How to Make a Mashed Potato Bowl

I was talking to my sister the other day and she was saying that her daughter had been speaking to her about Mashed Potato Bowls and how popular they were.  The more we talked about them, the more I wanted to make one!
Apparently KFC in the US does one and has recently introduced "Smashed" Potato Bowls.  I had not actually heard of any of them before, but I did some research and discovered that a lot of people are doing their own takes on the Mashed Potato Bowl!  There are even Vegan versions out there!
 
So what is a Mashed Potato Bowl when its not at home?  Basically it is your own individual little bowl of comfort, with mashed potatoes as a base, topped with your favorite protein, vegetables and gravy.    To me it sounds like an incredibly adaptable entree!
Something which you could adapt to your own family's individual tastes, and to whatever you happen to have in the refrigerator. Most of the ones I have seen were topped with fried chicken or chicken tenders, popcorn chicken, etc.  And indeed the one that I made today did use some chopped crispy chicken breast on top. But you needn't limit yourself to chicken.
 
 
My goal today however is to show you that you needn't limit yourselves when it comes to making your mashed potato bowls at all!!  They are a great way to use up leftovers, yes!  But you can do so much more with them than that!
You can make your mashed potatoes, which are on the base of each bowl,  from scratch and as tasty and as decadent as you wish!  Today I added some cheese, spring onions and bacon bits to my mashed potatoes, but there is no reason why you couldn't add whatever you want to them, or even just leave them plain. The world really is your oyster when it comes to this!  
For Saint Patrick's day I can see you making them with a Colcannon  mashed potato base!  Topping them with corned beef, cabbage and parsley sauce!  What a wonderful dish for Saint Patrick's day! You could do Thanksgiving ones after Thanksgiving. You could do Ham ones after Easter. Any kind of leftover meat, fish or even tofu with the appropriate veggies would work well.
And you needn't limit yourselves to gravy on the top either.  Cheese sauce, bechamel, etc.  all would work well.  Its your Mashed Potato Bowl and you can really let your taste and imagination go wild when it comes to creating your very own favorite bowl!
Today I chose to top my cheesy spring onion mash with cubed crispy cooked chicken, carrots, peas and corn. Finished off with a chicken gravy and a garnish of more grated cheese, some spring onions and bacon bits.  And let me tell you, it was amazingly delicious!  What follows is a basic tutorial on how to make your very own version of the Mashed Potato Bowl!
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE A MASHED POTATO BOWL
These are so adaptable and convert easily to whatever leftovers you might have that you wish to use up, or whatever tastes you are trying to accommodate. You can use any kind of protein that you enjoy and even make these vegan or vegetarian with just a few switches!

For the basic mashed potato base:

• 3/4 pound (340g) of floury potatoes (Maris Piper, Russet, Yukon Gold, etc.)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 TBS heavy cream
• 1 TBS butter
• 1 TBS milk (or as needed)
• salt and black pepper

Potato add ins:

• chopped spring onions
• grated strong cheddar cheese
• crumbled bacon bits
• sour cream (instead of sweet cream)
• whole garlic cloves (add when you are cooking the potatoes)

Protein options:

• Leftover cooked meat such as turkey, chicken, pork, or beef
• chicken nuggets or strips
• cubed roasted ham
• veggie nuggets (Chicken or fish flavor)
• cooked salmon, haddock or cod broken into chunks
• cooked large prawns

Side and Vegetable options:

• Cooked and heated peas, corn, carrots, broccoli, brussels sprouts, etc. (Pick your favorite vegetables)
• Leftover cooked stuffing

For the gravy: (optional)

• 2 1/4 cups (540ml) of warm pan juices or stock (you can use beef, chicken or a combination of both) (If using pan juices top up with warm stock to make the required amount.)
• 4 TBS unsalted butter
• 4 TBS all purpose plain flour
• 1/4 tsp each onion and garlic powders (not salt)
• freshly ground black pepper
• fine sea salt (as needed)

Proper bechamel cream sauce: (great with fish or ham. You can add some cheese and make it a cheese sauce if you are doing ham.)

