Mashed potatoes are one of those dishes that are easy to make and loved by pretty much everyone. Whether it’s just a quick meal or even a fancy dinner, mashed potatoes are rarely out of place.
Beloved and versatile as they are, there are times when you can’t simply serve mashed potatoes. Which begs the question, what goes with mashed potatoes and what else can we serve?
Well, here are some ideas that should put you on the right track.
22 Dishes You Can Serve With Mashed Potatoes
1. Green Beans With Bacon
Green beans with bacon is a simple recipe, yet one that’s delicious and pairs fantastically with mashed potatoes. It helps that the recipe is simple and can be ready quickly, even on short notice.
The crispy bacon and green beans are excellent companions and create a dish that has a wonderful taste and a texture to love. This simple food fits especially well with the holiday season, which also happens to be a great time for mashed potatoes!
2. Turkey
Turkey and mashed potatoes are old companions. Most of us are intimately familiar with this grouping. After all, they’ve been on the Thanksgiving table since forever!
Of course, it’s not just Thanksgiving where these can be on the table. If you’re having turkey, mashed potatoes can accompany it any day. The saltiness of the turkey and creaminess of the mashed potatoes could very well be a match made in heaven.
3. Filet Mignon
It may not be the most expensive cut of steak, but filet mignon is one of the most desirable ones. Its match with mashed potatoes is famous. This famous steak is generally served with potatoes or vegetables, so you’ve got that wonderful recipe on point.
Filet mignon isn’t usually marinated, so sauces are often used to accentuate the mild flavor of the steak. The creamy mashed potatoes can be an excellent companion to this combination.
4. Meatballs
Meatballs are the legendary companions for spaghetti. But that’s not all they’re good for! Give the meatballs time to be acquainted with mashed potatoes, and you’ll enjoy the results.
If you’re worried about the calories they bring along, check the recipe here and use an air fryer to get them working. It’s simple and efficient, plus, you get to enjoy their goodness without worrying about calories all that much.
5. Pork Chops
Enjoy the mashed potatoes as a side dish with pork chops making the main course. Pork chops are remarkably versatile and give you a lot of options to cook them.
If you’re counting calories, take the pork chops to the air fryer for better results when frying. Or, prepare them the traditional way. Whatever choice you make, the combination of these versatile dishes won’t disappoint.
6. Sausages In Onion Gravy
Here’s something that’s fun and gives off that gourmet vibe we can all get behind. The recipe involves sausages swimming in onion gravy and a generous serving of Rosella fruit chutney to tie it all together.
This is a rather well-liked Australian recipe and works wonders with the humble yet versatile mashed potatoes.
It’s possible to use any type of sausages here, just remember to adjust cooking time accordingly. Thick sausages need a longer cooking time as compared to thinner sausages.
7. Crockpot Pork Chops
We’ve already included pork chops recipes here, but if you want something more, try this one. The low and slow cooking style of the crockpot is a great way to prepare meals. It can take a while,
It takes about three hours to cook, but the results are magnificent. Also, remember to thaw out the meat before adding it to the crock pot.
Also, the flavorful gravy for this recipe is quite remarkable. It uses a few ingredients, but the combination of cream of mushroom soup and onion soup lends it a flavor and texture that’s tough to contend with.
8. Fried Chicken
Fried chicken is an old favorite and makes a remarkable companion for mashed potatoes. Conventionally, the recipe calls for marinading fried chicken with buttermilk, but the recipe mentioned here skips that part.
All you get is the wonderful taste and texture of fried chicken. It takes some time to prepare this recipe, but the effort is well-worth the time spent.
9. Roast Beef
Roast beef is a classic recipe and an old favorite for the main course. Slow roasting on low heat is the way to go with tougher cuts, though you can be more liberal with how you proceed with the recipe.
The recipe listed here prefers the classic method of cooking roast beef and prefers to go low and slow. Once ready, it makes for a lovely companion for mashed potatoes as the side dish.
10. Beef Wellington
Want something more sumptuous to go with mashed potatoes? Well, beef wellington sounds like exactly what you’re looking for.
This classic British recipe takes some time to prepare, but that’s time well-spent. There’s a reason this classic has been famous for centuries – it’s an absolutely remarkable recipe.
The conventional recipe involves some beef filet with a coat of prosciutto, browned mushroom, and shallots. Beef wellington shows off a crispy and buttery crust followed by a round of flavorful juices coming from the meat.
11. Fish Cakes
Take your favorite recipe of fish cakes and feel free to match it with mashed potatoes. Fish cakes are a popular and versatile recipe – there are tons of ways to do it and a whole list of ingredients you can use.
Conventionally, fish cakes use ground or minced seafood, or fileted fish. The fish ingredient can come from a variety of seafood like crabs, angelfish, salmon, cod and more. So, there’s a whole lot of room to pick what you like when preparing this food.
The recipe we list here takes a more classic approach to fish cakes. It utilizes a white-flesh fish for cooking. And of course, there’s the famous tartar sauce to handle the serving.
