Trying to figure out the best way to reheat mashed potatoes?
This short guide will give you the many different reheating options available for reheating this food, along with step-by-step guides and also important information to note as it relates to food safety.
With that said, let’s get to what you came for.
Should You Reheat Mashed Potatoes?
While there is nothing like freshly made food, you can reheat mashed potatoes and have almost perfect results. This is often the go to choice for many people who might have leftovers and want to relieve a part of that amazing meal that they had last night.
Reheating mashed potatoes is also a good idea if you want to make the dish ahead of time and reheat for a party or function. Depending on the reheating method used, it should turn out like if it was freshly made.
A Point of Concern When Dealing with Mashed Potatoes
If you are trying to reheat mashed potatoes that have been left out for too long (hours), it is a good idea to throw it away.
Between temperatures 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, mashed potatoes enter what is called the bacterial “Danger Zone”. If they have been sitting around for hours, harmful bacteria can quickly multiply, leaving the possibility of you getting a food borne illness from consuming the dish.
Throw away any mashed potatoes that have been out too long, as you do not want to take a risk. If you do plan on reheating potatoes that were refrigerated soon after cooking, reheat till steaming hot, as this will kill most harmful bacteria.
Related: How to Reheat a Baked Potato
How to Reheat Mashed Potatoes: Step-by-Step Guide
Most people use 4 methods when it comes to reheating this dish:
- Stove Top
- The Microwave
- 2 Pot Method
- Oven
Let us take a more detailed look at each method below
1. Stove Top: Recommended Method to Reheat Mashed Potatoes
Ideally, the stove top is really the best place to go about reheating and warming up mashed potatoes. You will be able to recreate the dish as when you first had it and the heating can be done more evenly.
This is actually pretty quick and simple to do, if done correctly. Please Note that you could burn your potatoes if you turn the heat up too high.
1. Heat up Skillet/Pot
Heat up a nonstick skillet or a pot on a medium flame.
2. Add Liquid
If you want really nice reheated mashed potatoes, you are going to need some liquid. This will not only give it some flavor, but you will end up with creamier potatoes.
You can opt to use cream, buttermilk, milk, half-and-half, vegetable or chicken stock or some butter.
3. Stir
As you heat up the mashed potatoes, you are going to stir it around till it is steaming hot.
2. Microwave: Quickest Way to Reheat Mashed Potatoes
Heating up mashed potatoes in the microwave is by far the quickest way to get everything hot and steamy and back on track. It is quite easy to do and it will only take about 1 to 2 minutes to get everything heated up properly.
Steps
- The first thing to do is place the mashed potatoes in a microwavable dish
- Add some cream or milk to the potatoes in the dish
- Cover with a plastic wrap
- Heat the mashed potatoes at medium for two minutes, opening to stir every 30 seconds.
- Heat till steaming hot.
- Check to see if it is fully heated, as some microwaves intensity will vary.
- Take out, allow to cool and enjoy
3. Double Boiler/2 Pot Method
When doing the stovetop method, you really have to pay close attention so that you will not burn the mashed potatoes. Just a little too much heat, can ruin your reheating process.
So what is the 2 pot method? You are essentially going to have one pot which you will be using to reheat the mashed potatoes in and then the second pot will contain water in.
The first pot serves as a buffer to the direct heat, this is to ensure that the potatoes do not get burned.
This is placed on the stove top and as the water comes to the boil, you can gently reheat your potatoes in the second pot. You can add cream, buttermilk, milk, half-and-half, vegetable or chicken stock or some butter to make the potatoes creamy and flavorful.
4. The Oven
If you are anti-microwave or you just do not have one, you could heat up the mashed potatoes in the oven. This process is a bit longer, but you will be able to get the same results if it is done properly.
Steps
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Place the mashed potatoes in a Pyrex dish
- Add a small amount of milk or cream.
- Cover with foil
- Reheat for about 15-30 minutes (depending on the size of the dish you are reheating)
- Reheat till steaming hot. Depending on the oven, you might have to check to ensure that it is reheated properly.
- Be aware that it should not be kept in for too long, as it can get crisp.
Wrapping It Up
Mashed potatoes are a simple dish to reheat and hopefully you will consider any of the methods mentioned above when considering warming up your next batch.
The microwave is the quickest, but the stovetop is by far the best option available.