• 2 TBS butter
• 2 TBS flour
• 2 cups (480ml) warm milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• pinch of cayenne or dry mustard powder (optional)

Garnishes: (optional)

• grated cheese
• chopped spring or red onions
• chopped cooked bacon
• crispy fried onions (from the salad fixings aisle)

 
As you can see your choices for how to  individualize your bowls is endless.  When you are in need of a quick and easy dinner that everyone will enjoy, these mashed potato bowls are sure to become your favorite option!
Satisfying and easy to make they really are the ultimate comfort food!

HOW TO MAKE A MASHED POTATO BOWL
This really is a simple and easy to make supper dish. Your family is sure to love these! A true comfort food!
To make the potatoes:

1. Peel the potatoes, rinse and cut into large chunks. Place into a saucepan and cover with lightly salted cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat.
2. Reduce to a quick simmer and cook, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until fork tender.
3. Warm the cream and butter together in the microwave while the potatoes are cooking, just until the butter melts.
4. When the potatoes are done, drain them really well and then return to the saucepan. Shake the saucepan over the residual heat of the burner to dry them out really well. Pour the cream and butter over the potatoes.
5. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes, adding only as much milk as needed to give you the proper consistency. You want light and fluffy. Do not over-mash or you risk them having a glue-like texture. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

To make gravy:

1. For the gravy, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. (If you have fat drippings from the meat you can use them, either chicken or beef.) Add the flour along with the onion and garlic powders. Whisk well together to make a roux. Cook, whisking continuously, for about 2 minutes to cook out any flour taste.
2. Slowly whisk in half of the stock, whisking constantly. Once that has amalgamated (It will be thick already) whisk in the remainder of the stock.
3. Cook, stirring, for about 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat, until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Simmer for a few minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as required with pepper and salt. (Depending on your stock you may not need any salt.)
4. Serve hot! Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator.

To make a Cream Sauce: (optional) (Would go well with chicken for sure, but also ham, fish, etc.)

1. Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute to cook out the flour taste.
2. Whisk in the hot milk slowly, whisking constantly until all of the milk has been incorporated and the sauce begins to thicken. Bring to the boil, again whisking constantly.
3. Season to taste with salt and black or white pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
4. Serve hot.

 

How to assemble the mashed potato bowls:

1. Divide the hot mashed potatoes between four heated bowls. Give them a bit of swirl to make some texture and little dimples to hold the gravy and other ingredients.
2. Top with the vegetables and chopped protein.
3. Ladle the hot gravy or sauce over top.
4. Garnish as desired and serve immediately.

Notes

These are completely versatile and make good use of leftover proteins and vegetables. You can totally adapt them to use what your family enjoys and what you have on hand. Times are variable depending on what you choose. These go together very quickly once you have all of the options ready to go. Just make sure everything is good and hot!

 
Mashed potato bowls have to be one of the best ways to indulge in comfort food. I love that you can adapt them to whatever you have on hand. You can use leftover mash or make fresh mash.  
Today's with chopped crispy chicken breast and a classic chicken gravy was lovely with its base of spring onion, cheese and bacon mash.  This is a belly filler your whole family will love!  Guaranteed! 

If you enjoy potato based suppers as much as I do, you might also enjoy the following!
CHICKEN & PANCETTA STUFFED JACKET POTATOES - I like to use up all of my leftovers if I can.  I just hate waste and, honestly, in today's economic climate, it just makes sense to use up all that we have.   Good use of leftovers makes good food budget economy, and I am all for that! This recipe makes for doing just that with cooked chicken, diced pancetta, some spinach and a delicious creamy cheesy sauce, spooned over a baked jacket potato. A tasty bit of this and a tasty bit of that! You could also use leftover cooked ham or turkey, or both!

CLASSIC BANGERS & MASH -  How to make this British Classic Comfort Food, with fluffy mashed potatoes, sauteed sausages and a classically delicious onion gravy. A dish that is as good as the ingredients you choose to make it with. Simple every day ingredients. Choose quality and you cannot go wrong!

