Let Salsa Verde Uplift Your Rich, Creamy Potato Dishes

When you think of a perfect pairing for creamy potatoes, cheese, gravy, or bacon probably comes to mind, but you really shouldn't be sleeping on salsa verde. So many of our favorite accompaniments for potatoes, like butter or sour cream, double down on rich, savory flavors, such that going the other way can seem counterintuitive. While we love to load them with comforting dairy toppings and serve them alongside meaty, saucy dishes, when you consider the difference a pinch of chives can make on top of your potatoes, you begin to get an impression of the magic salsa verde could work on them. One of the best parts of potatoes is their versatility, and the sharp, fresh flavors of salsa verde unlock a whole new world of potato possibilities.

Salsa verde isn't just one condiment, it's a whole class of foods, but the unifying factor is that they are bright, tangy, and, of course, green. It can include classic tomatillo salsas that you would get at a taqueria, or an herb mix with olive oil, and any of them can work great with a plate of potatoes. Got some solid but boring potato salad? Mixing in a chimichurri-like mashup of parsley, oregano, and dill will wake it up and make it sing. You put salsa over eggs, so why not over some fluffy potato pancakes? And if you still don't believe us, remember that tacos de papas with salsa verde are already a thing, and they're delicious.

Potatoes are already great, nobody denies that, but the reason salsa verde is such a great addition to rich, creamy potato dishes is that it gives the heaviness the acidic kick in the pants they often need. 

Some classic stews show how the flavors of salsa verde work as a great match for potatoes. New Mexico's favorite green chile stew, and pork chile verde, a similar dish from Mexico, are both simple, rustic meals that often feature soft potatoes as the main accompaniment to the stew meat. They use variations on salsa verde as the basis for a punchy, acidic broth that pairs well with the mild, earthy potatoes. There isn't much of a leap from that to spooning some green chile salsa over mashed potatoes, so try some salsa verde with your favorite potato prep, and bask in the sunny power of green food.