Skip The Gravy — Mashed Potatoes Are 10x Better Paired With This Canned Soup

Mashed potatoes with gravy is a super cozy side dish, and while it's tough to imagine making it even better, it can be done. If you want to take the flavor to the next level, there's a simple swap for you to try. Instead of covering your mashed potatoes in gravy, try topping them with French onion soup — straight out of a can. While you certainly can try this dish with a homemade French onion soup, the canned version is more convenient and packs a ton of savory flavor that can work super well with the rich, buttery taste of mashed potatoes (be sure to add butter to your mashed potatoes at just the right time to create the perfect canvas for the deep flavor of French onion soup).

Making this work is pretty simple. Heat up the can of French onion soup on the stove. Add a bit of water if you need to dilute the flavor, but you can certainly just keep it at full condensed strength if you want. Conversely, if you find that the canned soup isn't quite thick enough for your liking, feel free to cook it down a bit. Then, pour it over your hot, buttery mashed potatoes, creating an umami-packed dish with all the comfort food vibes of mashed potatoes and gravy, plus the elevated flavors of French onion soup. 

Pouring French onion soup on top of your mashed potatoes in place of gravy is a great way to add complex flavor to an already-rich dish, but you don't have to stop there. If you feel the need to boost the flavor even further, add a bit of beef or chicken bouillon to the pot when heating up the soup before you pour it over your mashed potatoes. You can also add some extra flavor to the potatoes themselves by mixing in a packet of French onion soup mix (it's smart to keep a few packets in your pantry — onion soup mix can elevate even a potato salad). 

Of course, you can go full-on French onion style and top your soup-loaded mashed potatoes with a bit of gruyère cheese. Once you sprinkle it on, toss your creation under the broiler (a toaster oven is perfect for getting it just right) for a few minutes and enjoy. To add a bit of crunch, you can sprinkle some crunchy French onions on top of the melted cheese (and melt-in-your-mouth caramelized onions too, if you feel like going the extra mile). And of course, you'll want to serve the whole thing with a piece of super crusty bread.