Take Creamer To Places You Never Thought Possible By Adding It To This Savory Side Dish

Creamer and coffee go together like peanut butter and jelly, but if you want to use up your coffee creamer before it goes bad, there are other ways to put it to good use besides your morning java. You can add creamer to tea, but what if you want to think beyond hot, caffeinated beverages and start experimenting with side dishes? It might sound shocking at first, but try adding creamer to your mashed potatoes to give them a flavorful boost.

Before you get out the creamer jug and potato masher, it's important to make sure you're using unsweetened, unflavored creamer. Culinary experimentation is great, but Starbucks caramel macchiato-flavored mashed potatoes are simply a bridge too far. Once you've got your unsweetened creamer, use it in place of milk for rich, creamy mashed potatoes. Creamer is generally less caloric than heavy cream, while giving your mashed potatoes a richer taste than using milk. Many creamers are dairy-free as well, which means your holiday mashed potatoes can be rich and delicious while still safe for those with dairy intolerances. They can even be made vegan-friendly without sacrificing flavor.

Mashed potatoes aren't the only side dish that can benefit from a splash of coffee creamer. You can use creamer (again, non-sweetened, unflavored creamer) in a cozy dish perfect for chilly nights — soup. Creamer can be used in place of heavy cream in rich, hearty soups, like pumpkin, squash, or cream of tomato. Drizzle a little creamer into or over the soup, just as you would with heavy cream.

Many traditional side dishes have a slight sweetness to them, so even sweetened or flavored creamer can work in the right context — like adding a subtle twist to a Thanksgiving-style sweet potato casserole. On the other hand, if you're following a recipe for a creamer-enhanced, Southwestern-inspired salad dressing, it's best to stick to the original, unsweetened version, since a sugary dressing is something few would enjoy.