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Mashed potatoes are always a crowd-pleaser, and instant mashed potatoes make it easy to quickly get this favorite side on the table. Not only that, but instant potatoes are affordable, readily available, and versatile. You may be surprised to learn that versatility extends far beyond a simple and delicious bowl of mashed potatoes. Here’s a round-up of the best culinary hacks and creative ways to use instant mashed potatoes.
Instant mashed potatoes—also known as dehydrated potatoes—are real, fresh potatoes, just with the water removed. Dehydrating whole potatoes allows instant potatoes to retain most of their nutrition and all of their flavor.
One of the benefits of instant mashed potatoes is that they’re shelf-stable, so you can always have them on hand. They’re also quick and easy to make. Just add the flakes to hot water and stir to rehydrate the potatoes. The mashed potatoes are ready to serve just like that, but they can also be used as a shortcut or enhancement in other recipes! Read on to learn more.
Boxes, single-serve cups, pouches, seasoned, unseasoned—instant potato flakes can come in a variety of ways. Pre-seasoned single- or double-serving pouches or cups are easy to take with you while camping, hiking, or on the go. Just rehydrate and enjoy.
You can also find unseasoned flakes in a multiple-serving box, and they’re long-lasting, so you can always have them on hand. Most of the hacks in this blog use the unseasoned flakes to give you control over the flavors.
The best way to rehydrate instant potatoes is to use a 1:1 ratio of hot water to flakes. Add the dry mix to the hot water to achieve smooth, clump-free mashed potatoes. Mix until the instant potatoes are fully incorporated, then let them sit for about five minutes. Give the mashed potatoes one final mix before serving.
Note: Hot water or milk will give you the best results, especially when you’re eating the mashed potatoes as is, but it’s not necessary. Especially if you’re using instant potatoes on the go, lukewarm or cold water is fine.
With unseasoned potato flakes, you can add your own seasonings and additional ingredients to make your potatoes exactly how you like them. Butter or a splash of milk will give them a richer flavor. Salt, pepper, garlic (fresh or granulated), and seasoning blends all kick the flavor up a notch. You can even mix in additional ingredients like cheese, fresh herbs, and bacon for a gourmet spin.
Beyond making a quick and tasty side dish, instant mashed potatoes can elevate many other recipes. In their dehydrated state, instant potatoes provide a great, gluten-free substitute in many recipes that call for flour or breadcrumbs. Rehydrated, they can enhance the texture of baked goods and provide a shortcut for recipes that use mashed potatoes as a base.
Get the most use out of your instant mashed potatoes with these suggestions.
Instant mashed potatoes act as an excellent thickening agent for soups, stews, sauces, and casseroles. Instead of using flour or cornstarch, sprinkle in some potato flakes to achieve a thicker consistency.
For best results, use the unseasoned flakes and add them toward the end of cooking. Start with just a tablespoon or two, whisking them to incorporate. Then, allow them to rehydrate for about five minutes; at that point, your dish won’t get any thicker.
You can always add more flakes if your sauce, soup, or casserole is still watery; just incorporate a small amount at a time until you achieve your desired consistency. This not only enhances the texture but also adds a subtle potato flavor.
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Another way that instant potato flakes provide a gluten-free alternative is as a light and crispy coating, especially on protein. Where you’d normally use breadcrumbs or flour in the dredging process, use dry potato flakes instead. You can add your own seasonings and spices to the instant potatoes to elevate the flavor.
This works particularly well for chicken, fish, and even onion rings. When fried or baked, the flakes create a deliciously golden and crunchy crust.
Similarly, instant mashed potatoes can act as a binder in place of flour for meatloaf and burgers. Add a scoop of flakes to your meat mixture. This ensures that the burgers or meatloaf hold together without drying out when cooked. The hint of potato flavor also adds something special.
Many people hesitate to make their own gnocchi, pierogi, or croquettes because it seems time-consuming to make mashed potatoes first. Fortunately, instant mashed potatoes are an excellent shortcut to making potato-based dishes at home.
Rehydrate potato flakes with water using a 1:1 ratio (cold water works great here so you don’t have to wait for the mashed potatoes to cool down before adding other ingredients, like egg yolks) and then use the mix where your recipe calls for mashed potatoes.
This may be the most surprising tip, but instant mashed potatoes can enhance the flavor and texture of most baked goods. In bread, rolls, biscuits, cakes, and cookies, adding instant mashed potatoes will give you a soft, moist, and rich end-product.
For most baked goods, rehydrate your instant mashed potatoes first and treat them like a wet ingredient. For example, add them when you add softened butter. Also, instead of following the box’s instructions, when rehydrating instant mashed potatoes for baked goods use a 4:1 ratio by volume of water to instant potatoes.
The exception to this is baked goods with drier dough, like cookies. It’s possible to substitute some dehydrated flakes for a portion of the flour to make fluffier cookies that get perfectly golden brown in the oven. It’s best to add the potatoes after creaming together the butter and sugar and incorporating eggs.
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To make your mac and cheese extra creamy, add a small amount of instant mashed potato flakes (without rehydrating them first) to the cheese sauce. The starch thickens the sauce and gives it a velvety smooth texture. You can even play around with substituting dehydrated potatoes for flour in the preparation of the sauce for a gluten-free alternative.
Instant mashed potatoes are more than just a convenient side dish—they’re a versatile kitchen ingredient that can enhance recipes and simplify cooking. Keep a box on hand so you can enjoy the endless possibilities that instant mashed potatoes offer!
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