9 Mashed Potato Recipes You’ve Never Heard of but MUST Try!

By Philip
December 11, 2024

Change up your holiday game with these mouthwatering mashed potato recipes!

If you make no-frills mashed potatoes, you better ensure they’re the best. Then again, you can also check out one of these ideas and be the star of this year’s holiday dinners! Think about it: Mashed potatoes are probably one of the most popular side dishes ever.

You can often find them at the dinner table, but they genuinely have their moment of glory on holidays. No Thanksgiving menu is complete without a giant bowl of them.

Many people also have them for Christmas, and you’ll probably see some alongside an Easter ham. But it’s time to take your classic mashed potato recipe to another level and try one of these 9. Trust us! You’ll be the envy of your potluck circle!

Mashed Potato Recipe — Photo by Irina Meliukh at Shutterstock

Bacon and caramelized onion potato bake

Prepare a batch of mashed potatoes for a seriously satisfying bake, then stir through some crispy bacon bits and knots of golden, caramelized onions. Season the mixture and transfer everything to a dish.

Top it with a scattering of grated Cheddar or Parmesan and cook in a medium oven for about half an hour until the cheese bubbles and the surface turns golden brown.

Serve this yummy mashed potato recipe straight from the oven as a side dish to roast chicken or sausages, or enjoy with a heap of seasonal greens.

Spiced pumpkin mash

It’s time to give your mashed potato recipe the pumpkin spice treatment—perfect for Thanksgiving dinner! Use a mixture of orange squash and potato. Pumpkin flesh makes a satisfyingly sweet mash and is ideal for using up a seasonal excess.

Once you’ve made your mashed potatoes, stir in a little nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon, and add a dash of maple syrup for the ultimate comforting side. Finish with a hint of caraway seeds for a touch of nutty sharpness.

Celeriac, apple, and horseradish mashed potatoes

This mashed potato recipe is a must-try for a dish that works brilliantly with white meat and fish due to its slightly sweet yet subtly dynamic flavor.

To make enough celeriac and apple mashed potatoes to serve four people as a side, cook a roughly chopped and peeled medium celeriac in boiling salted water for about 20 minutes, adding two peeled and roughly chopped apples to the pan for the last five minutes.

Drain everything well, return to the pan, and mash until smooth. Stir in about a teaspoon of creamed horseradish and season it to your taste. Serve topped with a generous drop of butter.

Beer cheese mashed potatoes

As a Kentucky favorite, beer cheese dip is usually served with pretzels, but it’s also fantastic stirred through mashed potatoes. Melt an ounce of unsalted butter in a saucepan that’s set over medium heat. Stir in 3 tablespoons of plain flour until you’ve obtained a paste.

Cook for a few minutes, then begin to slowly whisk in 6fl oz of beer and whole milk. Lighter varieties of beer work best. Stir in some Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce, then add a sprinkle of paprika and around 10oz grated Cheddar.

Take it off the heat once the cheese has melted, and stir the sauce through your mashed potatoes. Transfer the mix to a dish, top with extra cheese, and warm through in a medium oven. How does this mashed potato recipe sound?

Mashed potatoes with broccoli and Cheddar

To turn your old mashed potato recipe into a slightly more substantial dish, cook and mash the potatoes as you normally would, then fold in some steamed and chopped broccoli and a couple of ample handfuls of grated cheese.

Parmesan or mature Cheddar will add a nutty richness here. In contrast, a hefty blue cheese like Stilton can also deliver a nice creamy tang.

Add a dot of butter and a sprinkling of finely grated nutmeg to finish it off, and you’ll have a delectable side dish that will impress everyone at your dinner table.

Fish cakes

Fish cakes are fantastic as a midweek meal idea, and they’re easy to make, especially if you have leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge.

All you have to do is add some mackerel or smoked salmon to your mashed potato recipe along with some parsley, chopped dill, or chives, a dash of horseradish sauce, and a bit of lemon zest.

Mix it all together, shape your mixture into a couple of patties, and pop them in the fridge for 20 minutes or so to firm up. Coat each patty first in flour, then beaten egg, and then some breadcrumbs.

Transfer everything to a baking tray and cook in the oven that’s preheated to 375°F for 15 minutes, turning carefully halfway, until they’re golden brown. Serve with a green salad, some lemon wedges, and tartar sauce.

Cauliflower and cannellini bean mash

Try this cauliflower and cannellini bean mashed potato recipe for a delicious dish that’s lighter than the original and packed with fiber. To serve two as a side dish, cook about 14 ounces of cauliflower florets in boiling salted water for about five minutes until they’re tender.

Drain and rinse a 14oz can of cannellini beans and add them to the pan. Cook for roughly two minutes, and drain well after.

Return the beans and cauliflower to the pan and stir in an ample amount of finely grated lemon zest and a dash of Dijon mustard. Season until smooth and serve as a side to grilled fish, roast chicken, or sausages.

Potato waffles

You can take brunch with some friends to a whole new level with some homemade potato waffles. To make enough of this mashed potato recipe for a couple of people, combine about 10oz leftover mashed potatoes with 4fl oz milk.

Then add 3.5oz plain flour, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1 tsp caster sugar, ½ tsp acceptable salt, and two thinly sliced spring onions. Brush your hot waffle maker with some melted butter, and add half the waffle batter.

Make sure you spread it out equally. Cook for a couple of minutes until golden. Carefully remove and keep them warm while you cook the rest of the batter. Serve your waffles topped with fresh herbs, cherry tomatoes, and parmesan cheese.

You can also opt for crispy bacon and poached eggs or try creme fraiche, smoked salmon, and avocado.

Mashed sweet potatoes with rosemary

For a flavorful new twist on your traditional mashed potatoes, cook some peeled and cubed sweet potatoes in boiling salted water until they’re tender. Drain them well and leave to steam for a few minutes.

Return your potatoes to the pan and stir in lots of butter and some finely chopped rosemary. This is what will give it a lovely aromatic flavor. You can also add some chili flakes, crushed garlic, or fresh thyme to the mix.

This mashed potato recipe works well with pork chops or sausages, is an excellent accompaniment to a rich stew, and could also be used to top a shepherd’s pie with mouthwatering results.

What’s YOUR favorite mashed potato recipe? Please feel free to share it with our readers in the comments section below. But don’t leave yet!

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