Salt & Vinegar Mashed Potatoes Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Thanksgiving

by: Emma Laperruque

November11,2019

5

24 Ratings

  • Prep time 25 minutes
  • Cook time 15 minutes
  • Serves 8

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Author Notes

For better mashed potatoes, take a cue from potato chips. Salt-and-vinegar is one of the most popular flavors for good reason: These ingredients balance all the richness and heaviness. The same idea can be applied here. Traditional mashed potatoes are all richness and heaviness—butter! milk! potatoes!—but by bumping up the salt and adding a whisper of vinegar, the recipe feels new again. I like malted vinegar (probably from all the times I’ve shaken it over French fries), but white, apple cider, and rice work too. This recipe is inspired by Diane Morgan’s Genius Mashed Potatoes, which taught me to add the butter, then the milk, so the butteriness gets to the shine. Serve with a pat of butter on top if you want to gild the lily—I always do. About the type of potato: Most people prefer starchy Russets, because they yield extra-fluffy mashed potatoes. I oscillate between those and Yukon Golds, which have a golden color and an especially potato-y flavor. Pick your favorite (or, if you’re feeling rebellious, do a mix). —Emma Laperruque

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Watch This Recipe

Salt & Vinegar MashedPotatoes

Ingredients
  • 2 poundsRusset or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
  • 3 cupswater
  • 2 1/2 teaspoonskosher salt, divided
  • 4 tablespoons(½ stick) butter, melted
  • 6 tablespoonswhole milk, warmed
  • 2 teaspoonsmalt vinegar, plus more to taste
  • Flaky salt, to sprinkle on top
Directions
  1. Chop each potato into sixths or eighths, trying to keep the pieces about equal in size. Add these to a pot, along with the water and 2 teaspoons salt. Set on the stove over medium-high heat to come to a boil. Cook the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes, until you can easily break apart a piece with a fork.
  2. When the potatoes are cooked, drain them, then add them back to the hot pot on the stove, but with the heat off. Mash the potatoes with a masher (or, if you don’t have one, a big fork), until they’re as broken down as possible. Add the melted butter and stir until smooth-ish. Add the milk and stir again. Now add the vinegar and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir, then taste. More salt, vinegar, or butter? More milk to thin out? Adjust accordingly.
  3. Serve immediately with a pat of butter and flaky salt on top. You can also keep these warm on top of a double boiler, or reheat them (adding more milk as needed) just before serving.

Tags:

  • American
  • Potato
  • Thanksgiving
  • Vegetarian
  • Side

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • polinkuer12

  • johnkapoor

  • huzefa-731x

  • funngamesjoanie

Emma was the food editor at Food52. She created the award-winning column, Big Little Recipes, and turned it into a cookbook in 2021. These days, she's a senior editor at Bon Appétit, leading digital cooking coverage. Say hello on Instagram at @emmalaperruque.

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48 Reviews

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Your recipe is delicious and easy to make. thank you for sharing

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Salt & Vinegar Mashed Potatoes Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Why do people put vinegar in mashed potatoes? ›

The addition of a mildly acidic vinegar to a starchy veggie like potatoes not only deepens the flavor profile, but it also helps to tenderize the tubers.

What does vinegar do to potatoes? ›

The acid in the vinegar can also help to slightly break down the surface of the potatoes, aiding in the development of a crispier texture during frying. Additionally, the vinegar can contribute to a golden-brown color on the exterior of the fries.

What not to do when making mashed potatoes? ›

10 Mistakes You're Making With Mashed Potatoes
  1. Using the Wrong Potato.
  2. Not Washing Your Potatoes Before Peeling.
  3. Dumping Your Cubed Potatoes Straight Into Boiling Water.
  4. Not Seasoning the Water.
  5. Not Allowing Them To Drain and Dry.
  6. Overworking the Potatoes When Mashing or Whipping Them.
  7. Not Using Enough Butter.
Oct 17, 2023

Why do people put an egg in their mashed potatoes? ›

The yolk emulsifies water and fat to create a cohesive, velvety bite, while providing a little fat and body of its own. What is this? You can add an egg yolk to nearly any existing mashed potato recipe.

What does putting vinegar in boiling water do? ›

"Vinegar is an inherently acidic material, so if we add a few drops of vinegar into that boiling water that is going to increase the rate of denaturing and it's going to make that happen faster and help the poached egg hold its shape better."

What does vinegar and salt make? ›

When an acid reacts with base it forms salt. Vinegar is acetic acid CH 3 COOH and simple salt is sodium chloride . The reaction between acid and the salt takes place as follows: Hence from the above reaction, we can say that when vinegar reacts with salt hydrochloric acid is produced.

Why does my mash potato taste like vinegar? ›

When exposed to light, potatoes manufacture increasing amounts of chlorophyll as well as two bitter- tasting alkaloid compounds , solanine and chacocine. In high concentrations, these can not only make potatoes taste bitter but also can cause headache and stomachaches.

How much vinegar do you put in potatoes to keep them from turning brown? ›

Just like you might use a squirt of lime juice to keep guacamole from browning, a bit of lemon juice or white vinegar in the bowl with the potatoes will ward off gray hues. Use one teaspoon to a half gallon of water to get all the anti-browning impact with no noticeable flavor changes.

Should I melt butter before adding to mashed potatoes? ›

Instead, it's better to use cold butter, so all of the starch is equally coated in the fat and milk solids. Whereas it's important to use cold butter for mashed potatoes, you'll want to add cream that's warm or room temperature.

How do restaurants keep mashed potatoes fresh? ›

Restaurants prepare the potatoes ahead by boiling and mashing just the potato, then just before serving, it is mixed into boiling cream (or milk or even broth or a combination thereof) to reheat it and make it nice and creamy.

Is it better to add cold or hot milk to mashed potatoes? ›

For the very best result every time, always gently warm the butter and milk before adding to the potatoes, rather than adding cold dairy straight from the fridge. Here's why: Warm dairy is absorbed faster and more easily, with less stirring than its cold counterpart.

What is the trick 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. Stir in the thickening agent gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes have reached your desired consistency.

Why do people soak potatoes before making mashed potatoes? ›

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

What does vinegar do to starch? ›

So when vinegars free hydrogen ions interact with starches, the former alter the latter's molecular structure and changing their texture and consistency.

What does adding vinegar to food do? ›

The acidity or sourness of vinegar brightens the flavor of food and adds balance to a rich dish. It is found in popular kitchen staples like salad dressings, marinades, sauces, mayonnaise, and ketchup. Vinegar can change the texture of foods.

Why do people add sour cream to mashed potatoes? ›

Sour cream adds a little bit of tangy flavor and a boost of richness to mashed potatoes. It's a fun change from the standard milk or cream and butter combo usually flavoring mashed taters. You can even try your hand at making homemade sour cream from heavy cream!

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