You Make Creamy Mashed Potatoes By Only Using A Microwave

In most cases, a microwave is no substitute for a proper oven. However, potatoes don't always follow ordinary rules. Still, when firing up the stovetop or preheating the oven is too time-consuming or too much effort, you can cook up some great mashed potatoes using the same microwave you use to pop popcorn and heat your leftovers. It should only take around 15 minutes in total.

The entire process involves just a couple of trips to the microwave. Your chopped and peeled potatoes go in the microwave (in a microwave-safe bowl, of course) covered in plastic wrap for at least nine minutes (12 minutes at most). After those come out, mix your other ingredients — milk, butter, salt, pepper, and other seasonings — in a bowl and heat in the microwave. Once those are warmed, pour it all over the potatoes and mash it up. It may not be elegant, but it's tasty.

You might be wondering if you can save even more time by mashing the potatoes immediately instead of slicing them into quarters first. This is a common mistake with mashed potatoes, and it's not worth the extra time. While it's true that cutting your taters into smaller pieces will help them cook faster, you'll run into a new problem — overly mushy potatoes. If the potato chunks are too small, they may turn out thin and watery.

So, what does save time? Depending on what you have in your kitchen, there are some faster ways to mash potatoes. A potato ricer is a simple, straightforward tool for making mashed potatoes. Stick the peeled potato quarters inside and press and out pop thin, lump-free strands of potatoes. If you're mashing by hand or with a mixer, be careful not to mash them too thoroughly since they can become gummy instead of smooth and creamy.

Although we've covered the basics, there are other simple ways to upgrade your mashed potatoes à la microwave. If you have horseradish in your kitchen, horseradish and mashed potatoes make for a great combination. Potatoes have a mild taste, which is part of what makes them so versatile. However, horseradish is pungent in exactly the right way to complement a creamy bowl of mashed potatoes. Depending on how much you use, it adds a kick to spice up your dinner. It's very easy to toss in along with the other seasonings when your potatoes come out of the microwave.

If you have a full spice rack that you feel you need to use, parsley and chives are classic choices for mashed potatoes. If you have sour cream, it's a great way to add some fluffy texture to potatoes without needing to be cooked and tangy in a way that's much milder than horseradish.