Yield: 4Author: Marie RaynerPrintWith ImageWithout Image

Mashed Potato Bowls

Deliciously adaptable bowls with a hot fluffy mashed potato base, topped with your favorite protein, vegetables and sauce/gravy. Very versatile and easy to adapt to your own family's tastes.

Ingredients

For the basic mashed potato base:

• 3/4 pound (340g) of floury potatoes (Maris Piper, Russet, Yukon Gold, etc.)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 TBS heavy cream
• 1 TBS butter
• 1 TBS milk (or as needed)
• salt and black pepper

Potato add ins:

• chopped spring onions
• grated strong cheddar cheese
• crumbled bacon bits
• sour cream (instead of sweet cream)
• whole garlic cloves (add when you are cooking the potatoes)

Protein options:

• Leftover cooked meat such as turkey, chicken, pork, or beef
• chicken nuggets or strips
• cubed roasted ham
• veggie nuggets (Chicken or fish flavor)
• cooked salmon, haddock or cod broken into chunks
• cooked large prawns

Side and Vegetable options:

• Cooked and heated peas, corn, carrots, broccoli, brussels sprouts, etc. (Pick your favorite vegetables)
• Leftover cooked stuffing

For the gravy: (optional)

• 2 1/4 cups (540ml) of warm pan juices or stock (you can use beef, chicken or a combination of both) (If using pan juices top up with warm stock to make the required amount.)
• 4 TBS unsalted butter
• 4 TBS all purpose plain flour
• 1/4 tsp each onion and garlic powders (not salt)
• freshly ground black pepper
• fine sea salt (as needed)

Proper bechamel cream sauce:

• 2 TBS butter
• 2 TBS flour
• 2 cups (480ml) warm milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• pinch of cayenne or dry mustard powder (optional)

Garnishes: (optional)

• grated cheese
• chopped spring or red onions
• chopped cooked bacon
• crispy fried onions

Instructions

To make the potatoes:

1. Peel the potatoes, rinse and cut into large chunks. Place into a saucepan and cover with lightly salted cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat.
2. Reduce to a quick simmer and cook, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until fork tender.
3. Warm the cream and butter together in the microwave while the potatoes are cooking, just until the butter melts.
4. When the potatoes are done, drain them really well and then return to the saucepan. Shake the saucepan over the residual heat of the burner to dry them out really well. Pour the cream and butter over the potatoes.
5. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes, adding only as much milk as needed to give you the proper consistency. You want light and fluffy. Do not over-mash or you risk them having a glue-like texture. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

To make gravy:

1. For the gravy, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. (If you have fat drippings from the meat you can use them, either chicken or beef.) Add the flour along with the onion and garlic powders. Whisk well together to make a roux. Cook, whisking continuously, for about 2 minutes to cook out any flour taste.
2. Slowly whisk in half of the stock, whisking constantly. Once that has amalgamated (It will be thick already) whisk in the remainder of the stock.
3. Cook, stirring, for about 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat, until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Simmer for a few minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as required with pepper and salt. (Depending on your stock you may not need any salt.)
4. Serve hot! Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator.

To make a Cream Sauce: (optional)

1. Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute to cook out the flour taste.
2. Whisk in the hot milk slowly, whisking constantly until all of the milk has been incorporated and the sauce begins to thicken. Bring to the boil, again whisking constantly.
3. Season to taste with salt and black or white pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
4. Serve hot.

How to assemble the mashed potato bowls:

1. Divide the hot mashed potatoes between four heated bowls. Give them a bit of swirl to make some texture and little dimples to hold the gravy and other ingredients.
2. Top with the vegetables and chopped protein.
3. Ladle the hot gravy or sauce over top.
4. Garnish as desired and serve immediately.

Notes

These are completely versatile and make good use of leftover proteins and vegetables. You can totally adapt them to use what your family enjoys and what you have on hand. Times are variable depending on what you choose. These go together very quickly once you have all of the options ready to go. Just make sure everything is good and hot!

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