The Cooking Liquid Swap For Actually Tasty Instant Mashed Potatoes

With such a time-consuming process involved in making mashed potatoes, it's no wonder companies have long offered quicker options to curb our tater cravings. When  you don't have time to peel, boil, and mash your potatoes, it might be worth passing up the produce aisle and stocking up on the instant variety. Unfortunately, most instant mashed potato boxes you can buy at the store don't taste as good as those that are made from scratch.

If you're sick of digging into bland-tasting instant potatoes but aren't able to make the time for a fresh batch, we have a tip for you. While there are many easy ways to elevate what comes out of the box, like adding a generous helping of sour cream or mixing in fresh herbs, simply adding some chicken broth may be the best and easiest option. Adding chicken broth to your potatoes will add the salty flavor boost that was missing all along. And you don't even have to add an extra step to the process to make this work. All you have to do is substitute the water for broth.

The label on your favorite box of instant mashed potatoes will likely ask you to use one to a few cups of water (depending on the amount you're making) to rehydrate the potato flakes. However, no added salt or butter will make up for the lack of flavor this plain water brings. So slightly disregard those instructions and rifle through your pantry for a can or box of chicken broth instead.

Subbing in broth for water will produce the ultra-creamy texture you're after and give you an enhanced taste that salted butter alone can't. And, don't worry, your potatoes won't take on a strong chicken taste;  it will just add savoriness to the final product. If you're not a fan of chicken broth, you can try substituting the water with milk or cream. For vegans, plant-based milk or vegetable broth are solid options for elevating that standard taste.