How to Make Instant Mashed Potatoes Waaayyyy Better (2024)

In Cheap Tricks, we’ll help you make the most out of everyday supermarket staples. Next up: How to make instant mashed potatoes better—this instant!

My latest haiku:

Mashed potatoes,
I love you so much it hurts.
(But I have no time.)

Every week I lug home a big ol’ bag of russet potatoes with the Very Good intentions of mashing them into creamy oblivion and covering a huge pile with a ladleful of stew and a dollop of sour cream. Rarely does that actually happen—do yooouuuu want to spend an hour at the end of your workday peeling and scrubbing spuds?—and what’s left is a sack of scary-looking sprouted potato children that I’m sure are plotting to poison me while I sleep.

On busy nights, when I know mash from scratch isn’t realistic, I’ve been turning to instant mashed potatoes—also known as instant potato flakes or mashed potato flakes—instead. They’re lightning fast to make (seriously, the prep time is like five minutes); super affordable (2 oz., which is about three servings, costs around 72 cents); and, with a couple of nifty tricks, you’ll barely know they were born from a packet.

When I called my whole-foods-only mother to alert her of this culinary update, I could hear the gears grinding in her head: What’s wrong with real potatoes?! I, like Ma, had always assumed those little baggies contained none of the actual vegetable they were masquerading as. (In our defense, that potato dust looks a heck-load similar to fish food.) But we were both wrong. As it turns out, I told her, instant potatoes are just potatoes that have been cooked, mashed, and then dehydrated—leaving you with crystallized, powdery flakes that you only need to rehydrate with hot liquid before serving. Seemingly convinced, Mom then asked: “Okay, but how do the potatoes taste?” My answer: That depends on what you do with them.

Here’s how to make instant mashed potatoes taste really good:

Idahoan’s classic mix was the best instant mash I tried. Still, my control batch, when prepared according to the directions on the packet—with hot water, salt, and margarine or butter—was lackluster. Gummy and a little bland, with a sort of musty, mothball flavor profile that just wouldn’t quit. But after experimenting with a solid rotation of mix-ins (cream cheese, chives, milk, chicken broth, garlic powder, miso, Parmesan, and more), I finally landed on two winning combos that’ll make any mashed tater shine.

1. Beurre blanc instant mashed potatoes

Bright, creamy, aromatic, and flecked with wine-soaked shallots, this is the perfect side dish to a classic roast chicken. The game changers in this recipe are dry white wine and peppy lemon juice, which lend some much needed acidic brightness; a smattering of fresh herbs and shallots for added complexity; and butter, for, well, butteriness.

Start by making the butter sauce: In a small saucepan or skillet, simmer ½ cup white wine (the cheap stuff is fine!) with 1 finely diced shallot or 1 Tbsp. dried onion flakes until only 2 Tbsp. of liquid remain. Add 6 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, stirring constantly until a glaze-like texture forms. Throw in 2 Tbsp. finely chopped tarragon or oregano and simmer for a few more minutes until the butter smells fragrant. Stir in the juice from ¼ lemon and remove the pan from the stove. At this point, the sauce should be glossy enough to coat a spoon but not hollandaise-level-thick.

How to Make Instant Mashed Potatoes Waaayyyy Better (2024)

FAQs

How to Make Instant Mashed Potatoes Waaayyyy Better? ›

Fluff gently with a fork. Bring ¼ cup heavy whipping cream to a simmer in a saucepan, then pour it over the mashed potatoes. Stir to combine and season with salt (and more black pepper) to taste.

What can I add to instant mashed potatoes to make them taste better? ›

Mix in a Handful of Herbs

Fresh or dried herbs give instant mashed potatoes a flavor boost. Reach for chives if you want to add a slightly oniony taste, or try parsley for freshness. Dill, thyme or herbs de Provence all work, too.

How do you make instant mashed potatoes less watery? ›

Add a Thickening Agent

This is the most common way to thicken mashed potatoes. You can use what you have on hand: Flour, cornstarch, or powdered milk are all solid options that are probably already in your pantry. Potato flour and potato starch would work as well.

How do you jazz up store-bought mashed potatoes? ›

For dressed-up store-bought mashed potatoes, Garten uses one package of Bob Evans mashed potatoes (she says these are the best on the market), 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, and salt and pepper to taste.

Should you use milk instead of water for instant mashed potatoes? ›

Most instant potato varieties call for you to combine the potatoes with water, but if you want your potatoes to taste a bit more indulgent, use milk instead. Whole milk will yield delightfully rich potatoes, but 2 percent milk works well too.

What does Gordon Ramsay put in his mashed potatoes? ›

Gordon Ramsay's mashed potatoes are known for their richness and flavor. He typically adds butter, heavy cream, and sometimes crème fraîche to his mashed potatoes for a creamy and indulgent texture. Additionally, he often incorporates roasted garlic or chives for extra flavor.

How do you make mashed potatoes not taste bland? ›

Not Seasoning the Water

If you leave out the salt at this point, you will get tasteless potatoes, and butter and sour cream simply can't cover the taste of a flat potato. After you mash the potatoes and add your dairy stir-ins, you can season to taste with additional salt, pepper, garlic, herbs, etc.

How do you make instant potatoes less gummy? ›

Yes, you can fix gluey mashed potatoes. One way to do this is by adding a liquid such as milk or broth to the potatoes and then whisking or mashing them until they become smoother and fluffier. You can also try adding butter or cream cheese to improve the texture and taste.

Why are my instant mashed potatoes gummy? ›

As The Kitchn explains, potatoes will release starch when they're mixed and mashed. Once there is too much starch in your mashed potato mixture, the texture will quickly turn from fluffy to gummy.

How to improve mashed potatoes? ›

I think one way to make mashed potatoes more flavorful is to add other ingredients like garlic, butter, sour cream, or cheese. These ingredients can add flavor and richness to the dish. Additionally, seasoning with salt, pepper, and herbs like chives or parsley can enhance the overall taste of mashed potatoes.

How to improve the taste of instant mashed potatoes? ›

What to Add to Instant Potatoes to Make Them Taste Better
  1. Milk: Milk adds to the richness of the potatoes. ...
  2. Chicken broth: This adds a richer flavor than if you would just use water.
  3. Butter: Butter is always a good idea. ...
  4. Sour Cream: Sour cream and potatoes just go together.
Nov 4, 2020

How to doctor up frozen mashed potatoes? ›

You can season with extra salt and pepper or give your frozen mashed potatoes a creamy upgrade with sour cream and bacon, roasted garlic, or lemon and herbs. Get started before the holiday rush by making some of our other delicious make-ahead recipes.

How do restaurants make mashed potatoes to order? ›

Restaurants prepare the potatoes ahead by boiling and mashing just the potato, then just before serving, it is mixed into boiling cream (or milk or even broth or a combination thereof) to reheat it and make it nice and creamy.

What can I substitute for butter in instant mashed potatoes? ›

Add Oil, Margarine and Milk

Drizzling in a little of either oil in makes a great substitute for butter in mashed potatoes. Though oil is healthier, it is even higher in calories than butter, however, so take care if you are weight-watching. A tablespoon of olive oil has 118 calories according to the USDA.

Why are my mashed potatoes always bland? ›

Not salting the water.

Leaving salt out means you're starting off with bland potatoes. Follow this tip: Begin the process of seasoning your mashed potatoes by adding salt to the water when cooking the potatoes. You won't have to add as much salt later and, most importantly, you won't find yourself with bland potatoes.

References

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