Standby Veg: Instant Mashed Potatoes

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Instant mashed potatoes are potatoes that have been through an industrial process of cooking, mashing and dehydrating to yield a packaged convenience food that can be reconstituted by adding hot water or milk.

instant_mashed_potatoesThe practice of drying starchy root vegetables like potatoes most likely began even before the advent of agriculture. The first commercial application of drying potatoes dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, but instant mashed potatoes as we know them now were developed in 1962.

Instant mashed potatoes are tasty and convenient, in that they can be prepared in minutes and served in small portions. However, they are, of course, not quite as nutritious as fresh potatoes. They have substantially more sodium, much less dietary fibre, and, unless enriched to compensate, less vitamin C.  In other respects, they have similar nutritional qualities to mashed fresh potatoes, especially if they also contain milk solids.

Instant mashed potatoes can be reconstituted simply by adding boiling water. However, you could also add a little butter and replace all or some of the hot water with hot milk for a creamier result. I always add some skim milk powder to the potato flakes to give them a protein and calcium boost. As well as replacing mashed fresh potatoes, instant mashed potatoes can be used instead of cornflour as a thickening agent in soups and sauces, and as a gluten-free substitute for breadcrumbs.

The following recipes can be made entirely from Standby Vegetables and Pantry Essentials. Of course, they can also be made with mashed fresh potatoes and are a good way to use up any leftover mashed potatoes.

Instant mashed potatoes can be substituted for fresh potatoes in some of the recipes on this website. To find them, just enter ‘potato’ in ‘Search’.

 

Recipes:

Quick Side Dishes

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potato Pie

Cheese and Vegetable Pie

Potato and Broccoli Mash

Potato and Tomato Bake

Cheese and Potato Soup

Cheesy Potato Pancakes

 

Quick Side Dishes

§   Place 3 tbsp. instant mashed potatoes in a small bowl with 1 tbsp. skim milk powder and 1 tsp. butter and/or shredded Parmesan cheese. Add enough boiling water to reconstitute.

§   Place 3 tbsp. instant mashed potatoes in a small bowl and add just enough boiling water to reconstitute. Stir in 2 tsp. natural yoghurt with garlic granules, pepper and chives.

§   Boil ½ cup frozen peas in ¼ cup water in the microwave for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tbsp. instant mashed potatoes and 1 tsp. butter. Add a little more boiling water if required.

§   Boil 3–4 frozen broccoli florets in ¼ cup water in the microwave for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tbsp. instant mashed potatoes and 1 tsp. butter. Add a little more boiling water if required.

§   Thaw 1–2 portions of frozen spinach in a small bowl in the microwave. Add 2 tbsp. instant mashed potatoes and 1 tbsp. skim milk powder or shredded Parmesan cheese (optional). Add boiling water as required to reconstitute and stir.

 

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

  • 1/3 cup instant mashed potatoes
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp. butter (optional)
  • 1 tbsp. skim milk powder
  • 1 portion frozen spinach, thawed (optional)
  • Parsley and garlic granules

 

  1. In a medium bowl, mix together instant mashed potatoes, skim milk powder, shredded Parmesan cheese, parsley and garlic granules
  2. Top with 1 tsp. butter (optional)
  3. Add enough boiling water to reconstitute
  4. Stir in spinach (optional)

Variation: omit skim milk powder and boiling water and reconstitute with ½ cup hot low-fat milk

 

Mashed Potato Pie

  • 3 tbsp. instant mashed potatoes
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp. shredded mozzarella
  • ½ tbsp. (plus) shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • Dried onion, pepper and parsley
  • Oil spray

 

  1. Spray a small pie dish with oil
  2. Add instant mashed potatoes and stir in enough boiling water to reconstitute
  3. Allow to cool
  4. Stir in mozzarella, Parmesan, diced bacon and spices
  5. Whisk in the egg
  6. Smooth out and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)
  7. Bake in a pre-heated hot (200°C) toaster oven for 25 minutes

Variation: substitute 1–2 thawed portions frozen spinach for the bacon

 

Cheese and Vegetable Pie

  • ¾ cup frozen mixed vegetables
  • ¼ cup shredded mozzarella
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1½ tsp. cornflour
  • 1 tbsp. low-fat milk
  • ¼ cup instant mashed potatoes
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Pepper and parsley

 

  1. Place mixed vegetables in a small pie dish and thaw in the microwave
  2. Dissolve cornflour and stock powder in cold milk
  3. Stir in pepper, parsley and mozzarella
  4. Stir mixture into vegetables
  5. Reconstitute instant mashed potatoes with ½ cup boiling water
  6. Spread over vegetable mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
  7. Bake in a pre-heated, moderate (175°C) toaster oven for 20 minutes

 

Potato and Broccoli Mash

  • ½ cup frozen broccoli florets
  • ¼ cup instant mashed potatoes
  • 1 tbsp. diced bacon (optional)
  • 1 tbsp. skim milk powder
  • Dried onion, garlic granules, pepper and parsley
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Butter or margarine

 

  1. In a small saucepan melt butter and stir in dried onion, garlic granules and pepper
  2. Add diced bacon and sauté (optional)
  3. Add broccoli and parsley with ½ cup boiling water and simmer until tender (10–15 minutes)
  4. Meanwhile, stir skim milk powder into instant mashed potatoes
  5. Add instant mashed potatoes mixture to broccoli
  6. Stir in just enough boiling water (approx. 1/3 cup) to reconstitute mashed potatoes
  7. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Potato and Tomato Bake

  • ¼ cup instant mashed potatoes
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp. (plus) shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp. skim milk powder
  • ¼ cup shredded mozzarella (optional)
  • Dried onion, basil and oregano
  • Oil spray

 

  1. Spray a small pie dish with oil
  2. Mix together instant mashed potatoes, skim milk powder and Parmesan cheese
  3. Place mixture in pie dish, add enough boiling water to reconstitute and spread out flat
  4. Spread diced tomatoes over potatoes and sprinkle with dried onion, basil and oregano
  5. Top with mozzarella or more Parmesan cheese
  6. Bake in a pre-heated hot (200°C) toaster oven for 20–30 minutes

 

Cheese and Potato Soup

  • ¼ cup instant mashed potatoes
  • 1 tbsp. diced bacon (optional)
  • ½ cup low-fat milk
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Garlic granules and pepper
  • Chives and parsley
  • Butter or margarine

 

  1. In a small saucepan sauté onion in melted butter with garlic granules and pepper
  2. Add diced bacon and sauté (optional)
  3. Add 1 cup cold water with stock powder, chives and parsley
  4. Add low-fat milk and slowly bring up to a gentle simmer
  5. Stir in instant mashed potatoes and Parmesan cheese
  6. Simmer until soup thickens

 

Cheesy Potato Pancakes

  • ¼ cup instant mashed potatoes
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp. skim milk powder
  • ¼ cup shredded mozzarella
  • 1 tbsp. wholemeal flour
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • Garlic granules, chives, pepper and parsley
  • Natural yoghurt (optional)
  • Oil spray

 

  1. In a medium bowl, mix together instant mashed potatoes, skim milk powder, herbs and spices
  2. Add enough boiling water to reconstitute and allow to cool
  3. Stir in mozzarella
  4. Whisk in the egg
  5. Stir in flour and baking powder
  6. Form mixture into 4–5 patties
  7. Spray a non-stick frying-pan with oil and heat over a low heat for 3–5 minutes to heat evenly, then raise the heat to medium-high
  8. Cook patties for 3–5 minutes on each side until golden brown
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