17 Simple Mashed Potato Recipes for When You're Craving Comfort Food (2024)

FAQs

Is mashed potatoes a comfort food? ›

Fried, mashed, or baked – potatoes are the ultimate comfort food, a simple ingredient to work with, and the perfect base to build from for any comfort dish.

You've probably noticed that you feel calmer and more content after digging into a yummy baked potato or plate of home fries. And researchers may have figured out why: Potatoes boast rich stores of tryptophan and potassium — nutrients your brain and digestive tract use to produce the mood-steadying hormone serotonin.

Mashed potatoes (and stuffing) are the best part of any Thanksgiving or holiday meal and the perfect side with almost anything! They go especially well with sauces, gravy or things like Salisbury steak, beef tips, or Swiss steak.

Wealth of micronutrients. In addition to carbohydrates — a needed energy source for your body and brain — potatoes contain a wealth of micronutrients. They're a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. As a bonus, potatoes are low in calories, contain no fat or cholesterol, and are sodium-free.

Adding egg yolks to a pot of mashed potatoes is an easy, dairy-free texture and taste upgrade that doesn't require any special techniques. The yolks harbor all the flavorful fats and emulsifying components and will thus effectively unify the fat and water in potatoes, translating to a smoother, uniformly creamy pot.

Instead of regular milk, pro chefs generally use a generous helping of buttermilk and plenty of half-and-half or (even better) heavy cream in their potatoes. If you think the bartenders up front are pouring heavy, they've got nothing on the cooks in the back who are in charge of the mashed potatoes.

Garnish With Herbs

Speaking of delicious green things, both woody herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme, and leafy herbs like dill can add freshness to this starchy side. A herb-based sauce like pesto swirled into mashed potatoes is another way to add vibrant flavor.

Eating potatoes without removing the alkaloids leads to the development of symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomachache, feeling of weakness, dizziness, and dyspnea about 20 minutes after eating, and food poisoning may develop although it is generally mild.

Truth is, potatoes are natural stress relievers. This is because, as a nutrient-dense carbohydrate, potatoes trigger insulin to allow tryptophan into the brain. This process ultimately creates 5HTP and boosts serotonin... naturally!

Eating too many potatoes, especially deep-fried or laden with added fat and salt, can cause side effects such as raised blood sugar and blood pressure, despite potatoes being a good source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

What can I eat with mashed potatoes besides gravy? ›

Instead of gravy, opt for a lemony hollandaise sauce recipe to add a little tangy flavor and heat to your side dish. This works especially well for any mashed potatoes that have found their way onto a brunch menu, or if you're cooking a French entrée.

It is totally fine to eat potatoes every day. While how you prepare and cook potatoes and how much you eat could possibly impact your health, whole potatoes with skin are a nutritious vegetable with health benefits.

Potatoes are part of the vegetable group. Foods from the vegetable group provide important nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and fiber. Based on MyPyramid, ½ cup of potatoes provides ½ cup of vegetables from the vegetable group.

Mashed potato or mashed potatoes (American, Canadian and Australian English), colloquially known as mash (British English), is a dish made by mashing boiled or steamed potatoes, usually with added milk, butter, salt and pepper. It is generally served as a side dish to meat or vegetables.

Tryptophan, which is naturally found in potatoes, is a natural sedative that promotes restful sleep. In addition, the potassium in potatoes acts as a muscle relaxant, ensuring a more restful sleep and more relaxed body.

Comfort food is an entirely personal thing. For some people, it's all about the cheesy goodness and hearty carbs of an ooey gooey mac and cheese. And for others, it's more about the rich and meaty dishes like braised short ribs and chili recipes.