To thicken mashed potatoes, you have several effective methods:
- Add a thickening agent: Gradually stir in starches such as cornstarch, potato starch, or tapioca starch, about a tablespoon at a time, while the potatoes are warm until you reach the desired thickness. These starches work well without altering the flavor. Avoid flour, as it can give a chalky taste and requires cooking out the raw flavor
- Add dehydrated potato flakes: Stir in instant potato flakes one tablespoon at a time to absorb excess moisture and thicken the mash smoothly
- Cook down the potatoes: Gently heat the mashed potatoes to evaporate excess liquid. You can do this on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid sticking, or bake them in the oven at about 325°F for 10-15 minutes. Microwaving in short increments while stirring can also help thicken them
Additional tips include adding small amounts of butter or dairy gradually during mashing to control consistency, and mixing in hard cheese for slight thickening and added flavor, though cheese won’t fix very runny potatoes
. These methods are quick and typically take less than 5 minutes to thicken mashed potatoes effectively
. Summary of thickening options:
Method| Description| Notes
---|---|---
Starch (corn, potato)| Add 1 tbsp at a time, stir while warm| Best flavor
retention, no chalkiness
Dehydrated potato flakes| Add 1 tbsp at a time, stir| Absorbs moisture, smooth
texture
Heat (stovetop/oven/microwave)| Gently cook to evaporate liquid, stir
frequently| Avoid high heat to prevent gumminess
Butter/dairy| Add gradually during mashing| Helps control texture, not a
thickener
Cheese| Mix in shredded hard cheese| Slight thickening, adds flavor
These approaches will help you rescue or improve runny mashed potatoes efficiently
