The Nostalgic Snack You May Not Have Thought To Use As A Garnish For Casseroles

If you're under the age of 30, you might not be familiar with the joy that is the lovely, crunchy potato stick. For the uninitiated, potato sticks are a canned (or bagged) snack made from shoestring style potatoes. They're thin, super crispy, and delicious, the snack food equivalent of a french fry but with a texture more similar to a potato chip. Potato sticks have been on the market for many decades, and though you can still purchase them from some brands, they were particularly popular in the latter half of the 20th century. While potato sticks do still make a tasty snack, we think that they also have some real potential in more sophisticated dishes, including as a topping for casseroles.

Think of this potato stick addition as a tuber-y alternative to fried onions, only much more versatile. Both make a great, crunchy topping, but unlike onions, potato sticks have a more neutral, salty flavor that works well with a wider variety of dishes. You can try your hand at this swap by using potato sticks on your next batch of the American classic that is green bean casserole. The warm, toasty flavor pairs well with the savory base of green beans and cream of mushroom soup. Of course, the potato stick's capabilities extend far beyond casseroles of the green bean variety.

Thanks to their simple starchy, salty taste, potato sticks can work with all kinds of dishes, from tuna casserole to Minnesota's famous hotdish. All you need to do to give your casserole a potato perk is sprinkle those sticks on top of your assembled dish and bake according to the given recipe. Of course, there are some ways that you could tweak this dish addition. For example, if you're adding these potatoes to hotdish, you might consider placing your sticks at the bottom of your dish rather than the top, as the meal often incorporates tater tots as the top layer. Or, flip it over, using tater tots as your base and placing potato sticks as the crunchy garnish. 

When you want to give your potato stick topper an extra punch of flavor, coat them in a seasoning blend before adding to your dish. For example, if you're making a creamy, cheesy crab casserole, you might toss your potato sticks in Old Bay before topping your dish. This will give your bake an extra-delicious twist. If you're assembling a cheesy potato bake, try tossing them in a dried ranch seasoning blend for a tangy, herbaceous edge. Of course, if you're feeling extra crafty, you can make your own shoestring french fries using a spiralizer. This will give your dish a more homemade feel that diners are sure to love.

Let's not let savory casseroles have all the fun. Potato sticks might just be the key to jazzing up your dessert dishes. Take, for example, a layered ice cream cake. Potato chips are no stranger to ice cream; Ben & Jerry's bygone Late Night Snack flavor was a particularly delicious example of this. So, why not add it to your layered ice cream cake? It would work especially well as a topper on a sweet and salty themed cake. Think of this: a cream cake featuring a base layer of pretzels topped with chocolate ice cream, caramel, cookie crumbs, and chocolate shell topper, sprinkled with this perfectly thin, crunchy potato sticks. Doesn't that sound downright amazing? And this is just one idea!

You could also add potato sticks to a sweet potato casserole. Now, this may seem nonsensical, but trust us, it can work. Instead of just sprinkling those potato sticks atop your dish, try mixing your potato sticks with butter and marshmallows (similar to a Rice Krispie treat) and using the creamy crunchy mix as a topper to your casserole. Moving beyond the baking dish, you could use these sticks as a swap for chow mein noodles in hay stacks. The warm taste of potatoes will pair well with the sweet taste of butterscotch or chocolate coating. You can also mix them into your next batch of cookie dough; the salty flavor would work wonders. Don't believe us? Make a batch for yourself and see.