Creamed Vs Mashed Potatoes — What's The Difference?

Potatoes are a versatile vegetable that can take a variety of forms. Whether you enjoy them as crispy fries with your burger or creamy alongside a steak dinner, potatoes are the ultimate comfort food. When it comes to creamy preparations, mashed potatoes are usually the first to come to mind, but there's another option: creamed potatoes. Both mashed and creamed potatoes offer that decadent, creamy consistency; however, these two styles of potato have some notable differences, including their form and preparation. 

Mashed potatoes are a classic side dish that simply involves mashing up boiled potatoes. They're often seasoned with salt and pepper and herbs like chives, parsley, or thyme. Mashed potatoes can have a slightly chunkier consistency or a smooth, silky texture (especially if you add butter to your mashed potatoes at the right time). 

Creamed potatoes are a bit different. It's easy to assume they're interchangeable with mashed potatoes, but while they do share ingredients, they're not the same. If you're familiar with other creamed vegetables, such as creamed spinach, corn, or broccoli, you're familiar with the concept. Creamed potatoes are chunks of potato coated in a creamy sauce and lightly seasoned with a bit of salt, pepper, paprika, or parsley. While both creamed and mashed potatoes are easy side dishes, their cooking methods also look quite different. 

Making mashed potatoes involves mashing cooked potatoes, adding a liquid like milk, cream, or even stock and butter, and seasoning them up. Mashed potatoes are easily customizable. You can leave them a bit chunky or use a ricer or sieve to make them smooth. You can swap some of the liquid with sour cream for a tangy bite. You can even add bacon for crunch or roasted garlic for a flavorful upgrade. 

For creamed potatoes, you'll still need to start with boiled potatoes, but they should be diced bite-size, whereas for mashed potatoes, you can use anything from small cubes to whole potatoes. The creamy sauce starts with a roux to thicken milk or cream and the seasonings of your choice. Once the sauce is smooth and your potatoes are tender, you combine everything, but no mashing.   

While mashed potatoes are a staple side dish, creamed potatoes are a rich alternative that still offers that creamy texture. Both would work well alongside meat or seafood, though mashed potatoes a good choice when you need something on the plate to catch gravy or braising juices and creamed potatoes bring their own sauce to a simple roasted or grilled entrée. If you really can't decide which potato style to make, there's room for both dishes at your dinner table.