SaurabhMashed potatoes are one of the most used side dishes that pair well with many different main dishes. They are also used as an ingredient in some dishes like dumplings, shepherd’s pie, pierogi, gnocchi, cottage pie, croquet, and colcannon.
This creamy, soft and delicious dish is made with just a few ingredients.
Mashed potatoes, milk or cream, salt, butter, and black pepper. But some herbs and spices like chives, garlic, parsley, kosher salt, garlic, white pepper, horseradish, and parmesan cheese (even if it is not a spice) are also used to improve the flavor of the mashed potatoes.
Mashed potatoes are usually served as a side dish with meat or vegetables.
If you want to surprise your family with a creamy dish of mashed potatoes and a flavorful main dish here are some of the best main dishes that pair best with mashed potatoes.
20 Things to Eat With Mashed Potatoes
You can successfully pair your mashed potatoes with the following few ingredients and enjoy a wholesome meal with your loved ones or by yourself.
1. Fried chicken
Fried chicken and mashed potatoes are a delicious classic combination.
The crispy fried chicken and the soft and creamy mashed potatoes can be drizzled with a gravy made with the juices from the fried chicken.
You can also roast the chicken in the oven and prepare a gravy to add a beautiful flavor to the mashed potatoes.
2. Beef wellington
Beef wellington is a combination of beef tenderloin, mushroom duxelles, prosciutto, and foie grass wrapped in puff pastry. This delicious dish is with crispy and buttery crust from the outside and flavorful juices coming from inside.
Just slice it and enjoy its unique flavor with some mashed potatoes aside. You can prepare beef wellington even if it is not Christmas or some other holiday and surprise your loved ones.
3. Pork chops
Pork chops can be used with or without bones in many different recipes. You can grill, roast, or fry them. You can serve them as an individual dish.
However, you can also serve pork chops with mashed potatoes, roasted green beans, and homemade gravy.
4. Steak
When you are buying a steak always look for a steak that has enough marbling. That way, the fat will melt and your steak will be nice and juicy.
To make a good quality steak you don’t need many seasonings. You can use just a sprinkle of salt and freshly grounded black pepper. However, if you want to make it tender you can marinate it in balsamic vinegar, honey, and mustard or teriyaki marinade.
You can also add some herbs like thyme and rosemary or whole cloves of garlic in the pan while you are cooking the steak to get different flavors. But that is just a matter of taste.
Mashed potatoes and steak served together are one complete dish with a lovely flavor.
5. Meatballs
Meatballs consist of ground meat, minced onions, eggs, bread crumbs, butter, and seasonings. There are many different types of meatballs that include different meats and seasonings.
You can bake, fry, steam, or braise and serve meatballs with your favorite sauce or mashed potatoes and pour some gravy or sauce on top, and enjoy their flavor.
Meatballs and mashed potatoes are a perfect match.
6. Roast beef
Roast beef is easy to make if you have a good piece of meat and herbs like thyme, and rosemary. But you can also use your favorite herbs like basil, sage, parsley, oregano, and spices like coriander seeds and cumin to get many different flavors in your dish.
Mix the herbs, some salt, black pepper, and some olive oil in a bowl and rub the meat with it. Then, roast it and serve with mashed potatoes.
7. Fish cakes
Fish cakes are a dish made of filleted fish, or ground, or minced seafood mixed with salt, flour, pepper, sugar, and starch.
However, there are also variations made with other ingredients like breadcrumbs, eggs, lemon juice, boiled potatoes, green onions, and seasonings.
Fish cakes are usually made of cod, salmon, crab meat, angelfish, and other types of white fish. They can be fried or baked depending on the type of fish used for their preparation.
Fish cakes served with tartar sauce and mashed potatoes provide a great mix of flavors.
8. Meatloaf
Meatloaf is another classic dish that pairs well with mashed potatoes.
It is made of ground pork, beef, lamb, seafood, or poultry mixed with eggs, bread crumbs, and seasonings. Depending on the country there are different variations of meatloaf.
However, often the meat is formed into a loaf shape and covered with sauce or gravy to prevent it to become crumbly and dry.
The meatloaf’s flavors and the flavor of the mashed potatoes pair well.
9. Chicken cordon bleu
Chicken cordon bleu is a creamy, crunchy, and cheesy dish easy to make.
Wrap some Swiss cheese and ham in the chicken meat and coat with breadcrumbs. Then, bake or fry it. There are also varieties of cordon bleu made with pork, veal meat, and ham.
Chicken cordon bleu is a combination of creamy cheese, tender chicken, and ham. And is a delicious main dish that pairs well with mashed potatoes.
10. Catfish
You can cook catfish in different ways like frying, grilling, and baking. But the most common way to prepare catfish is to coat it with cornmeal and fry it.
The crispy and nutritious catfish fillets served with tartar sauce and mashed potatoes are another dish that you can try and enjoy.
11. Corned beef
Corned beef is beef meat cured in salty brine with added spices for better flavor. It is often used in dishes like sandwiches, casseroles, pasta, and soups.
Corned beef has a salty flavor and makes a great addition to the creamy, delicious mashed potatoes.
12. Turkey
This is the staple for Thanksgiving dinner. It is stuffed with chopped onions, sage, celery, carrots, chestnuts, bacon, raisins, apples, and cranberries, and roasted.