12. Baked Chicken With Gravy
The combination of baked chicken and gravy works fabulously with mashed potatoes. The rich gravy and the creamy mashed potatoes make for an excellent combination that will tickle and invigorate your taste buds.
Baked chicken adds a fresh perspective to the texture, creating a lovely combo to enjoy. The baked chicken and gravy recipe is easy to prepare. Though it will take some time to cook, the recipe doesn’t need a whole lot of manual intervention. Your oven will do the work just fine!
13. Bratwurst
Bratwurst is a famous dish that originates from Germany. The recipe uses thick sausages that may include beef, veal, or pork. There are a lot of ways to prepare to bratwurst. Heck, by some estimates, there are more than 1500 “wurst” recipes in Germany.
So, you see there are plenty of options to pick from.
Conventionally, you’ll have bratwurst served as a whole and accompanied with mustard. Or it could be sliced and mated with other ingredients to make currywurst.
Whatever direction the recipe takes, bratwurst makes for an unapologetically great companion for mashed potatoes. The creamy texture of the potatoes and crunch of the bratwurst were always meant to be together!
14. Beef Stroganoff
Here’s another famous dish that makes a great match for mashed potatoes. Beef stroganoff has its origins in Russia, but it’s popular around the world.
Slices of beef with a combination of mushrooms and onions give the recipe its classic flavor and texture. Of course, there are a lot more ingredients that find their way into this recipe, with sour cream and mustard deserving special mention.
15. Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers involve ground beef, tomatoes, and a few veggies stuffed into bell peppers. The dish is quite sumptuous and enjoyable on its own. However, with the creamy mashed potatoes as a side dish, its taste and texture gets elevated, making the combo the right recipes to serve.
For the recipe, it’s better to leave the peppers uncooked, though some prefer to cook them. Generally speaking, raw peppers are better at retaining their texture after being baked for this recipe.
16. Mushroom Stew
The mushroom stew is a great option for the main dish. It can easily be a vegan-friendly option, which is rather useful considering most of the recipe suggestions to go with mashed potatoes generally involve meat.
Vegan mushroom stew is a versatile recipe. It goes well with mashed potatoes, but can also liven up pasta. It takes about half-an-hour to prepare and offers enough variations to become suitable to most palates.
17. Corned Beef
The starchy and creamy mashed potatoes are a perfect companion to go along the deep and rich flavors of corned beef. Other suitable companions for the juicy corned beef are creamy cabbages and cauliflower cheese.
18. Catfish
Here’s a recipe to think about. Catfish wrapped in a crunchy coat of cornmeal and deep fried for that distinct and delicious flavor. This is a popular dish in Southern American and Texan cuisine, and is conventionally paired with other popular southern dishes like fried okra.
However, it’s as good a companion to mashed potatoes as any other.
The pan fried catfish is something of an old recipe, though it’s versatile enough to accept new changes. It does take some to prepare the ingredients and the food. But the effort is fruitful to get this dish as the main course.
19. Meatloaf
Why not give your mashed potatoes the company of a meatloaf? The creamy mashed potatoes go well with the greasy touch of the meatloaf. Plus, they also provide a balance to the texture and flavor of the meatloaf.
It’s an unlikely match, but it just clicks into place.
20. Barbecue
Just barbecue the main course and let meatloaf be a part of your serving. It’s as simple as that!
There are a lot of options to work with here. Chicken, pork, beef, or whatever your favorite is. The smoky and savory flavors of the barbecue will go splendidly with the texture and taste of mashed potatoes.
It’s a simple combination, but that doesn’t make it any less delicious. Plus, if you know your way around a grill, the side dishes to go along with the BBQ could be magnificent.
21. Parmesan Crusted Chicken Drumsticks Parmigiana
The name of this recipe sounds like something you’d see at a pretentious restaurant. But, this chicken parmigiana recipe is fairly easy to cook and can be very budget-friendly.
The drumsticks are covered in eggs and fried. Given the company of cheese and a generous serving of sauce, the recipe gets a touch of the decadent.
It pairs marvelously with salad, though mashed potatoes too are an excellent side dish for the drumsticks.
22. Grilled Lamb Chops
Grilling and barbecue are natural companions to mashed potatoes. Grilled lamb chops take some time in their preparation and cooking, but the results are well worth the effort. Also, mashed potatoes can be whipped up rather quickly, and you’d have a meal and side dish ready to go.
Lamb chops tend to be very juicy and flavorful, so the flavor gets balanced with the creaminess of the mashed potatoes.
Conclusion
Mashed potatoes are a versatile and quick recipe that goes well with a whole lot of recipes and dishes.
So, if you’ve ever wondered what goes with mashed potatoes, or are simply looking for a recipe that’s something new, the list here should help you get some new ideas.
Maybe you could even figure a way to modify your favorite main dish to give it a slight change for a new touch of flavor.