Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

Today, I’d like to keep our featured recipe short and sweet.  

Everyone knows mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving and childhood dinners (usually as popular as macaroni and cheese amongst 5-year-olds), but with today’s recipe, Mashed Potatoes get an upgrade with the addition of creamed horseradish.  Horseradish Mashed Potatoes incorporate all of the wonders of good mashed potatoes–butter, cream, and plenty of salt and pepper–but possess a rich, restaurant-quality flavor.  

When done correctly, the horseradish enhances, but does not dominate the dish, and the flavors are familiar, but new.  I love my friend Lydia’s idea to infuse a regular batch of mashed potatoes with something as simple as prepared horseradish from a jar.  I now keep a jar of horseradish around for starchy vegetables that need an extra kick. When cooking, I prepare this side with these Grilled Pork Loin Chops with Pepper Sauce, Roast Turkey, or Spicy Cajun Pork Loin (“Dragon’s Tongue”).

–Helana

Pictured: Lydia’s Horseradish Mashed Potatoes, a creamy, buttery, spicy take on the classic American side dish.

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

Yields: 8 (1-cup) servings

Inspired by my best friend Lydia’s horseradish potatoes, this decadent side makes ample use of butter, cream, and, well, horseradish.  Always use red potatoes and keep the skins on for extra flavor and texture.  See past recipe (here) for my family’s traditional Mashed Potatoes, or here for a new take with Smashed Cauliflower.  Also checkout Bon Appétit’s version of Horseradish Mashed Potatoes (what they call “Perfect Potatoes,” (here) for a recipe that includes olive oil substitutions.

**Extra Cook’s Note: for my Fat2Fit listeners, let’s discuss how to make a Mashed Potatoes recipe healthier! I’m thinking of swapping out the butter altogether and using horseradish instead.  Please comment with your suggestions and cooking tips and tricks!

Ingredients:

* 2 pounds red potatoes (washed, not peeled)

* 2-3 tablespoons horseradish 

* 4 tablespoons butter

* 1/4 cup cream

* Salt and pepper, to taste

1.) Begin by prepping your vegetables: wash and quarter potatoes (do not peel), cutting into 1-1 1/2 inch cubes.  Place in a large pot filled 2/3 of the way with salted water.

2.) Boil potatoes over medium-high heat until a cube of potato smashes on a fork (around 20-30 minutes, but cooking times may vary due to the size of your potato cubes, stove, and/or cooking temperature).

3.) Strain potatoes and add to an oversized/large mixing bowl.  While potatoes are still hot, add horseradish, 1-inch cubes of butter, cream, and salt and pepper to taste.  Using a potato masher (a whisk will also work here), mash down the potatoes until they cream together.  Mix, smash, and repeat until creamy.*

*Cook’s Note: For creamy, perfect potatoes that are restaurant style, use a hand or standing mixer. One of my favorite ways to whip mashed potatoes into a frenzy is to use the whisk attachment on my KitchenAid Mixer.  If you have one, combine all ingredients in attached mixing bowl and set mixer to medium-high speed with whisk attachment (not paddle).  Continue to add salt and pepper until the flavor is just right.  

4.) Continue adding salt and pepper to taste. You may also wish to add a dash more horseradish, butter, or milk.  Personally, I like buttery mashed potatoes that require little else when plated, so mash and taste until you’re happy with the final product.  When I made these, Lydia said, “Yum! I could eat JUST THOSE POTATOES.”  I’d say this is when you know you’re done.

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