Cream Cheese Is The Key To Lush Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are as simple as they are comforting, a perfect trifecta of earthy potatoes smashed into creamy submission with the help of milk and butter. Dairy works wonders to enhance the flavor and texture of potatoes, but milk and butter can only take your potatoes so far. Cream cheese is the extra staple you need for the ultimate decadent upgrade.
Butter and milk offer a rich dairy flavor and a creamy texture to help smooth the pulp of a starchy potato and complement its earthiness. Cream cheese adds a novel tangy cheesiness while also enriching mashed potatoes' consistency to the fluffiest heights. There are no extra steps or measurement adjustments required for cream cheese mashed potatoes. You can add a block of cream cheese to a tried-and-true mashed potato recipe.
You'll use an 8-ounce block of softened cream cheese per 5 pounds of potatoes. Simply add the cream cheese with the butter and milk to steamed and mashed potatoes, then use your potato masher to combine all the ingredients. The ultra-rich, elegantly tangy, and sumptuous fluffy results will earn cream cheese a permanent place in your mashed potatoes.
Pairings and techniques for cream cheese mashed potatoes
Cream cheese isn't just a wonderful addition to russets or Yukon golds, but also it's rather an equally delicious flavor and texture enhancement to sweet potatoes, butternut squash, parsnip, or cauliflower mashes. Cream cheese provides a tangy and cheesy flavor that you can enhance with a wide range of spices, herbs, and aromatics. Fresh cracked pepper and salt are par for the course, but you can add a spicy kick with garlic powder, cayenne pepper, or smoked paprika.
Rosemary, roasted garlic, and parmesan cheese will amp up the earthiness of the potatoes while adding a caramelized sweetness and salty complement to tangy cream cheese. With the wealth of flavored cream cheese varieties for sale, you don't have to worry about buying and prepping herbs and aromatics. Opt for flavors like garlic and herbs, chive and onion, jalapeño, and even pineapple cream cheese for a mashed sweet potato casserole.
If you want even creamier mashed potatoes, you can swap milk for cream or half and half. Before adding your dairy, mash drained and boiled potatoes on the stove over low heat to ensure that all the residual water from boiling them evaporates. By removing as much water as possible from the potatoes, they'll be more receptive to the flavoring and texture-enhancing powers of your dairy ingredients.