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Broccoli and Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Learn how to make mashed potatoes from scratch with these Broccoli and Cheese Mashed Potatoes, made even better with a secret technique. Serve them as a side for Easter and Passover or serve them all year round with steak.


Broccoli and Cheese Mashed Potatoes for an easy side dish

Once upon a time, I didn’t know how to make mashed potatoes from scratch. I even documented back in 2008 with my creamy garlic mashed potatoes and how I grew up with my parents making boxed mashed potatoes (don’t worry – they now know how to make them from scratch after I complained taught them). I don’t even know why instant mashed potatoes exist as it doesn’t take much more time or effort to make homemade. I remember at my previous job, we hired a caterer for lunch when there were training classes in session. I will never forget the one day I walked into the kitchen and caught the chef making instant mashed potatoes. A chef. Making INSTANT mashed potatoes. Along with his assistant who baked boxed mix cupcakes. Maybe they should’ve paid me to cater.

What I love most about potatoes is that they are so versatile – side dish, main dish, snack, breakfast, lunch, dinner, sometimes even dessert (spudnuts anyone?). You can serve them casually on a random Tuesday night or you can dress them up for the holidays. With Easter coming up in a few weeks, there is always one potato dish at the table, whether it is scalloped or mashed. This year, I decided to change up my usual mashed potato recipe and make Broccoli and Cheese Mashed Potatoes, mainly because I love broccoli and I love cheese. I love potatoes and I love garlic. I love butter and I love milk. Do you love these things too? Good because that’s the entire ingredient list, so you’ll love these potatoes too.


Broccoli and Cheese Mashed Potatoes for an easy side dish

Making mashed potatoes for a small crowd is easier than you think. When I was telling someone that I cook for myself, she told me that she would have trouble cooking such a small amount of food as she was used to cooking for her family, including mashed potatoes. After several years of making potatoes for myself, 1 pound Idaho potatoes makes about 4 servings of mashed potatoes. You can scale it down even more by making only 1/2 pound potatoes, which makes just enough for 2 servings.

Speaking of potatoes, I used Idaho® russet potatoes, which you can identify from the other russet potatoes with the “Grown In Idaho” seal. The biggest difference between Idaho and regular russet potatoes is their growing conditions, which leads to a better tasting potato (more potato, less water). You can buy them individually from your store’s bulk bin or buy them in bags. I usually buy a 5-pound bag because potatoes are both versatile and budget friendly.


Broccoli and Cheese Mashed Potatoes for an easy side dish

Even though these Broccoli and Cheese Mashed Potatoes are both Easter and Passover friendly, personally I love eating them all year round. For the broccoli, I chopped it finely in my food processor, but you can also use your knife if you don’t have one. I personally don’t need to serve them with gravy, but if you need a good gravy recipe, check out my homemade gravy recipe (without meat drippings). Oh and how could I forget my secret technique to making mashed potatoes even better – adding whole garlic cloves to the potatoes. Seriously you won’t believe the difference as you can taste the fresh garlic without that raw garlic taste.
Broccoli and Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Broccoli and Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Idaho® potatoes, peeled and cubed (roughly 2 large potatoes)
  • 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened and cut into 8 pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped fresh broccoli*
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  2. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, add the potatoes and garlic cloves. Cook until soft but not overdone, roughly 12-15 minutes. Drain.
  3. In a large mixing bowl (or by hand with a potato masher), beat the cooked potatoes until mashed and smooth (do not overbeat). Beat in the butter and salt until completely incorporated then slowly beat in the milk. Stir in the broccoli and cheese. Serve immediately.

Notes

*I used a food processor to finely chop the broccoli, but you can also hand chop with your knife. Just make sure they are finely chopped into really tiny pieces.

© Carla Cardello (www.chocolatemoosey.com)

 

More Potato Recipes



Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes


Easy Cheesy Stovetop Scalloped Potatoes


Baked Potato Soup


Italian Potato Salad


Loaded Baked Potato Casserole


Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Idaho Potato Commission. All money earned helps keep Chocolate Moosey up and running. As always, thank you for your support!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  8. You don’t cook the broccoli at all? My Daughter has requested what she calls trashy potatoes for Easter. You know the kind made with frozen Southern style hash browns, cream of chicken soup, sour cream etc. Trashy because they have S-O-O many calories and S-O-o much stuff that is really not healthy but are delicious. next time we will try this recipe. Love the idea.

    Reply

    • Nope! Since you finely chop the broccoli (I used a food processor but you can certainly hand chop with a knife), it adds a nice little crunch to the potatoes without being giant raw pieces of broccoli. And I know exactly what you’re talking about with those trashy potatoes! My friend used cubed potatoes instead of hash browns. So good (and so bad at the same time haha)

      Reply

  9. I agree, I don’t know why instant mashed potatoes even exist. Making homemade ones is so simple, so fast, and they are so full of nutrients! That catering chef wouldn’t have lasted 5 minutes at my culinary school. We made HUGE batches of (fresh) mashed potatoes every single day – they went on practically every plate at the student-run restaurant.

    The secret of adding whole garlic cloves to the water with the potatoes? SO SMART! Definitely doing that next time.

    Reply

    • Exactly! Sure maybe it takes a little time to peel all of the potatoes for a crowd, but I don’t think instant is worth that shortcut. And yes you need to try that garlic trick! You will never make plain mashed potatoes again.

      Reply

  11. Homemade mashed potatoes are the best! I think I make them at least once a week. I have a potato problem, well it’s not really a problem, I love them too much! I’m going to have to add in the broccoli next time, killing two birds with one stone. Plus I love the garlic trick too, gives so much extra flavor.

    Reply

  15. Okay, i will DEFINITELY be using that whole garlic clove trick! That sounds fabulous. And I also love the advice for scaling down the recipe. I rarely make mashed potatoes for just the two of us because I think of it as a large-scale recipe, but I’ll definitely have to start doing it more now!

    Reply

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