Why Dried Chives Are Better Than Fresh For Mashed Potatoes

When it comes to mashed potatoes, butter, heavy cream, milk, or sour cream are often ingredients that play a major part in the dish. With all these rich and creamy elements, herbs can go a long way to brightening everything up, particularly chives. They have a slight oniony taste, are delicate enough to contribute distinct flavor without overpowering a dish, and they add a beautiful pop of green into the mix. 

Widely available in most grocery stores, whether by the bunch or in plastic containers, chives are an easy herb to access. However, they're delicate and tend to wilt pretty easily, meaning if you don't use them all up in one fell swoop, they could go to waste. An easy solution is to use dried chives from the spice aisle, which still infuse the flavor of chives into your mashed potatoes, last much longer, and tend to be more budget-friendly. 

While many professional chefs seem to think that fresh is best, in this instance, dried chives overrule the fresh stuff. When incorporating them into creamy mashed potatoes, dried chives will get a chance to rehydrate upon contact with the heat and moisture within the dish, making them appear and taste just like fresh chives. Furthermore, because they're dried, you can store them in your cupboard for up to three years without having to make an extra trip to the store whenever a recipe calls for chives.

In terms of flavor, chives will help round out the richness from creamy elements like heavy cream, butter, cream cheese, or other dairy products that you may like to add into your mashed potato dish. And if you like incorporating salty cheeses into your mashed potatoes, such as Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, folding in a spoonful of dried chives will actually add an earthiness that balances out the salt content.