13 Best Seasonings For Mashed Potatoes
There is no side dish more comforting than mashed potatoes. This simple yet delicious dish is so easy to make, and you can really make it your own with the seasoning and spices you add in — mashed potatoes do not have to be boring!
What are the best seasonings for mashed potatoes? There are so many great seasonings to add to mashed potatoes — what you choose will depend on your taste preferences. Some of the best seasonings include garlic powder, salt and pepper, chives, mustard seeds, cayenne pepper, thyme, rosemary, onion powder, and more!
Read on to find the best seasonings to use when making mashed potatoes to really give this side dish great flavor.
Best Seasonings For Mashed Potatoes
Below, we have listed the best seasonings to use for mashed potatoes that will all bring out a different flavor in the side dish.
The beauty is that you can pick and choose the flavors that you love best, or even combine a few to give the mashed potatoes more depth!
1. Garlic Powder
Garlic powder is a classic seasoning to use for mashed potatoes — garlic and mashed potatoes just go together so well!
The benefit of using garlic powder and not chopped garlic is that it gives a more subdued garlic flavor, rather than it being too overwhelming and overpowering.
Using garlic powder in place of chopped garlic also gives the mashed potato a smoother finish. The garlic flavor will be combined evenly throughout all the mash, not just in pockets where there might be chopped garlic.
Garlic powder doesn’t have to be cooked into the mashed potatoes — you can add it near the end while the mashed potato is still hot to combine it thoroughly.
When adding some garlic powder to mashed potatoes, it does help to add some salt to bring out the flavors even more.
2. Salt
Mashed potatoes need salt — there is no way around it! Without salt, mashed potatoes will be bland and boring. Salt should be added even when you are adding in other seasonings too.
Just a pinch of salt will bring out the natural flavors of the potatoes and it will definitely make it a more enjoyable dish overall.
When adding salt to mashed potatoes, start out with a pinch, mix it well, and then taste. It might be fine as is, but it might need some more salt. You can then add in more a pinch at a time and go from there!
It is always best to start off with a small amount and work your way up, as it can be difficult trying to fix mashed potatoes which are too salty without having to make more mashed potatoes to add in.
The best salt to use for mashed potato would be Kosher salt or Himalayan salt, but any salt will do.
You can also salt the water you are cooking the potatoes in as the potatoes will open up and absorb some of the salt as they cook, bringing in more flavor.
3. Chives
Fresh chives are one of the most popular ingredients added to mashed potatoes (and for good reason). Along with some salt and pepper, chives give that tangy, fresh flavor that blends so well with creamy mashed potatoes.
To add chives to mashed potato, wash and chop the chives up fine and then either sprinkle them on the top of the mashed potato or mix them into the mashed potato.
Many mashed potato recipes call for chives to be added in to highlight the creamy flavor of the mash.
When adding chives to mashed potatoes, it is a good idea to add some sour cream, too. Sour cream and chives are a great combination that can add some great flavor to a side of mashed potatoes.
4. Pepper
Pepper, just like salt, is a great addition to mashed potatoes!
Adding pepper to mashed potatoes gives them a bit of a kick without being too spicy or overwhelming. It also helps to bring out the flavor of other seasonings such as onion, chives, or garlic.
You can choose to use either black pepper or white pepper for mashed potatoes. White pepper has a milder flavor, which might be better suited when making mashed potatoes for the family.
Black pepper has a stronger flavor to it and does have more of a kick, which might be what you are after.
You can use fine-ground black pepper or coarse-ground black pepper, depending on the consistency and the kick you want from your mashed potatoes.
When adding pepper to mashed potatoes, make sure to add some salt too — they complement each other well and together make for a classic seasoning.
5. Mustard Seeds
Mustard seeds are a great seasoning to use for mashed potatoes, even though they might not be the most common seasoning used.
These small, round seeds come from the mustard plant and have a good warm kick of flavor that blends perfectly with creamy mashed potatoes.
Mustard seeds in mashed potato give a good pop of flavor with each mouthful, and the small seeds can add some color too.
Using mustard seeds is a good idea for some added texture, but you could also use mustard powder or classic yellow mustard to mix into the mashed potato for a more blended flavor.
6. Cumin
Cumin is a great spice to add to mashed potatoes when you want a warm, spicy flavor, making it ideal for the colder months!
Adding cumin to mashed potatoes gives them a real depth of flavor and brings about a warmth that pairs beautifully with the creamy mash.
It is a good idea to make a seasoning blend with cumin, mustard, and turmeric. This just brings about a deliciously warm flavor combination that takes the mashed potato to a new level.
This will also add a subtle color to the mashed potatoes too that will always look great when plated!
7. Onion Powder
Onion powder offers an amazing way to bring that onion flavor to mashed potatoes without having to chop up an onion or have actual onion in your mashed potato.
Mashed potatoes and onion powder are a great combination. The onion powder will give a warm flavor to the potatoes, with a little bit of a kick to it.
However, onion powder will not have an overwhelming flavor or taste that might overpower the creaminess of the mash.
With a little bit of salt, onion powder will be all you need for a tasty side dish of mashed potato. When using onion powder, just keep in mind that a small amount is all you need to add some flavor.
You could even blend a small amount of onion powder and garlic powder to bring an aromatic blend to the mashed potatoes.
