Take Instant Mashed Potatoes To The Next Level With Another Form Of Potato

Instant mashed potatoes are a handy side dish shortcut to keep in your pantry. The packets last a while, so you can pull them out whenever you're having a hectic day and need to throw dinner together. But let's face it — they're unlikely to be mistaken for the real thing and can be on the bland side. The good news is that it's easy to upgrade the dried spuds with other ingredients, including potatoes in another form. Steph Loaiza from Six Sisters' Stuff spoke to The Takeout about how to use potato chips to punch them up.

"By adding potato chips to instant mashed potatoes, you are essentially rehydrating the potato chips," Loaiza told us. "With the saltiness of potato chips, you will notice a difference in the taste, and if you're using a flavored potato chip, a different taste all together." Using potato chips to dress up dishes isn't actually much of a stretch. They can top casseroles with a salty crunch, they're one of things in your snack drawer that can amp up scrambled eggs, and they can even go upscale and pair with caviar.

Loaiza explained how to blend crumbled potato chips with the instant potatoes, which will differ according to how you like your mashed potatoes. "If you want a smooth, creamy mashed potato with a little added flavor, you'll want to add the potato chips at the beginning and whisk them in until they are fully incorporated. If you want more of a crunch, mix in bigger chunks of chips after the instant potatoes have been made completely — more like a garnish or final step."

There are many potato chips flavors to choose from, of course, from classic plain with salt to whatever new flavor Lay's has just dreamed up. So which should you use to pep up your instant potatoes? Steph Loaiza advised: "Stick with flavors that you could see as a topping or addition to regular mashed potatoes. Sour cream and onion is a great place to start, or a little jalapeño if you prefer just a touch of spice. If you like cheese, you could also add a little sour cream and cheddar, or if you're feeling a little more out there, try a barbecue or specialty flavor chip." Just make sure your chip choice doesn't clash if you're using an instant potato that is already flavored with something like cheese or roasted garlic.

Loaiza also had some ideas for other ingredients to add to the double potato mixture. Again, it's about incorporating traditional flavors to zest things up. Her suggestions include sour cream, cream cheese, chives, and minced garlic. You could also try topping the finished dish with crumbled bacon or scallions. Here again, any additional components should match, as she cautioned, "Just make sure the add-ins complement your chip flavor for a better overall experience."

Using potato chips this way is a bit of a call back to the social media craze of potato chip mashed potatoes. The difference here is that you're adding the chips to enhance the already existing mashed potatoes as opposed to relying solely on the rehydrated chips. Either way, though, it's a solid trick to create a flavorful, quick side dish without having to boil a bunch of potatoes.