A familiar side dish of spuds gets a spicy kick from prepared horseradish and sour cream.
Forget politics. The American people have spoken on a topic of much greater: Thanksgiving side dishes. According to the good folks at Campbell’s, mashed potatoes have toppled stuffing/dressing as the No. 1 holiday side dish.
In its State of the Sides report, Campbell’s breaks down our preferences by state. Missouri, for example, is solidly macaroni and cheese for the best side dish, but our next-door neighbors in Illinois are a cross between mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. What’s your favorite Thanksgiving side dish? Leave a comment below.
Your favorite may soon be these Horseradish Mashed Potatoes, a recipe courtesy of Family Features. I’ve stirred sour cream into mashed taters but never thought of adding prepared horseradish. What a brilliant way to wake up a—dare I say old—holiday staple. These spicy spuds would work well alongside almost any main dish, including my Best Bottom Round Roast. Let’s get cooking.
To make Horseradish Mashed Potatoes, which yields 4 to 6 servings, you’ll need these ingredients:
2 quarts water
1¼ teaspoons salt, divided
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and halved
1 stick of unsalted butter, cut into 8 slices, divided
16 ounces sour cream
¼ cup prepared horseradish, squeezed of moisture
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup chopped chives, plus additional for topping
Directions to make Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
In a 4-quart pot, bring water and 1 teaspoon salt to boil. Add potatoes and boil 15 to 20 minutes (until fork-tender). Reserve ½ cup liquid.
Drain potatoes and place in bowl. Add six slices of butter and mash potatoes to a chunky consistency.
In medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, horseradish, remaining salt, pepper, and chives. Add mixture to mashed potatoes. Add reserved water. Mash to combine.
Transfer to serving bowl and top with remaining butter pieces and additional chives.
Tips for perfect mashed potatoes
The key is to start with a starchy potato, such as Yukon Gold or russet. Avoid red-skinned potatoes as those are too waxy to mash.
Potatoes need salt at each stage. First, salt the water in which they will boil. Taste after initial mash and salt. I will taste the final product and add salt if necessary.
Don’t cut the potatoes too small prior to boiling as they will absorb too much water while cooking which changes the dish’s texture.
Mashed versus whipped is a common question. Mashed potatoes are chunkier, more rustic, when finished. Often made using a hand masher, you also can quickly mix mashed potatoes with a hand-mixer until they start to get smooth. Be careful not to overwork the potatoes’ starch; this causes a gummy texture.
Whipped potatoes are velvety smooth. This is achieved by running the cooked potatoes through a ricer to create fluffy potatoes and adding warm milk and room-temperature butter to the mixture before whipping with a hand mixer.
How to freeze leftover mashed potatoes
Be sure potatoes have cooled before adding to a freezer-safe container with an air-tight lid. They will stay in the freezer up to two months.
About the blog
Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.