The Easy Hack To Make Premade Store-Bought Mashed Potatoes Taste Homemade

The convenience of premade mashed potatoes always comes with a cost. Bland taste. Unsatisfying texture. A lack of creaminess that has you wishing you had just made the dish from scratch instead. There's a missing depth where true comfort should be, and all along, the fix has been sitting right there in your fridge. When it comes to revamping a store-bought tray of premashed and cooked potatoes (we're not talking instant mash here), always count on unsalted butter and milk for the job. These two staples are your secret to turning any subpar bowl from the store into a homemade delight.

Even in homemade mashed potatoes, butter has always been one of the most important ingredients. You can taste it clear as day, woven into each spoonful along with a wonderful buttery aroma. But wait, butter does more for mashed potatoes than just add flavor. Oftentimes, it's the one monumental difference between a clumpy mess and a luscious richness in which the fat clings to the starch molecules and smooths them right out.

That said, butter alone might still not be enough to give your store-bought mashed potatoes the silkiness they deserve, and so we add milk to the mix. It balances out a thick texture with a bit of moisture, so that the consistency lands in the perfect middle: Rich and creamy yet still spreadable.

There's a right way to improve your mashed potatoes with milk and butter, and it's not dumping them into the pot all at once. Instead, start by adding the softened butter first and let it slightly melt before throwing in the store-bought mashed potatoes to heat through. After the potato has loosened up a bit, gently pour the milk in, gradually increasing the amount as needed. Remember to be cautious when adding milk to mashed potatoes. One splash too many and it becomes runny. The milk should also be warm (or at least room-temperature) rather than cold for easier absorption, preventing any accidental glueyness from overmixing.

With the base now creamy, buttery, and rich, your dish is ready for many other mashed potato hacks. Aside from salt and pepper, try experimenting with spices and herbs. Aromatics like garlic and onions are great additions in their many forms — chopped, roasted, or powdered. Green onions are ideal for making an Irish colcannon recipe, with additional cabbage or kale if you have it. Just make the most of whatever you currently have in the fridge, whether it's bacon bits, leftover gravy, or frozen vegetables.

Just in case homemade warmth is not enough, reach for restaurant-worthy status with the simple additions Ina Garten uses to elevate store-bought mashed potatoes. We're talking not just butter and seasonings, but also Parmesan cheese and sour cream to impart an out-of-this-world tangy depth. Branching into creative territory, a beurre blanc sauce made from butter, white wine, lemon juice, and chopped herbs can do wonders. The easiest of them all is compound butter. Sweet or savory, herby or smoky, there aren't many ingredients that are too outlandish to fold into butter.