Make the Perfect Mashed Potato

Serving Suggestions

Once you’ve got the hang of basic mash, (view our method below) you can try ringing the changes with a few different flavour combinations (quantities given are a loose guide only, as they will vary according to the number of servings being prepared).

Garlic Mash:

Heat a crushed garlic clove or two in some olive oil until fragrant (don’t let the garlic colour), then trickle into the cooked and drained potatoes before seasoning to taste with salt and pepper and mashing to your preferred consistency. This is also good with drained capers, sliced olives or even a few finely-chopped sundried tomatoes stirred into the finished mash.

Cheesy Mash:

Crumble or grate some of your favourite cheese into the cooked and drained potatoes (we like a mature Cheddar, such as Hawkridge Vintage, though blue cheese and goats’ cheese are also delicious) before seasoning with freshly ground black pepper and mashing – you may need to add a splash of milk to loosen slightly. It’s also worth noting that many cheeses contain animal rennet, so check this if you’d like your mash to be vegetarian.

Herby Mash:

Gently heat a tbsp or so of finely chopped woody herbs (e.g. sage, rosemary, thyme) in olive oil until fragrant – don’t let them colour or crisp up. Add the oil and herbs to the cooked and drained potatoes, together with salt and pepper to your taste, then mash. For fresh herbs (parsley, basil, coriander or mint -  though a little mint will go a long way), mash the cooked potatoes with plenty of butter (or your choice of fat), season with salt and pepper, then chop the herb leaves as finely as you can and stir into the finished mash just before serving.

Mustardy Mash:

Add a teaspoon or so of wholegrain or English mustard to the cooked and drained potatoes, together with a generous knob of butter, then season to taste and mash to your preferred consistency. If you like mash with a little ‘kick’ you could also try adding a little creamed horseradish before mashing the potatoes.

Pesto Mash:

Simply add a generous dollop of pesto sauce (bought or home-made) to the drained and cooked potatoes, then mash.