Can mashed potatoes really qualify as a meal by themselves? If you mix in enough other ingredients, we think they certainly can! Mashed potatoes are really just like polenta, rice, or any other starchy side, and they make the perfect foil for just about anything we have in the fridge. Here are a few of our favorites extras!
We realized mashed potatoes could be a meal unto themselves when we got hungry while making a batch of Twice Baked Potatoes. A few bites of the potato mix in our bowl and we were hooked. So simple and easy - why bother with stuffing them back into potato skins?! We just shredded the skins, mixed them in, and called it dinner.
Since then, we've started making Ultimate Mashed Potatoes more regularly. Our favorite is a mix of sausage, caramelized onions, caramelized mushrooms, and a teaspoon or two of smoked paprika. A sprinkle of cheddar on top of the bowl rounds out all the flavors.
We've also made more of a hash using cabbage, leftover ground beef, and a little mustard. We can make a free-form shepherd's pie with the same leftover ground beef by adding peas and carrots instead. Red peppers and artichokes, broccoli and cauliflower, pulled pork and beans - whatever combination of veggies and leftovers we have in the fridge. Get the idea?!
This is rarely a meal that we plan ahead for, but that we can always make if we're lacking inspiration for something else. To make the potatoes a little healthier for these non-special occasion weeknights, we also use yogurt and some of the starchy cooking water instead of butter and cream.
Is this a meal in your house too?
Related: Food Science: Why Mashed Potatoes and Blenders Don't Mix
(Image: Flickr member Brisbane Falling licensed under Creative Commons)
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A favorite bar food meal for me and a friend is Colcannon - mashed potatoes with kale and onion, and chevre on top.
I love smashed waxy red potatoes with green onions, some butter, and a little cheese. SOOOO good!
This isn't so much a suggestion for what to put in mashed potatoes (which I agree pretty well anything could be added to and it would be delicious!), but about your note about making them healthy. My mom taught me the trick of using chicken broth instead of milk & butter - the potatoes turn out delicious and I've never noticed a difference in creamy-ness!
As far as what to put in them.. for some reason I'm picturing something with dried cranberries. Maybe with some chicken, some kind of cheese or maybe a big dollop of sour cream on top.. not sure what else would go in there, but the more I think about it, the more I want it for dinner tonight.
I wouldn't have it as a whole meal, but sometimes when I'm making mashed potatoes I like to put some canned corn in, it's nice to have that slightly crunchy texture in with the smooth potatoes.
Conveniently enough, one of my co-workers brought potatos in yesterday and there are still some left (He and his wife went on vacation to Idaho). I think I'll give this a try either tonight or tomorrow.
I made my own whatever's-in-the-fridge colcannon once and it was delicious. Mashed potatoes, sauteed cabbage and/or Kale and bbq brisket. So tasty
You just described my exact dinner at least once a week. I either do mashed red potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes. I love mixing cottage cheese in them. And cabbage and mashed potatoes are my ultimate comfort food.
I was a bit skeptical at first, but mashed potatoes quesadillas are amazing!
my husband & i regularly eat what we call smashed potatoes: quarter some new potatoes and steam in the microwave until fork tender. smash with butter/sour cream/chicken broth/parmesan--whatever you prefer--salt, pepper, & cayenne. anything can be stirred into or served over these--we often grill salmon and saute spinach, but i've also done kielbasa, ham, even tomato sauce.
I had mashed potatoes with chorizo as a side at a restaurant in Boston and it was about as awesome as you'd think.
oh my goodness! i am so hungry looking at that picture! i love mashed or baked potatoes and a side salad for dinner, but this idea of mixing more things into the mash is genius! i'll try it. one ticket to yumsville please!
Carb heaven!
We eat some variation of this at least once a week.
-- Loaded Baked Potato (bacon, sour cream, chives, broccoli, cheddar)
-- Fakesgiving (turkey or chicken, craisins, caramelized onions, minced garlic, fried sage leaves, pan gravy)
-- "Disgusting Hash" (leftover ground or roast beef, sauteed cabbage or spinach, sausage, dash of parmesan, sauteed onions, side of ketchup-worchestershire-mustard meatloaf sauce; despite declaring it "disgusting" in the first place, my husband will eat this until he is sick)
All of these are, of course, mixed with butter, salt, pepper, and a slosh of cream.
Mashed potatoes are always delicious for dinner. Considering the leftovers I have in my fridge, I'm thinking shepherd's pie would be perfect.
In Holland mashed potatoes with vegetables is the most popular winter meal, it's real comfort food! We make it with curly kale, endive, carrots and onions or whatever vegetable is available. My favorite is mashed potatoes with sauteed sauerkraut and sauteed onions with a sausage on the side, delicious on a cold day!
The trick to make it creamy is adding some warm milk and butter while mashing the potatoes!
num num dutch girl-- stamppot!!
I'm going to make some this weekend with swiss chard to eat with a pork stew I'm making.
Ha! I was just going to come here and make a comment about stamppot and I see I already did TWO YEARS ago!
What's with all the repeats? Do you need writers? I'd be happy to do some pieces for you. Seriously.
If you are going to do this as a "feature" I have no issue with it--but please label it "Greatest Hits" or "One from the Archives" just so we know.
^ What Charlotte said.
Roasted sweet potatoes, mashed and sprinkled with cinnamon, salt and a small dab of butter.
I like to make fish cakes with leftover mashed potatoes. Add flaked fish (hot smoked salmon is tasty), parsley; roll in beaten egg, breadcrumbs; refrigerate for a short while, and fry.
I love repeats but agree with the others -- labeling it as a repeat would be appreciated.
I like to saute some onion, cured ham and rosemary in butter. Add a little Parm in there - YOM.
I use pureed white beans thinned out with water or vegetable broth instead of milk.
I second and third the Colcannon. Any heavy greens work like chard or kale - the bitter taste goes away once you wilt them. I love sauteed cabbage as well. We usually throw in caramelized or sauteed onions and mushrooms, and we pack ut full so its a very veggie rich meal.
I also love half mashed potatoes half mashed cauliflower topped with anything you like.
I eat potatoes for dinner quite a bit. More recently, they've been oven fries with a sauce of yogurt, vegennaise, and roasted garlic. Time to start mashing!