The Canned Ingredient You Need For Ultra Savory Mashed Potatoes

Creamy, comforting, and always crowd-pleasing, a dish of buttery mashed potatoes makes a hearty side dish that goes with just about anything. There are iconic styles of mashed potatoes all over the world, from hearty Irish colcannon, which sees the fluffy mashed potatoes mixed with butter, scallions, and cooked kale or cabbage, to fancy French pommes duchesse.

Indeed, one of the great things about mashed potatoes is just how versatile they can be. From simply adding garlic, herbs, cream, or cheese, to serving the potatoes chunkily mashed and rustic with the skins left on for added texture, mashed potatoes can be enhanced and adapted in a number of ways. And one of the quickest and most simple might already be sitting in your kitchen cupboard: cream of mushroom soup.

Adding a can of cream of mushroom soup to mashed potatoes gives them a creamy texture, as well as adding heaps of rich, savory flavor. And the method could not be easier, making it perfect for a fast, fuss-free mid-week dinner that's bound to become a firm favorite, no matter what it's served with.

Campbell's introduced cream of mushroom soup back in 1934, and the family favorite has been a pantry staple ever since. With its smooth, creamy texture and flavors of earthy fungi with a hint of garlic, cream of mushroom soup can form the basis for many other recipes. But when it comes to mashed potatoes, the soup makes the dish extra-flavorsome in a flash.

When the potatoes have been peeled, chopped, and boiled as usual, it's simply a case of draining them and adding butter, a can of cream of mushroom soup, and a little milk or cream to the emptied pan, and then stirring until it's smooth. Then, tip the potatoes, salt, and pepper into the pan, and mash the potatoes with the creamy mushroomy liquid. If you want to add even more flavor, try adding an onion cut into wedges to the water as the potatoes are cooking, or add extra seasoning such as onion powder or garlic powder when you come to mash.

As for how many spuds you need for a batch of mashed potatoes, about six medium-sized potatoes, along with a standard can of soup and a cup of milk, cream, or a mixture, will happily serve six people as a side. And the soft, creamy, flavorful, savory mash can be used to accompany a variety of dishes, from simple roast chicken or pork to sizzling steaks.

If you prefer other styles of potatoes, then a can of cream of mushroom soup can be used to give extra flavor to dishes such as scalloped layered potatoes where it acts as a creamy sauce, or added to mashed sweet potatoes with hot honey. But the humble ingredient can also be used to jazz up a host of other everyday dishes, too.

Try adding cream of mushroom soup and milk to a skillet with diced sauteed chicken breast, mushrooms, and onion for a quick, tasty meal — or switch the ricotta in your lasagna for a can mixed with a little milk for extra mushroom flavor. The soup can also make a deliciously creamy sauce for Swedish-style meatballs when simmered with some beef broth — or used in place of yogurt for a tender chicken curry.

From infusing mashed potatoes with extra richness to making a quick sauce for noodles, or a hearty addition to casseroles, a can of cream of mushroom soup can be endlessly versatile when cooking. For a quick burst of savory flavor and extra creaminess, kitchen shortcuts don't get much simpler.