Leftover Mashed Potatoes Were Practically Made For Stuffing Mushrooms

While mashed potatoes are still super tasty the next day, you don't have to eat them plain. If you're looking to make the most of your leftovers, why not use them for stuffed mushrooms? Their creaminess is perfect for the job, and the texture difference between the potatoes and the mushrooms will make for an enticing mouthfeel. If that isn't enough to convince you, just consider how tasty mushroom gravy is over mashed potatoes. After all, it's basically the same idea in reverse.

If you're making your mashed potatoes specifically to stuff mushrooms, using buttermilk, chives, and garlic in your recipe will have delicious results, but you can stuff your mushrooms with whatever type of leftover mashed potatoes you have on hand. Whether they're the standard buttery mashed potatoes or they've been loaded with sour cream and chives, roasted garlic, or even melted cheddar — they're sure to be absolutely delectable baked into mushroom caps.

When it comes to topping your potato-stuffed mushrooms, consider the same ones that you enjoy on your baked potatoes. Chopped-up bacon is a great option. You could even wrap the whole thing in bacon! Cheese is a no-brainer, of course, and it doesn't have to be cheddar. Just about any kind of cheese will go well, especially parmesan or goat cheese. Chives are also a great choice, along with a dollop of sour cream, both of which can be added after you pull the mushrooms out of the oven.

If you don't mind eating your stuffed mushrooms with a fork, there is another tasty topping option to consider: gravy. This doesn't need to be a topping, though; you could also use gravy as a dip. Since you're already working with mushrooms, it would be pretty easy to whip up some mushroom gravy, but onion or brown gravy would add more variety and flavor to the dish. Whichever toppings you go with, you won't regret making the most out of your leftover mashed potatoes like this.

Depending on which toppings you use, your potato-stuffed mushrooms can make a great vegetarian treat. Mushrooms are often used as a meat substitute due to their texture as well as the vitamins and minerals they're full of, so this is a fantastic dish to make when you need a vegetarian option. If your mashed potatoes were made without dairy, they can even be vegan! What's more, unless you decide to bread them or use any extra wheat-based ingredients, they'll also be gluten-free.

Mushrooms stuffed with mashed potatoes make a great appetizer or side, but they can also serve as a main dish for people with dietary restrictions. Just switch out the usual button mushrooms for portobellos and voilà, you've got the perfect vegetarian or vegan entrée. However you choose to make them, mashed potato-stuffed mushrooms will not disappoint. They're a great excuse to mash up extra potatoes on purpose just to have enough left over for stuffed mushroom recipes.