.

Mary Berry’s orange-glazed ham with mango and orange salsa

Mary Berry shares her beautifully simple recipe for a Christmas centrepiece.

A gingerbread house decorated with piped icing

Paul Hollywood’s gingerbread house

Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood shares his recipe for a stunning Christmas gingerbread house, ideal for baking with grandchildren.

Best-ever Yorkshire puddings | Shutterstock

Best-ever Yorkshire pudding recipe

Crisp and golden, a Yorkshire pudding is essential for a great Sunday roast. Try our super-easy recipe.

Two glasses of Negroni with fresh orange slices on the side

Shake it up: Stanley Tucci’s Christmas cocktails

Actor Stanley Tucci shares his take on 3 classic cocktails to celebrate the Christmas festivities.

Top-down view of salmon blinis with garnish

Hot smoked salmon blinis

Hot and spicy little blinis with horseradish cream and flaked smoked salmon.

A close-up of a glass of eggnog with a stick of cinnamon and a dusting of nutmeg

Make your own eggnog

Jonathan Goodall shares his recipe for eggnog, the traditional Christmas drink that’s a velvety mixture of egg, milk, cream and brandy.

Three baked Camembert cheeses next to three vegetable skewers on a plate

Baked Camemberts with roasted vegetable skewers

A festive vegetarian starter of baked Camembert with seasonal vegetables skewered on rosemary stalks.

A plaited pastry with roasted pork inside and a dish of white sauce next to it

Mary Berry's pork en croute with stilton and apple

This pork en croute recipe from Mary Berry is a ﬁrst-rate dish for a Christmas dinner or special Sunday lunch.

Sausages wrapped in bacon with a sprig of rosemary garnishing each

Pigs in blankets

An easy recipe for Pigs in Blankets the traditional party snack or Christmas dinner side dish, of sausage wrapped in ham.

Roast potatoes, parsnips and shallots

This recipe is quick to prepare but is delicious - a perfect way to liven up the roast potatoes in your Christmas dinner.

Close-up of a left-over frittata with a slice missing and another one cut out from the main

Christmas leftovers frittata

This frittata recipe is an excellent way of using up vegetable leftovers from your Christmas dinner or Sunday lunch.

Figgy pudding

Try this recipe from Mary Norwak for a traditional figgy pudding that dates back to 16th-century England.

Honey-roast parsnips

A delicious and easy recipe that’s perfect for a fantastic Christmas dinner or Sunday lunch.

Honey-glazed Brussels sprouts with beetroot, blue cheese and walnuts

Jazz up your Christmas Brussels sprouts with this festive recipe.

Hot buttered rum

Try this classic cocktail that dates back to the 17th century – it’s perfect for cold winter nights.

Marmalade-glazed roast quail

For a more intimate Christmas, this quick and easy roast quail recipe from Diana Henry is ideal for two.

Five small bundt chestnut nut roasts garnished with rosemary and berries

Mini chestnut nut roasts with sage gravy

A delicious and decorative chestnut nut roast that makes a wonderful vegetarian or vegan Christmas lunch.

Pepparkakor – Scandinavian spiced Christmas biscuits

Traditional Swedish festive biscuits flavoured with cinnamon and ginger, these make ideal edible gifts.

White dish filled with pork chestnut stuffing topped with a sprig of rosemary

Pork and chestnut stuffing

A delicious Christmas stuffing recipe with chestnuts, pork, lemon and spinach that is ideal for Christmas dinner.

A plate of smoked salmon, dressed with watercress and radishes, on a black worktop

Smoked salmon sharing platter

This smoked salmon sharing platter with watercress and avocado takes minutes to prepare and is a great buffet dish.

Spiced Christmas tea buns

Hide the Christmas ‘to do’ list and take a moment to enjoy these spiced buns topped with butter.

Corned beef hash cakes with cheesy topping

Ingredients

Method

Related articles