Completely ordinary and basic mashed potatoes that I've made lots of times - easy to make and goes well with many things.
| Servings | 4 Portions |
| Tags | Autumn | Budget | Family Dinner | International | Vegitables |
| Allergens | Milk |
| Cook Time | 40 min |
Here is a recipe for a very common and basic mashed potatoes. I see this as a kind of base you can start from when you want to make your own mashed potatoes and can modify from here based on taste and preference. It is not at all difficult to make a good mash and once you have done it a few times you will get an idea of what you would like to modify.
A common problem with mashed potatoes is that it becomes sticky, but there are a few things you can do to avoid this:
- Use a floury potato variety.
- Rinse the peeled and cut potatoes to get rid of some of the starch.
- Do NOT stir the finished mash too much.
- Make sure to keep the potato and milk mixture warm when mixing.
I think this recipe makes a good mash that is suitable for many different dishes, but of course you can modify it in lots of different ways. Some examples are:
- Replace some of the milk with cream or crème fraiche.
- Add more butter (in restaurants there is often A LOT more butter in the mash).
- Experiment with adding vegetables to the mash such as carrots or parsnips.
- Boil the potatoes in milk (+ a bay leaf).
- Bake the potatoes in the oven instead of boiling them.
- Let a few (2-3) cloves of garlic cook with the potatoes.
- Mix in some parmesan cheese.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg.
- Mix in various fresh herbs such as chives, parsley and thyme.
It seems that a common perception when it comes to mashed potatoes is that it has to be as smooth and lump-free as possible. In luxury restaurants, they first finely mash the potatoes and then press them through a fine filter to get rid of any hint of lumps. Personally, I think it's good to have small pieces of potato in the mash, so I rarely mash the potatoes more than just using a potato masher. Grandma once said that you should have a few lumps in the mash so guests would know that you used real potatoes and not just bought cheap powdered/instant mash. After that, I see small pieces of potato in the mash as an indication of quality and therefore a "real" mash.
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Ingredients
Directions
- Peel the potatoes and cut into even-sized pieces. Place the potato pieces in a saucepan filled with water.
- Rinse the potatoes with cold water a few times until the water runs clear.
- Boil the potatoes for 15-20 minutes. Use a toothpick or skewer to check if the potatoes are done.
- Pour the potatoes into a colander and let them steam for a few minutes.
- While the potatoes are steaming, mix the rest of the ingredients and heat in the saucepan (to approx. 50-60°C).
- Mashes the potatoes with a potato masher, potato press or similar.
- Mix the mashed potatoes with the warm milk mixture.
- Garnish with some parsley, if desired.
Nutrition Facts*
| Total | Serving | 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 1712.48 kcal | 428.12 kcal | 139 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 191.7 g | 47.92 g | 15.56 g |
| Fat | 101.52 g | 25.38 g | 8.24 g |
| Protein | 21.31 g | 5.33 g | 1.73 g |
| Sugar | 13.43 g | 3.36 g | 1.09 g |
| Salt | 6.41 g | 1.6 g | 0.52 g |
* The nutritional information provided is approximated and calculated using the ingredients available in the database. Info will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