Turkey for Thanksgiving is served with cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes with gravy. This mix of salty, sweet, and sour flavors mixed in one dish is simply irresistible.
13. Barbecue
Pork, chicken, beef, lamb, and any other meat prepared as a barbeque has a unique flavor. The smoky, sweet, and savory flavors of the barbequed meat are great with the creamy and smooth flavor of the mashed potatoes.
14. Bratwurst
Bratwurst is a German type of sausage that usually consists of beef, veal, or pork meat.
Depending on the region where they are made there are many types of bratwursts made with different ingredients and seasonings. However, they all taste wonderful.
Bratwurst is usually served as a snack in a bread roll with mustard. But it can be also served with a bread roll, bread made from rye flour, potato salad, or sauerkraut.
Juicy bratwurst served with tasty mashed potatoes, mustard, and sauerkraut, and caraway seeds make one of the best dishes you can serve.
15. Beef stroganoff
Beef stroganoff is a dish that originated in Russia but spread over the world like wildfire.
There are many variations of this dish, but the classic recipe is made with beef, mushrooms, sour cream, onions, and beef broth.
Thin and tender slices of beef, flavorful sauteed mushrooms, and onions coated with sour cream will be a perfect match with the creamy and soft mashed potatoes.
16. Stews with pork, beef, chicken, or lamb meat
Stews are a combination of meats or seafood, vegetables, stock, and seasonings simmered at a low temperature for a long time so the flavors of all the ingredients can mix.
There are many types of stews that include different ingredients.
Some of them are thickened with cornstarch, arrowroot, or potato starch while others include a mixture of fat and flour called roux as a thickener.
Serve the stew beside the mashed potatoes, sprinkle some chopped parsley, and get ready for an explosion of flavors in your mouth.
17. Pork roast with sauerkraut
Pork roast with sauerkraut is a dish that is made with just a few ingredients but has a wonderful flavor. This dish is traditionally made on New Years Day because it is believed that it brings fortune and good luck to the family.
However, you don’t have to wait for New Year to come. You can make this dish whenever you want and serve it with mashed potatoes. The juicy sauerkraut, tender pork roast, and soft and creamy potatoes are a match made in heaven.
18. Sausage and peas
There are many varieties of sausages with different flavors.
Depending on the type of sausages you can cook them in different ways. You can fry, grill, roast, boil, braise or broil them and use them in many different dishes.
Pan fry or roast your favorite type of sausage and serve with mashed potatoes and peas. In the end, top all with onion gravy and enjoy this classic dish with many different flavors mixed in one tasty dish.
19. Stuffed peppers
Bell peppers stuffed with rice, ground beef, tomatoes, and cheese are a delicious dish on their own but with mashed potatoes, as a side dish, it is even better.
Mashed potatoes go well with stuffed peppers. The slightly sour flavor of the tomatoes and the juices from the ground beef mixed with the creamy mashed potatoes is one complete and delicious dish.
20. Vegan mushroom stew
We will conclude this list with a vegan dish that pairs well with mashed potatoes.
You can use portobello, cremini, or white button mushrooms to make this stew along with some other ingredients. Obtain onions, garlic, vegetable broth, tomato paste, salt and pepper, paprika, peas, green beans, carrots, parsley, thyme, red wine, and yellow potatoes.
Sauté the onion, garlic, and carrots. Then, add the remaining ingredients and simmer in a pot for about 2 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes and garnish with fresh parsley.
Don’t forget to use vegan butter and non-dairy milk to prepare the mashed potatoes.
Related Questions
What to serve with mashed potatoes vegetarian?
There are many different vegetarian dishes you can serve with mashed potatoes. You can serve the mushroom stew, avocado salad, portobello mushroom steak, Italian salad, lentil mushroom stew, chickpeas and mushrooms, fried vegetables, and barbequed tofu.
What to eat with mashed potatoes and gravy?
Mashed potatoes get a better flavor with some gravy. You can consume fried or roasted chicken, steak, grilled sausages, roasted turkey, meatballs, meatloaf, pork chops, and other types of meat.
What to eat with mashed potatoes vegan?
With mashed potatoes vegan, you can eat vegan mushroom stew, creamed kale, mushroom gravy, creamed spinach, mushroom lentil loaf, green bean casserole, vegan Caesar salad, and avocado salad.
Can you eat mashed potatoes as a meal?
People usually serve mashed potatoes as a side dish. However, if you add some veggies, pulled pork, ground beef, or any other leftover meat, you can call it a meal.
You can also mix caramelized onions mushrooms, and sausages and top it with cheddar to make it more flavorful.
Summary
Mashed potatoes are a popular side dish. It is easy to make with creamy and rich flavor. There are many variations of mashed potatoes made with different ingredients.
You can use roasted garlic to get a rich flavor or add seasoning like Italian or Cajun seasoning to improve its flavor.
However, if you don’t have them on hand, you can use herbs like fresh parsley, thyme, rosemary, or something else that pairs well with mashed potatoes. You can also top it with chopped green onions or chives to give it a nice final touch.
How do you prepare mashed potatoes? What are your favorite ingredients and herbs you are using to make this wonderful dish? Let us know in the comment section below!
