The Best Instant Mashed Potato Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make instant mashed potatoes better? ›

Add Heft with Dairy. Heavy cream can make instant mashed potatoes taste indulgent. Half and half or even regular milk (whole is better than skim, but 2% will do) adds extra creaminess. To give your mashed potatoes a light tanginess, go with buttermilk or sour cream.

Pour 1 c (240 mL) of water and 0.5 c (120 mL) of milk into a large microwave-safe bowl. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) of salt and 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 g) of butter or margarine. Substitute the milk with chicken stock, vegetable stock, or extra water for a dairy-free option.

Note: For a creamier mashed potato, stir in additional hot water or milk. Less salt can be added if desired. Note: All microwaves vary and heating times may have to be adjusted. Combine water, salt, and margarine* according to chart below in microwave-safe serving bowl.

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. Stir in the thickening agent gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes have reached your desired consistency.

If they're dry, you could add milk and butter. If you prefer something richer, you could use half 'n half or even heavy whipping cream if you like it extremely rich. You could add chopped garlic for garlic mashed potatoes. You could also add shredded cheddar cheese for cheesy potatoes.

Instant mashed potatoes are convenient for busy food establishments like KFC — the only thing employees need to do is add water and mix. The peeling, cooking, and mashing, has already been done. The downside to instant mashed potatoes is that they aren't as fluffy and tend to be bland.

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.

Runny potatoes can happen for a few different reasons. Too much liquid: This is the most common reason. In the mashing process you may have added too much milk or broth. Boiled too long: Boiling your potatoes for too long can make them water-logged, which (you guessed it) can contribute to runny mashed potatoes.

For a quick and delicious instant mashed potatoes recipe, all you have to do is simply add your potato flakes to hot water, gently fluff with a fork and serve. Whipping up a batch of tasty mashed potatoes just got a whole lot easier!

Adding a thickening agent is easily the best way to fix runny mashed potatoes. We recommend using any thing from the starch family, including corn starch, potato starch, or even tapioca starch.

How much water do I need for 1 cup of instant mashed potatoes? ›

Then, prepare the potatoes: Bring 1¼ cups water to boil in a small saucepan. Once bubbling away, remove from heat, add 1 cup instant mashed potatoes (2 oz.), and gently fluff with a fork.

We do not recommend using our product past the Best By Date as the potatoes will start to break down affecting taste, texture and the overall quality of the product. In some rare cases the potatoes can also spoil.

When too much starch gets released, the potatoes become gummy, gluey, and unappetizing. Overworking the potatoes can happen in a couple ways: either by simply handling them too much, or by using a food processor, blender, or similar tool, which mixes the potatoes too aggressively.

Herbs, like chives, green onions and Italian parsley are also good. Try stirring green peas into your mash as well. Truth be told, you only need salt, pepper, lots of butter and cream to make mashed potatoes delicious.

Milk: Milk adds to the richness of the potatoes. Use at least 2% milk, but preferably whole milk. Chicken broth: This adds a richer flavor than if you would just use water. Butter: Butter is always a good idea.

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.