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11 Mix-Ins To Revolutionize Your Mashed Potatoes

11 Mix-Ins To Revolutionize Your Mashed Potatoes
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Put a new spin on the holiday staple with these inventive twists. Just follow the basic recipe, and then add the ingredients that suit your meal (or mood).

By Lynn Andriani

Master Recipe
(Serves 4)
Bring a big pot of water to boil, add 2 pounds of peeled Yukon Gold potatoes that you've cut into large chunks. Simmer until they are tender and a fork can easily pierce them, about 15 minutes. (You should almost be able to break them apart when you touch them, but not quite.) Drain the potatoes. Let them sit in a colander while you warm 2 tablespoons of butter and a cup of whole milk in the same pot you cooked the potatoes in. When the butter has melted, add the potatoes and mash with a potato masher. Season with salt and pepper to taste (go easy on the seasonings depending on what extras you're adding), and then stir in a mix-in...

Cheesy
Tangy: Stir in 4 ounces of crumbled goat cheese or feta.
Rich, slightly sweet: Stir in 4 ounces of cubed cream cheese or brie.
Sharp: Stir in 4 ounces of grated Swiss or cheddar.

Spicy
Mexican: Stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped chilies in adobo sauce and garnish with sliced scallions.
Spanish: Add 4 teaspoons of smoked paprika and top with chopped, fresh chives.
Indian: Use sweet potatoes instead of Yukon Gold; mix in 3/4 teaspoon garam masala and 1/2 teaspoon cumin.

Herby
Pesto: Stir in 3/4 cup of pesto and garnish with grated Parmesan.
Rosemary lemon: Mix in 1 teaspoon of finely chopped rosemary and the zest of 1 lemon.

Crunchy
Bacon: Fold in 4 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled.
Broccoli: Chop 1 head of broccoli into florets and add to potatoes when they are almost finished cooking. Scoop out, then drain potatoes and mash; stir florets back in with other ingredients.
Nuts: Use sweet potatoes instead of Yukon Gold; mix in 1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts.

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Before You Go

10 Mistakes You're Making With Mashed Potatoes
Mistake #1: You're using the wrong kind of potato(01 of10)
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Of the three kinds of potatoes (starchy, waxy and all-purpose), you should aim for varieties that fall within the starchy (Russet) or all-purpose (Yukon Gold) realms. You should NEVER use waxy potatoes (i.e. red bliss, fingerlings, etc.). Starchy potatoes break down better, resulting in a creamier mash. (credit:Getty Images)
Mistake #2: You're not cutting your potatoes into equal-sized chunks(02 of10)
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Your potatoes won't cook at the same rate if they're different sizes, meaning the larger pieces will be undercooked while the smaller pieces will be overcooked. This does not a creamy mash make. Start with cold water, bring it up to a simmer, and cook the potatoes until they're all uniformly done.

(Some people say you shouldn't even peel or cut your potatoes before adding them to the cooking liquid, but we don't agree with that method because our potatoes are rarely all a uniform size.) (credit:Flickr: krossbow)
Mistake #3: You're over/undercooking the potatoes(03 of10)
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Overcooked potatoes are mealy, and therefore not delicious. Undercooked potatoes are too chunky to whip into a smooth mash. You'll know your potatoes are perfectly done when a sharp paring knife passes through the potatoes without any resistance. (credit:Giphy)
Mistake #4: You're using a food processor, blender, immersion blender, or hand mixer(04 of10)
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THIS IS IMPORTANT: Potatoes are filled with starch, and starch does NOT like to be overworked. When you handle/mix/beat/whip starch too much, it breaks down and tightens up. Imagine what happens to your fingers when your fists ball up in a fit of rage -- that's basically what happens to the starch in potatoes when you mix them too much. The result is something akin to thick glue, and that's horrible. You should be aiming for light and fluffy.

Instead of using one of the aforementioned tools (which are so high-powered that they will most certainly overwork the potatoes), we suggest using a potato ricer or a hand-held masher. (credit:Williams-Sonoma)
Mistake #5: You're overmixing the potatoes, period(05 of10)
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Even if you use a ricer or a hand-masher, it's possible to overwork the potatoes. When you're mixing in the cream, milk or butter, gently stir until the ingredients are JUST combined. There's no need to work your mashed potatoes to death. YOU'LL BE EATING GLUE, REMEMBER? (credit:Flickr: Laissez Faire)
Mistake #6: You're using cold butter and cream(06 of10)
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Having these ingredients at room temperature helps them absorb better into the hot potatoes, and also decreases the risk that you'll overmix them. (credit:Giphy)
Mistake #7: You're adding too much liquid(07 of10)
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You can add a bit of cream or milk (according to your recipe), but don't turn your mashed potatoes into potato soup. The only way to un-do this is to add more cooked potatoes, which you most certainly won't have on-hand during Thanksgiving Day madness. (credit:Flickr: Alexandra Moss)
Mistake #8: You haven't added enough butter(08 of10)
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Joel Robuchon's famous mashed potato recipe uses a 2:1 potato-to-butter ratio, meaning that for every pound of potatoes, he uses a half-pound of butter. We here at HuffPost Taste are huge fans of his recipe, and can attest to the fact that it doesn't taste like a grease pit. They're perfectly balanced and perfectly heavenly. When in doubt, add more butter. (credit:Wifflegif)
Mistake #9: You haven't used enough salt(09 of10)
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All the potatoes and butter in the world will still taste Bland City if you don't season them with enough salt. Season your mashed potatoes and, WITHOUT MIXING THEM TOO MUCH (have you gotten the point yet?), taste them and adjust the salt levels until they're to your liking. The amount of salt will obviously vary to suit everyone's taste. (credit:Giphy)
Mistake #10: You're drying them out(10 of10)
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It's ok (but not optimal) to make your mashed potatoes in advance, but once they've cooled down it's important that you heat them up without drying them out. There are two ways to do this. 1) Place your finished mashed potatoes in a double boiler. This will gently warm them through without the risk of scorching the potatoes at the bottom of the pan. 2) Add more warm cream or butter. (credit:mandatory.com)
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