Make Mashed Potatoes Taste Like Chips With A Simple Ingredient Combo

Mashed potatoes. You know them, and if you've tasted them you've probably loved them. Salty, creamy, and sweet. Who could possibly resist a pile of the soft, pillowy goodness? But if you've had enough bowls of the plain stuff you might be in the mood to try something different. Allow us to introduce you to a flavor combo that you've probably only tried in chip form: salt and vinegar mashed potatoes.

At first, it may be weird to encounter this flavor profile (typically associated with crunchy chips) in something as fluffy and yielding as a bowl of mashed potatoes. But these two flavors play beautifully off of a rich, hearty starch like the potato (they're not associated with fish and chips for no reason, after all). If you've ever wanted to add just a little bit of sharpness and acidity to your sides, this could be just the ticket. Just be sure to add the vinegar and salt after you put in the butter and milk, as the former are liable to get buried by the latter if you add them in reverse order.

So what would go well with salt and vinegar mashed potatoes? Well, pretty much everything that goes well with regular mashed potatoes. If you made a particularly delectable sirloin steak (one of Anthony Bourdain's favorite cuts) and you're looking for something soft and savory yet just a little bit sharp to pair it with, this is the dish for you. And if you'd like something that can cut through the richness of a chicken fried steak (which is distinct from country fried steak due to using different types of gravy), these could be your new favorite mashed potatoes.

The dish also makes for a brilliant alternative to traditional chips if you're craving fish and chips but don't want to deal with a fryer. You can air fry your fish or even buy fish sticks (which are usually made from Alaskan pollock) from the frozen aisle at the supermarket. Then instead of serving it with the usual fries, you can opt for these tangy mashed potatoes. Not hot oil is necessary — just the usual implements for making mashed potatoes: a peeler, a masher, and a spoon. Be sure, however, that you're using malt vinegar, as that toasty, mellow flavor will be much more pleasant than a dash of apple cider vinegar over your taters.