Combine Canned Potatoes With This Pantry Staple For Low Effort Homemade-Style Mash

Mashed potatoes are on almost everyone's list of comfort foods, but have you ever looked at a bag of russets and gotten tired just thinking about peeling all those spuds? If considering the job is enough for you to put the potato peeler away, try a different tactic. Instead of using a bag of raw root veggies to start a batch of mashed potatoes, go to your pantry and grab two pre-skinned versions: canned potatoes and instant potato flakes. Combined, these two quick-style potatoes will create a smooth batch of mashed potatoes that's surprisingly tasty. The only thing you'll have to peel apart is the packaging.

Canned potatoes can be transformed into a homemade-style mashed version in about five minutes. Drain the can and dump them into a pot, heat them up, and mash them with a fork or a potato masher. Mix in the instant mashed potatoes and add a dash of milk, butter, cream, and seasonings. You may have to adjust the amount of liquid you add because of the instant potato flakes since they will soak up moisture and help thicken the mashed canned potatoes.

These mashed potatoes come straight from a can and a box, but they don't have to taste that way. Adding a few extra ingredients as you whip them up will get them closer to the classic homestyle mashed potatoes you get at holiday meals. Start adding flavor by boiling the canned spuds in chicken broth or stock. When it comes time to mix-in the dairy, use a compound butter infused with garlic and herbs, or skip the butter and give mashed potatoes a flavor upgrade with bacon grease. Don't forget a touch of sour cream or cream cheese to make them extra silky and to add a bit of tangy flavor.

Garnishes will dress up a combo batch of instant and canned mashed potatoes to where guests might not believe it came from a package. Gravy is a given, but don't shy away from the best mashed potato toppings beyond gravy. The world of garnishes is your oyster — you could even throw some of those in for a seaside-inspired flavor. A much simpler garnish for these extra easy mashed potatoes would be a dash of fresh herbs, melting butter, and a sprinkling of cracked pepper.