Keeping in the spirit of playful takes on classic dishes…
…let’s celebrate potatoes! One of the essential staples of Thanksgiving — and a personal favorite of mine.
Growing up, potatoes were without question my favorite food. For years, when asked what I wanted, I answered “potatoes.” I loved them every way: creamy mashed with gravy, scalloped, roasted until crispy, and especially my mom’s frozen hash brown casserole topped with potato chips. Comfort food at its finest.
On Thanksgiving I usually prefer plain mashed potatoes so I can pile on the gravy and make hot turkey sandwiches the next day — ideally paired with mashed potato pancakes fried in bacon grease. But if someone served mashed potatoes flavored with buttermilk, bacon and blue cheese, I’d be absolutely thrilled. Quietly thrilled, of course. My husband, on the other hand, has a compulsive habit of plating everything and then mixing it all together. It sounds dramatic, but it’s true — he blends flavors and textures with reckless abandon. I’m convinced plain potatoes are safest for him, though he probably wouldn’t even notice the difference once everything is combined.
That settles it.
Quick debate: what makes smashed potatoes different from mashed potatoes? To me, mashed potatoes are smooth, usually peeled and begging for gravy. Smashed potatoes keep more texture and skin, are chunkier, and can stand on their own without gravy. Either way, both are delicious — especially when finished with crunchy bacon.
Buttermilk Bacon Blue Smashed Potatoes
4
is easily multiplied
20 minutes
20 minutes
45 minutes
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Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds yukon gold potatoes
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 4 ounces blue cheese
- 2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
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Wash potatoes and trim any blemishes, leaving the skins on when possible. Cut into even cubes and place in a large pot. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15–20 minutes.
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Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot over low heat to evaporate excess moisture. Add butter and buttermilk, then mash to your preferred texture. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the blue cheese and most of the crumbled bacon, reserving some for garnish. Top with sliced green onions and serve warm.
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And seriously — imagine turning these into mashed potato pancakes. Irresistible.