Lefse (Easy Instant Mashed Potato Version) Recipe | CDKitchen (2024)

FAQs

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

Mix in shredded cheddar or Parmesan cheese for an easy way to make instant mashed potatoes better, or go beyond the basics with blue cheese, Manchego, Gruyere, goat cheese or even cream cheese. They all bring something delicious to the table and add a new spin on basic boxed 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.

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.

Forget what you think you know about instant mashed potatoes! Evaporated milk changes everything about dry flakes. Transformed into a smooth texture with rich flavor and color... You won't believe they're instant!

Whereas most home cooks will use a pinch of butter, a couple of shakes of salt, and a bit of milk, steakhouse chefs aren't afraid to go all out with the dairy. There's no room for 2% or even whole milk in their mashed potatoes -- the thinness of plain milk just isn't creamy enough to cut it. And creaminess is key!

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.

Instant mashed potatoes are convenient for busy food establishments like KFC — the only thing employees need to do is add water and mix.

Sour cream is much richer than milk and it could make your potatoes too rich (per The Kitchn). Adding a touch of sour cream to your potato recipe can add a bit of richness and some zip without taking away from the texture you may be desiring when making mashed potatoes.

Mayonnaise is my secret ingredient for having incredibly creamy mashed potatoes. However, especially with instant mashed potatoes, you do still need enough liquid to make sure the potatoes are not dry. So, in this recipe, I use it more to add a creamy texture than to replace the milk all together.

Add Oil, Margarine and Milk

Drizzling in a little of either oil in makes a great substitute for butter in mashed potatoes.

What adds flavor to mashed potatoes? ›

Garlic – For savory depth of flavor. Unsalted butter – For richness and buttery flavor. Milk – It smooths the starchy potatoes into an incredibly creamy mash. Use whole milk for the creamiest results.

For additional flavor, add some fresh herbs, such as chives, parsley, thyme or rosemary to the mashed potatoes after mashing them. You can also add some buttermilk, cream cheese or sour cream for a bit of a tangy, creamy flavor. Another great addition to mashed potatoes is to use flavored butter.

Taste before serving: I like to add a scoop of Better then Bouillon chicken base for great flavor, or add more salt and pepper, sour cream, or melted butter, until you reach the flavor you want. nt to add more salt and pepper, or an extra scoop of sour cream, or a little melted butter.