17 Surprising Recipes with Potato Flakes (2024)

FAQs

What can potato flakes be used for? ›

Similar to potato starch, they can act as a thickener for gravies and soups. But they can also make chicken crispier, focaccia fluffier, and meatloaf more moist. Read on for our favorite ways to use them.

Make the Box Better

Those same add-ins—chopped fresh herbs like chives or parsley, chopped cooked bacon, crumbled blue cheese, roasted garlic cloves and so on—will enhance the instant variety as well. Butter (not margarine) is a must, as is sour cream.

Perfect to keep on hand for quick meals and easy dinners, instant mashed potatoes go way beyond being a basic side dish. Create crispy coatings, moist baked goods, and even tender gnocchi with this magical pantry staple.

Potatoes come in all sizes, but a six ounce potato is about average for medium sized potatoes. If you have no other information you could just say that one portion of mash made from flakes is equal to one potato. In that case you need about 2/3 cups of flakes.

To add potato flour or flakes to an existing recipe that doesn't call for it: Substitute 1/4 cup (46g) potato flour or 1/2 cup (43g) potato flakes for 1/4 cup (30g) of the all-purpose or bread flour in a recipe using 3 to 4 cups (360g to 480g) of flour.

Instant mashed potato flakes, often known as potato buds, are made from dried, previously cooked potatoes. A user may make instant mashed potatoes by rehydrating them in hot water or milk. There's no denying that homemade mashed potatoes are better, but there are times when potato flakes are the better option.

Heavy cream can make instant mashed potatoes taste indulgent. Half and half or even regular milk (whole is better than skim, but 2% will do) adds extra creaminess. To give your mashed potatoes a light tanginess, go with buttermilk or sour cream.

Toss in some fresh herbs

Chives work great if you like a mild, oniony taste, but feel free to use parsley, dill, or thyme as well. If your instant potatoes already have some garlic mixed in (another worthy add-on!), try garnishing your spuds with tarragon or rosemary, which pair exceptionally well with garlic.

Instant mashed potatoes are convenient for busy food establishments like KFC — the only thing employees need to do is add water and mix. The peeling, cooking, and mashing, has already been done. The downside to instant mashed potatoes is that they aren't as fluffy and tend to be bland.

Add a Thickening Agent

This is the most common way to thicken mashed potatoes. You can use what you have on hand: Flour, cornstarch, or powdered milk are all solid options that are probably already in your pantry. Potato flour and potato starch would work as well.

What are the black specks in mashed potatoes? ›

A: Black spots in potatoes are mostly attributed to internal bruises or the result of sugar concentrations brought on by any of several pre or post-harvest conditions and are generally harmless. However, the black spots could also be an early concentration of decay.

Instant mashed potatoes are dehydrated potato flakes or granules that, when liquid is added, create light and fluffy mashed tubers. A serving of these potatoes provides a dose of potassium, vitamin C, fiber, vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, and iron (via LiveStrong).

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, producing an approximation of mashed potatoes. They are available in many different flavors.

Dehydrated potato products may be eaten alone as mashed potatoes or used to extend local flours or other foods, to extend the shelf life of baked goods, to thicken sauces or gravies, for breading, or as an ingredient in soups, porridges, breads, or other foods and beverages.

Potato flakes have a typical shelf life ranging from 12 to 18 months when stored under proper conditions, but they can last much longer if properly managed. The main factors influencing their longevity include: Heat: Excessive heat can accelerate degradation, impacting the flavor and texture of the potato flakes.

The best substitute for potato flour is going to be potato flakes, which is essentially potato flour that hasn't been ground as fine. You can either dissolve it into batter for baking, or use a blender or food process to grind it into a fine powder. Potato flakes can be substituted for potato flour using a 1:1 ratio.

Try out potato flakes on breaded vegetables too -- just substitute the panko breading with potato flakes for a delicious, crispy side of veggies straight from the air fryer. Or give eggplant patties a coating of Italian seasoned potato flakes for spectacularly crispy eggplant parmesan.