Elevate your side dish game with this incredible Mashed Potato Skin Recipe! It captures all the beloved flavors of classic fried potato skins but transforms them into a more wholesome and equally satisfying dish. Bursting with savory bacon, sharp cheddar, fresh chives, and a creamy buttermilk base, these loaded mashed potatoes are anything but ordinary. If you’re searching for a potato recipe that’s packed with flavor, comforting, and guaranteed to impress, you’ve just found your new go-to.
PIN IT FOR LATER!
For those who adore mashed potatoes, exploring variations can open up a world of culinary delight. Beyond this recipe, I highly recommend trying my Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes for a rich, nutty twist, or for the more adventurous palate, my unique Blue Cheese and Walnut Mashed Potatoes. And if you’re a fan of sweet and savory combinations, these Mashed Sweet Potatoes, also featuring brown butter, are absolutely fantastic.
The Undeniable Importance of a Perfect Side Dish
I might be in the minority, but I firmly believe that a meal feels incomplete without a thoughtfully chosen side dish. There’s something inherently satisfying about a plate that offers a variety of textures and flavors, complementing the main course beautifully. If I serve just the main dish by itself, the plate somehow looks sparse, and even my children will invariably ask, “Where’s the rest of the food?” It’s a sentiment many home cooks can relate to – a side dish transforms a simple meal into a fulfilling dining experience.
Over the years, I’ve dedicated myself to expanding my repertoire of reliable side dishes. While dependable options like roasted vegetables or a fresh green salad are always welcome, sometimes a meal calls for something a bit more substantial, a little more exciting. This is where truly exceptional potato recipes, like our Mashed Potato Skin Recipe, shine. It’s a dish that fills that void, bringing comfort, richness, and a touch of indulgence to any table.
I originally crafted this Mashed Potato Skin Recipe back in 2009, and it quickly became a staple in my kitchen. Its enduring popularity is a testament to its irresistible flavor and satisfying texture. If you’re a long-time fan of the savory, crispy delight of fried potato skins, you are absolutely going to adore this mashed version. It captures all those familiar, delicious flavors—the smoky bacon, the sharp cheddar, the creamy potato—but presents them in a way that’s simpler to prepare and a touch lighter. Once you try these, you might find yourself saying goodbye to plain mashed potatoes forever!
This recipe reimagines the classic loaded potato skin, integrating all the beloved elements directly into creamy mashed potatoes. By mashing everything together, you get a harmonious blend of flavors and textures in every bite, making it a perfect companion for a wide range of main courses. It’s comfort food at its finest, elevated with a fresh perspective.
Choosing the Best Potatoes for Mashed Potato Skins
The foundation of any great mashed potato dish begins with selecting the right kind of potato. For this specific Mashed Potato Skin recipe, where the skins are intentionally left on to contribute to the texture and flavor, your choice of potato is particularly important. We’re aiming for a potato with a thin, delicate skin that becomes tender when cooked, rather than tough or chewy.
Small Red Potatoes: These are my top recommendation for this recipe. Small red potatoes boast a naturally thin skin that holds up well during boiling and mashing. When cooked, their skins soften beautifully, integrating seamlessly into the mashed mixture without becoming a distraction. Their waxy texture also helps them maintain their shape slightly, preventing them from becoming overly starchy or gluey when mashed.
Yellow-Skinned Yukon Gold Potatoes: Another excellent choice is the Yukon Gold. These potatoes are renowned for their buttery flavor and naturally creamy texture. Like red potatoes, they have a relatively thin skin that works wonderfully when left on. They mash beautifully, resulting in a rich and smooth consistency that pairs perfectly with the other “loaded” ingredients.
Key takeaway: Regardless of whether you choose red or Yukon Gold potatoes, the crucial factor is to ensure they have thin skins. Avoid thicker-skinned varieties like Russets, as their skins can become unpleasantly tough and fibrous in mashed form, detracting from the overall enjoyable experience of your Mashed Potato Skins. Always opt for potatoes that promise tender skins for the best results.
Mastering Your Mashed Potato Skins: Essential Tips and Tricks
Creating the perfect batch of mashed potatoes with their skins requires attention to a few key details. Follow these tips to ensure your Mashed Potato Skin Recipe turns out incredibly flavorful and perfectly textured every time:
- Perfectly Crispy Bacon: Bacon is a cornerstone of “loaded” potato dishes, and achieving optimal crispiness is vital. While you can pan-fry it, I highly recommend baking your bacon. Arranging bacon slices on a wire rack set over a baking sheet allows the fat to drip away, promoting even crisping without constant turning. Bake until beautifully golden and crisp, typically 12-15 minutes at 350ºF, then cool and chop. This method ensures uniform crunch in every bite.
