Crispy Fried Garlic Is The Mashed Potato Topping You Never Knew You Needed
Mashed potatoes are most often categorized as a side dish, and are not usually the most memorable part of a meal. Even with enough milk, butter, and seasonings, they can sometimes turn out bland or taste like there's something missing. Many of us have been taught how to make mashed potatoes with these staple ingredients, but adding this extra element could promote mashed potatoes from side dish to star dish — crispy fried garlic.
You might already be making crispy fried garlic to top your stir-fries or noodle dishes, but you've probably never considered sprinkling it on top of your mashed potatoes. Not only does fried garlic add a sweet and pungent garlicky flavor, but it also brings a crunchy texture to your creamy mashed taters. Adding crispy fried garlic to your mashed potato dish is a fairly straightforward process, but there is more than one cooking method to consider.
Adding crispy fried garlic to your mashed potatoes
To make crispy fried garlic on the stove top, all you need is minced garlic and oil. Mincing the garlic in a food processor is the easiest way to prep a big batch. It only takes five to ten minutes at medium-high heat to get your garlic crispy. The trick with fried garlic is to it monitor closely and take it off the heat as soon as the garlic is golden, to avoid burning. When it's done, drain on a paper towel, and you'll be left with crunchy fried bits of garlic. You can also try making crispy garlic in your microwave, where you cook the garlic 15 seconds at a time until it's golden.
Make your mashed potatoes as you usually would, and sprinkle the fried garlic on top, right before serving. If you add your fried garlic too early, the pieces will lose some of their crispiness. Be sure to save the garlic oil from your fried garlic, which can be used in salad dressings or marinades, and can even replace some of the butter in your mashed potatoes for an added layer of garlicky flavor. As well as crispy bits, you can fry crispy garlic chips — both are the perfect topping for salads, soups, and pasta.