Mashed Potato Variations

As good as simple, plain mashed potatoes are, certain additions can make them even better. Here are some mashed potato variations – start with my mashed potato recipe and then add/substitute ingredients as below.

Cheesy mashed potatoes Stir ¼ to ½ c grated cheese into mashed potatoes and stir until mostly melted.
Garlic mashed potatoes Add 4 cloves garlic in one of three ways:

  1. Boil peeled garlic with potatoes and mash together (mildly garlicky)
  2. Sauté minced garlic in the butter until soft, add to potatoes, and mash (medium garlic flavor)
  3. Mince raw garlic and add to mashed potatoes (strong garlic flavor)
Herb mashed potatoes Stir ¼ to ½ c minced fresh herbs (parsley, sage, tarragon, thyme…) into mashed potatoes.
Olive oil mashed potatoes Replace butter with olive oil for a slightly fruity flavor.
Pesto mashed potatoes Stir several T pesto into mashed
potatoes.
Rosemary mashed potatoes Stir in 3 T minced fresh rosemary.
Sour cream and chive mashed potatoes Top mashed potatoes with a dollop of sour cream and a few T of minced chives.
Other additions and toppings
  • Gravy
  • Hot pepper oil
  • Peas
  • Sautéed onions
  • Soy sauce
  • Sun-dried tomatoes
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