- Consistent Potato Sizing: Whether you’re using small red potatoes or larger ones, uniformity is key for even cooking. Small red potatoes can simply be halved. If using larger potatoes, cut them into pieces of roughly equal size (about 1.5 to 2 inches). This ensures all potato pieces cook through at the same rate, preventing some from being undercooked while others turn mushy.
- Start in Cold, Salted Water: Always begin cooking your potatoes in cold water. Covering them with cold water and then bringing it to a boil ensures the potatoes cook evenly from the outside in, leading to a consistent texture. Crucially, don’t forget to generously season the water with salt. Just like pasta, potatoes absorb salt during cooking, infusing them with flavor from the inside out. This makes a significant difference in the final taste of your mashed potatoes.
- Avoid Overcooking: Overcooked potatoes absorb too much water, resulting in a soggy, gluey, or watery mash that lacks proper texture. Cook them only until they are “fork-tender.” This means a fork should easily slide into the largest piece without resistance, but the potato shouldn’t be falling apart. As soon as they reach this stage, drain them immediately.
- The Buttermilk Advantage: Traditionally, mashed potatoes call for butter and milk or cream. However, this recipe cleverly uses buttermilk, and it’s a substitution I absolutely adore. Buttermilk provides a fantastic tangy flavor and contributes to a wonderfully creamy texture, all while potentially saving a few calories compared to heavy cream (though these are still deliciously indulgent, not “diet” potatoes!). The acidity in the buttermilk also reacts with the starches in the potato to create an exceptionally smooth and fluffy mash.
- Season to Perfection: Never underestimate the power of proper seasoning. After mashing the potatoes with buttermilk and incorporating the chives, cheddar, and bacon, taste them! Adjust the salt and pepper to your preference. A little extra pinch of salt can truly elevate all the flavors, transforming good mashed potatoes into truly unforgettable ones. Don’t be shy; season until it tastes just right to you.
Perfect Pairings: What to Serve with Mashed Potato Skins
These loaded Mashed Potato Skins are incredibly versatile and make a fantastic side dish for almost any occasion. Their rich, savory profile allows them to complement a wide range of main courses, from everyday family dinners to special holiday feasts.
They would be an absolutely stellar addition to your holiday table, bringing a touch of comforting luxury to Thanksgiving, Christmas, or even Easter dinner. Imagine them alongside your perfectly roasted turkey or ham, adding a creamy, flavorful counterpoint.
Beyond the holidays, these potatoes pair wonderfully with hearty comfort food meals. Here are some specific recipes that would be absolutely delicious alongside your Mashed Potato Skins:
- Buffalo Sloppy Joes: The tangy, spicy kick of Buffalo Sloppy Joes finds a perfect balance with the creamy, savory potatoes.
- Cheesy Mini Meatloaf Recipe: A classic comfort food pairing, these mini meatloaves offer savory goodness that’s perfectly complemented by the rich mashed potatoes.
- Chicken Supreme: A elegant chicken dish with a creamy sauce would be beautifully enhanced by the rustic charm of these potato skins.
- Salisbury Steak Recipe with Mushroom Gravy: The hearty Salisbury steak and its rich gravy are a match made in heaven with these loaded mashed potatoes, soaking up all that delicious flavor.
- Chicken Fried Steak Fingers: For another level of comfort, these crispy steak fingers and creamy mashed potatoes create a satisfying, family-friendly meal.
In essence, if you’re serving a main dish that’s robust, savory, or simply needs a substantial and flavorful accompaniment, these Mashed Potato Skins are an ideal choice. Their versatility makes them a welcome guest at any meal.
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Mashed Potato Skin Recipe
This Mashed Potato Skin recipe takes all of the flavors of a favorite side dish – fried potato skins – but makes them better for you! This potato recipe is still loaded, and definitely full of flavor!
Author: Deborah Harroun
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 2 pounds small red potatoes, halved
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup fresh chives, chopped
- ½ cup extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175°C).
- Arrange the bacon on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and bake until crisp, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly and then chop.
- Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil and season generously with salt. Cook until the potatoes are just fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
- Drain the cooked potatoes thoroughly and return them to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes with the buttermilk until desired consistency is reached (some lumps from the skins are fine and add character).
- Season the mashed potatoes to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped chives, shredded cheddar cheese, and crispy bacon until well combined. Serve hot.
Recipe Notes:
This recipe was adapted from 30 Minute Meals.
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should only be used as a general guideline.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1/6 of the recipe
Calories: 283 kcal (14%)
Carbohydrates: 38g (13%)
Protein: 13g (26%)
Fat: 10g (15%)
Saturated Fat: 6g (38%)
Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 28mg (9%)
Sodium: 370mg (16%)
Fiber: 3g (13%)
Sugar: 4g (4%)