Mashed Potato
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If you are building a component system, potatoes are an absolute must. They’re a fantastic source of carb and protein, extremely versatile and cheap! One of the easiest ways to batch prep them is the humble mashed potato. It pairs beautifully with almost everything. Salmon, chicken, beef mince sauce, ratatouille, the list goes on. It is the kind of component that turns a plate of bits into something that actually feels like a proper dinner. Not to mention it’s the ultimate comfort food.
I batch cook a whole pot at a time, portion it into freezer trays while it is still warm, and have single serve blocks ready to go all week. Pull one out, build your plate, microwave it and you’re good to go.
Why I love batch prepped mashed potato
Mashed potato is one of my most nostaglic foods. I associated it with comfort growing up as a child. But it is also one of those things that feels like a lot of effort when you make it from scratch every time. Peeling, boiling, draining, mashing. It is not difficult but it is multiple steps and multiple things to wash up, and doing that every time you want mash with your dinner adds up to a lot of unnecessary friction.
Making one big batch and freezing it in single portions means you do all of that once. It can become a fun evening session when you’re up for it. Put on your current comfort show while you stim peeling potatoes, cleaning the eyes out, cutting them up and transferring them into one massive pot. To me the thought of knowing the pay off of having this sorted for the next couple weeks is actually causing the dopamine to flow more freely. Something about the efficiency of it all! The mash reheats beautifully from frozen and honestly tastes just as good as fresh. Nobody is going to know the difference.
The classic go to for mash is the Maris Piper. But you can also use King Edward which is a decent allrounder.
Equipment
- 2 x 1 Cup Silicone Freezer Trays
Ingredients
- 1 kg Bag of Maris Piper potatoes
- 50 g butter
- Salt to taste
- Splash of cream or milk optional, for a looser mash
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut into even sized pieces.
- Place into a large pot, cover with cold water and add a generous pinch of salt.
- Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for 20-25 minutes until completely tender.
- Drain well and leave to steam dry in the colander for a few minutes.
- Mash with 50g of butter and salt to taste. Add a spash of cream or milk if you want it looser.
- Cool slightly then portion into freezer trays while still warm.
- Once frozen solid pop the blocks out and transfer to a freezer bag.
