Forget Heavy Cream: Use This Rich Ingredient Instead For More Flavorful Mashed Potatoes

Other than the fact that they're creamy, buttery, and delicious, one reason that mashed potatoes are so beloved is that they're incredible vehicles for flavor. From super bacony mashed potatoes to mashed potatoes infused with store-bought onion dip, the possibilities are endless. In fact, if you're on a mission to make creamy, light, flavorful mash but are out of heavy cream, it's an opportunity to infuse America's favorite side dish with even more savory flavor in the form of pureed onions. 

As mentioned, onions are amazing in mashed potatoes, as their sweet pungency is the perfect foil for starchy taters. What you may not know is that, when roasted soft and pureed, those aromatic alliums turn into a beautifully aerated, smooth, cream-like mixture that's perfect for stirring into mashed potatoes. Not only does it add loads of delicious flavor, but it also handily replaces heavy cream by lending its smooth, silky texture to the final dish.

You can either roast them whole in the oven (covered, at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for a little less than an hour), or you can chop and saute them low and slow on the stovetop. The idea is to get them beautifully steamy and soft, with as little browning or char as possible. A standard blender or food processor should be powerful enough to blitz the warm, juicy onions into a pale, frothy, extremely fragrant cream that you can add right to your mash.

Just as one of the most important tips for making stellar mashed potatoes involves warming cream or whole milk before whipping it into your mashed potatoes, the same rule applies to this decadent-tasting onion "cream." Both the potatoes and the onion puree should be hot when you blend them to avoid ruining the texture, as adding cold liquid could make your mash stiff and gummy. Similarly, the butter or fat you add to your mash (olive oil is delicious and creates a vegan mash with the puree) should be room temperature, as you don't want all your efforts creating texture and flavor with the onion puree to be undone by cold butter.

This is also the ideal moment to squeeze in a head of roasted garlic, which is a great one-ingredient upgrade for mashed potatoes. For sophisticated, nuanced flavor, a small spoonful of nutty, umami-rich white miso is also tasty in onion-infused mash, especially if you intend to serve them with grilled chicken or golden fried fish. If your goal is to create a deliciously oniony flavor bomb, you can dress these mashed potatoes with minced chives or crispy French-fried onions (the ones that typically garnish green bean casserole). You can also top your mash with caramelized onions instead of traditional gravy. Leftover mash also makes savory potato pancakes perfect for enjoying at breakfast with steak and eggs.