Add the onion powder into the potatoes as you mash them so that it blends in well throughout the mashed potatoes.
8. Cayenne Pepper
If you are looking to add some heat to your mashed potatoes, then cayenne pepper is a great option!
Cayenne pepper has a great spice to it, with an intense flavor that can be controlled depending on how much you add in.
Made from ground chili peppers, cayenne pepper adds that chili heat to food — with the creaminess of mash, the chili flavor is ideal.
You can either use cayenne pepper as the stand-out seasoning for mashed potatoes or blend it with other seasonings as the heat component.
You can choose to either stir the cayenne pepper into the potatoes as you mash them to blend them in well and thoroughly, or you can use a small amount of cayenne pepper to sprinkle on the top for a pop of color for garnishing.
9. Thyme
Thyme is a great herb to use to season mashed potatoes, and it works particularly well when making roasts.
You can tie a whole meal together when making mashed potatoes by using thyme as a seasoning for the mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and roast meat.
It has a very aromatic flavor to it, and the earthy tones it brings does go great with the creaminess of the mash. Make sure to add some salt to the mash along with the thyme, which will help highlight all the flavors together really well.
Fresh thyme is great to use as it does have an intensely fresh flavor — you simply need to gather some thyme leaves and chop them up before adding them to the mashed potatoes.
Alternatively, if you do not have fresh thyme, you could use dried thyme, which will still add great flavor, just with less intensity.
10. Parsley
Parsley is another ideal herb to add to mashed potatoes because it isn’t an overwhelming flavor, but it still adds a fresh, herby flavor that is great with creamy mashed potatoes.
The beauty of using parsley is that it pairs well with many other spices or seasonings and just brings about an earthy flavor that other seasonings could do with.
You have two options when using parsley for mashed potatoes. You could use fresh parsley, which would require you to wash and chop the parsley up before adding it in. Alternatively, you could use parsley flakes, which are dry.
Parsley flakes are really convenient to use, as you do not have to do any preparation, but they do add a more subtle earthy flavor, whereas fresh parsley is fresher and with slightly more flavor.
Both are great to use — it would just depend on what flavor you are after, as well as what you have at home to use.
11. Rosemary
Yet another herb, rosemary is a tasty addition to mashed potatoes. Rosemary has a very rich aroma and great flavor that really brings out the subtle flavors and creaminess of mashed potatoes.
The aroma and flavor of rosemary pair well with creamy ingredients, which is why it works so well with mash. You can also use rosemary in mashed potatoes when making roast meats and vegetables, as it will bring the meal together perfectly.
You can use rosemary fresh, by chopping up rosemary leaves and adding them to the mashed potatoes while hot (this allows the flavors and aromas to properly seep into the mashed potatoes).
If you do not have fresh rosemary, you can also use dried rosemary as well, which will be just as good, but a little more earthy.
12. Cajun Spice
Cajun spice on its own has so much flavor, so it makes a great addition to mashed potatoes when you want an extra kick of flavor!
The great thing about using cajun spice is that it has a blend of flavors already, usually containing garlic powder, paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
This means you can use cajun powder on its own without worrying about adding in any other spices.
Start out with a small amount of cajun spice at first, and have a taste to test the heat. Add more in if you want an additional kick of flavor, but do not add in too much at first so that the mash is too spicy or hot.
You might need to add some more salt after adding in the cajun seasoning but make sure to taste it first before adding in salt as cajun seasoning does contain some.
The heat of cajun seasoning does go really well with creamy mash as it balances the flavors out well.
13. Chat Masala
Chat masala might not be the most traditional seasoning for mashed potatoes, but it might very well become your new favorite once you do give it a try!
Chat masala is a spice blend made with mango powder, ginger, black rock salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, and mint. This creates a bright and warm spice flavor combination that can be used so many different ways!
Unlike many other spice blends, chat masala does not need to be cooked to be added to food, so you can add it to your mashed potatoes during the mashing process, or stir it in after it has been mashed.
Using chat masala adds a complete flavor profile to your mash, and you won’t have to add salt or any other seasonings to get a great flavor.
Final Thoughts
There are so many great seasonings to add to mashed potatoes that add so much flavor to this delicious side dish.
As potatoes have a relatively mild flavor and with their creamy consistency, they can hold on to many different flavors well.
Above, we have listed a range of different seasonings you can use for potatoes, including options you can use on their own and others you can blend with various seasonings to create a depth of flavor.
Before picking out which seasoning to use for mashed potatoes, think about the other ingredients you are serving your mashed potatoes with and the flavors you prefer to have in your food!
Related Questions
Now that we’ve learned all about the best seasonings for mashed potatoes, here are some additional questions we thought you might have.
How do you save bland mashed potatoes?
If you have made a pot of mashed potatoes, but they taste bland, you can add different ingredients to give them more flavor.
A good idea is to add in some aromatics such as garlic, onions, and herbs like thyme, whether dry or fresh. Some salt will also go a long way to bring out the flavor of all these ingredients!
What do mashed potatoes go well with?
Mashed potatoes go well with many different meals. Some great things to serve with mashed potatoes include pork chops, meatloaf, pork sausages, roast chicken, slow cooker chicken, and more.
