Brilliant Ways to Use Leftover Mashed Potatoes
Amongst friends and family, for all of the things I cook and bake, I am most famous for my mashed potatoes. My mashed potatoes appear only at holidays and very special occasions, because they are good for the soul, and deeply decadent. This is not your weeknight mash, pulled together quickly to accompany dinner. These are the mashed potatoes I bring out for Thanksgiving, and when delivering condolence or sickbed dinners. When I make them for gatherings, I literally plan on one pound of potatoes for every person in attendance, because people go back for seconds and thirds, and you definitely want leftovers.
RELATED: Our Best Mashed Potato Recipes
These are your total indulgence mashed potatoes, and I often ban people from the kitchen when they are being prepared, not because I am ever reluctant to share a recipe, but because certain people have their joy diminished if they have any sense of the caloric or fat content of a dish, and I don’t ever want someone to limit their own happiness. I’m with Oscar Wilde. Everything in moderation, including moderation. These are the potatoes you eat just a couple of times a year, not weekly; and as such, I stand by all the things that make them so delicious. (Even though I should probably serve them with a defibrillator and a garnish of Lipitor.)
WATCH: How to Make Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
It is, to my knowledge, the first time I will ever say definitively that I am not going to publish the recipe, but if you find me on social media and ask me, I will be happy to send it to you. It’s not the nuclear codes, but still, some things have to remain on a need-to-know basis. Plus, my mom reads all my articles and if she had any idea what I put into my mashed potatoes she might never eat them again.
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Since I always make plenty of taters to leave some leftovers, and since we are all facing down the holiday season and buckets of mash are imminent, I have also come up with some great uses for leftovers. These ideas can serve many functions. They can extend a small amount of potatoes into another whole meal. They can take a mediocre mash and elevate it to something better than the original, or a superior mash into something nearly ethereal.
RECIPE: Ranch Mashed Potatoes
I have made rolls, biscuits and breads out of leftover mashed potatoes. Knishes, pierogi and gnocchi are often mere minutes away if you have leftover mashed potatoes. The world’s easiest vichyssoise soup is really just leftover mashed potatoes cooked in milk to your desired consistency and served hot or cold with chives. Our cousins across the pond in the UK have elevated the leftover mashed potato to legendary status. The Scottish Tatty Scone is a traditional way to use up mash, as is the Irish Colcannon and the whimsically named British Bubble and Squeak. And of course, the classic Shepherd’s and Cottage pies both use a lid of leftover mashed potatoes as the trademark of those casseroles. Try leveraging your leftover mash for samosas, latkes, this breakfast casserole fit for a queen, a pot of loaded potato soup, savory hand pies, and so much more.
Whatever mashed potato recipe you use, having some fun uses for leftovers are always a good thing, so here are 5 more mouthwatering recipes for using up the rest of the pot!
Mashed Potato Pancakes
Get the Recipe: Mashed Potato Pancakes
Easy Tex-Mex Shepherd's Pie
Get the Recipe: Easy Tex-Mex Shepherd's Pie
Cheesy Leftover Mashed Potato Waffles
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Leftover Mashed Potato Waffles
Picadillo Stuffed Mashed Potato Balls
Get the Recipe: Picadillo Stuffed Mashed Potato Balls
Leftover Mashed Potato Doughnuts with Cranberry Sauce Filling
Get the Recipe: Leftover Mashed Potato Doughnuts with Cranberry Sauce Filling
