Add This Condiment To Your Mashed Potatoes For A Spicy Kick

There are a bazillion ways to make mashed potatoes, and everyone has their favorites. From garlic mashed potatoes to lobster mashed potatoes... You can even make them in an instant pot and reheat them by baking them. The possibilities truly are endless.

Mashed potatoes and potatoes in general are thought of as classic American staples, but there was a time when the humble potato had a bit of a naughty reputation.

According to Mental Floss, potatoes were long believed to cause leprosy in humans and were reserved to feed livestock. In fact, France passed a ban against potatoes in 1748. But this changed after a French Army pharmacist by the name of Antoine-Augustin Parmentier lived — as a Prussian prisoner of war — solely on potatoes. Once released, Parmentier began spreading the good news of potatoes. He shared the many ways they could be prepared and by 1772, the ban was lifted.

As you can see, mashed potatoes have been around for a very, very long time, so are there any new and fresh ways to spruce them up? Read on.

It turns out that mustard isn't just for potato salad; This condiment can be used to add a little bit of zip to your mashers.

According to Don't Go Bacon My Heart, there are two types of mustard that can be added to mashed potatoes to give them a fabulous side dish glow-up. Two teaspoons of Dijon mustard adds a classic mustard taste to your mashed potatoes, while adding 2 teaspoons of wholegrain mustard gives them some grit.

If you're partial to one or the other, or a bit nervous about adding too much intensity to your dish, you can experiment by adding just a little bit of mustard to a smaller serving of mashed potatoes. All Recipes notes that adding mustard to your mashed potatoes gives them a similar flavor profile to a German potato salad, and that they're great when served alongside pot roast or sausage. 

Next time you're making mashed potatoes, when you reach for the butter and milk, don't forget to grab the mustard.