What is the Difference Between Mashed and Smashed Potatoes

The main difference between mashed and smashed potatoes is that mashed potatoes are smooth, fluffy, and creamy with no visible lumps, while smashed potatoes are chunky and include the skins.

Mashed potatoes and smashed potatoes are very similar dishes we make with potatoes. Sometimes, we even use these two names interchangeably. But there are slight differences between mashed potatoes and smashed potatoes.

Key Areas Covered

1. What are Mashed Potatoes
     – Definition, Features, How to Make
2. What are Smashed Potatoes
     – Definition, Features
3. Difference Between Mashed and Smashed Potatoes
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Mashed Potatoes, Smashed Potatoes

What are Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are potatoes that have been boiled and then crushed into a soft mass, usually with added butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Mashed potatoes look fluffy and creamy, with no lumps. We usually use mashed potatoes as a side dish to meat and vegetables. They sometimes also serve as an ingredient in other dishes like gnocchi and dumplings. You can easily make mashed potatoes at home, but they are also available as frozen and dehydrated packs.

Most cooks mainly use floury potatoes to make mashed potatoes. Some common varieties of floury potatoes include russet, King Edward, golden wonder, and red rascal. Some also use waxy potatoes. Moreover, some cooks use many types of seasonings, including herbs (parsley and chives) and spices like nutmeg, as well as ingredients like bacon, cheese, onions, garlic, and mustard to this dish.

How to Make Mashed Potatoes

1. First of all, boil a pot of water, add some salt, and add peeled and quartered potatoes to it.
2. Cook until the potatoes are tender and drain well.
3. Next, in another saucepan, heat butter and milk over low flame.
4. Heat until the butter melts.
5. Then, mash the potatoes with a potato masher or an electric beater and slowly blend it with the butter-milk mixture until it becomes creamy and smooth.
6. Finally, season with salt and pepper as your preference.

What are Smashed Potatoes

Smashed potatoes are a variant of mashed potatoes. In this recipe, you only roughly mash the potatoes. Most cooks use a fork or a handheld masher to mash potatoes. Therefore, this dish tends to have chunkier potatoes. It also does not have a creamy and smooth mixture. However, this method shortens the preparation time. Another clear difference between mashed and smashed potatoes is that smashed potatoes are usually prepared with their skin. This is because we don’t peel the potatoes before boiling. 

The recipe for smashed potatoes is similar to the recipe for mashed potatoes. But you don’t peel the potatoes before boiling them. Moreover, the mashing of potatoes usually takes place manually. Therefore, you can cook the smashed potatoes more easily and with less time.

Difference Between Mashed and Smashed Potatoes

Definition

Mashed potatoes are potatoes that have been boiled and then crushed into a soft mass, usually with added butter, milk, salt, and pepper, while smashed potatoes are a variant of mashed potatoes.

Texture

Mashed potatoes have a creamy, smooth, and fluffy texture, whereas smashed potatoes have a chunkier texture.

Clumps

Generally, mashed potatoes are smooth and do not contain lumps, but smashed potatoes have lumps.

Peels

Mashed potatoes do not contain potato peels, while smashed potatoes do. 

Mashing

Mashed potato recipes usually use an electric beater to turn the potatoes into a creamy paste, but smashed potato recipes use a fork or a manual masher.

Preparation Time

Smashed potatoes usually have less preparation time than mashed potatoes.

Conclusion

The main difference between mashed and smashed potatoes is their texture. Mashed potatoes have a creamy, smooth, and fluffy texture, whereas smashed potatoes have a chunkier texture. Generally, it’s easier to make smashed potatoes since it involves less time and effort.

Reference:

1. “Basic Mashed Potatoes.” All Recipes
2. “Mashed potato.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Sous vide mashed potatoes” By Sousvideguy (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Whole boiled potatoes with onions, garlic and basil on an old kitchen board” By Marco Verch (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr