How to Use Instant Mashed Potatoes in Real Meals
That box of instant mashed potatoes can do a lot more than you think.
Instant mashed potatoes show up in food pantry bags constantly. They're lightweight, shelf-stable, and cook in about five minutes. Most people make them as a side dish, serve them once, and the rest of the box sits in the cupboard.
But instant mashed potatoes are one of the most versatile pantry staples you can have. They work as a topping, a thickener, a base for a full meal, and even as a coating for fried food. Here's how to get more out of them.
Top a Shepherd's Pie
This is the best use for instant mashed potatoes. Brown ground beef or turkey with frozen mixed vegetables in a skillet. Transfer to a baking dish, spread mashed potatoes on top, and bake at 375°F until the top is golden. It's a complete dinner from three pantry items.
Build a Loaded Mashed Potato Bowl
Make a big batch of mashed potatoes and load them up with toppings. Canned chili, shredded cheese, browned ground beef, canned beans, sour cream. Think of the mashed potatoes as the base the same way you'd think of rice in a rice bowl. It's a full meal and everyone can top theirs however they want.
Use Them as a Thickener
A few tablespoons of instant mashed potato flakes stirred into a soup or stew will thicken it up instantly. This works especially well with thin soups that need more body. Just sprinkle in a little at a time, stir, and stop when you hit the consistency you want. It doesn't change the flavor much at all.
Make Potato Cakes
Mix leftover prepared mashed potatoes (or make a fresh batch) with an egg and a little flour if you have it. Form into patties and fry them in oil or butter until golden and crispy on both sides. These are great on their own or as a side. You can mix in canned tuna or chicken to make them a full meal.
Coat Chicken or Fish
Crush instant mashed potato flakes and use them as a breading for chicken or fish. Dip the meat in beaten egg, then press it into the flakes. Fry in oil or bake at 400°F until cooked through. The coating gets surprisingly crispy and has more flavor than regular breadcrumbs.
Tips for better instant mashed potatoes
Add butter. Even a tablespoon makes a huge difference. If you have it, use it.
Use milk instead of water. The box says you can use water, and you can, but milk makes them creamier. If you have dry milk, that works too.
Don't add too much liquid. Start with a little less than the box says. You can always add more, but you can't fix watery mashed potatoes.
Season them. A pinch of salt and garlic powder turns decent mashed potatoes into good mashed potatoes.
What else can you make?
If you have instant mashed potatoes and other pantry items, use our ingredient search to check off what's in your kitchen. We'll show you every recipe you can make right now.