Top 10 Ideas For What To Serve with Mashed Potatoes (Meats, Mains, Sides)

Wondering what to serve with mashed potatoes? Here are the top 10 meats, mains, and sides, plus several other ideas and recipes you’ll love!

Nothing’s better than a large pot of creamy mashed potatoes for a special occasion like Thanksgiving dinner or even a weeknight family dinner.

It’s a classic comfort food and a popular side dish that both kids and adults love.

But, sometimes it’s hard to decide what to serve with mashed potatoes to complete your meal.

They’re incredibly versatile so there are plenty of great options.

We’re sharing the top 10 sides to create an easy dinner or hearty meal, plus several other ideas, including classic holiday dishes and recipes you’ll love!

Mashed Potatoes 101

As mentioned above, mashed potatoes are a popular side dish and they’re very versatile.

There are lots of different ways to prepare them.

You can make them on the stovetop in about 20 minutes or use your slow cooker over several hours.

You can make them fluffy, buttery, and creamy or loaded with toppings like bacon, green, onion, and sour cream.

And, there are multiple types of potatoes you can use. Here are the most common varieties:

• Yukon gold potatoes
• Russet potatoes
• Red potatoes

And here are some of the most popular ingredients used to make or top mashed potatoes:

• Parmesan cheese
• Black pepper
• Heavy cream
• Cheddar cheese
• Herb butter
• Fresh herbs

What To Serve With Mashed Potatoes

Below, are 10 of the most popular foods to serve with mashed potatoes. These classic pairings never disappoint.

And they’re the perfect complement to the soft and pillowy potatoes.

Our Top 10

1. Meatloaf
2. Beef Roast
3. Ham
4. Turkey
5. Green Beans
6. Roasted or Steamed Carrots
7. Dinner Rolls
8. Green Salad
9. Broccoli Salad
10. Corn

Other Popular Meats, Mains, Sides, and Recipes

Here are several more yummy meats, mains, and sides to help you build the perfect dinner for any occasion plus our favorite recipes for the top pairings!

Meats

Beef

Beef recipes like roast beef and meatloaf with ground beef are a classic combination with creamy potatoes. And you can’t go wrong with a good steak recipe.

Below are several yummy beef dishes we know you’ll love!

• Crock Pot Italian Pot Roast
• Beef Wellington
• Beef Tips
• Inside Out Burger Bundles Recipe
• Cream of Mushroom Meatloaf
• The Easiest Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Meatballs
• Italian Ground Turkey Patties With Vegetables Provencal
• Salisbury Steak

Pork Chops, Pork Roast, Pork Ribs, or Pork Loin

If you’re not in the mood for beef, pork is a great way to go. You can use almost any cut of pork and several preparation methods to create the perfect meat dish to go with mashed potatoes.

Here are some of our favorite ideas:

• Crock Pot Rosemary Pork Chops
• 3 Ingredient Crock Pot Pork Chops
• Crock Pot BBQ Pineapple Chicken Thighs
• 5 Ingredient Crock Pot Asian Chicken Thighs
• Crock Pot Country Style Pork Ribs

Salmon

Salmon is a healthy and hearty fish that pairs well with mashed potatoes. It’s flaky, meaty, and a great vessel for flavor.

Try one of these salmon preparations for your next mashed potato dinner:

• Soy Sauce and Brown Sugar Baked Salmon Recipe
• Salmon Patty Fish Cakes

Baked or Fried Chicken Breast and Thighs

Chicken is one of the most popular proteins, and it’s just as versatile as mashed potatoes. You can enjoy it baked, fried, and roasted.

And you can make it as healthy or decadent as you’d like.

Give one of these yummy chicken dishes a try:

• Grilled Balsamic Bruschetta Chicken
• Chicken Cordon Bleu
• Chicken Tenders

Turkey Breast

Turkey is a classic dish for Thanksgiving. And it’s also one of the most popular meat parings for mashed potatoes.

You can enjoy it baked, roasted, or fried.

And it’s one of the most healthy meats on this list.

Sausage

If you’ve visited or are from the UK, you’ve likely tried sausage and gravy or “bangers and mash”.

It’s a popular pub dish that’s easy to recreate at home.

You can also try other sausage dishes like:

• Sausage and peppers
• Kielbasa and cabbage
• Grilled brats

Ham

Ham is another classic meat to serve with mashed potatoes. It’s a great Christmas dish. But, you can also serve mashed potatoes with diced ham or other preparations like:

• Ham steak
• Country ham
• Ham hocks

Lamb

If you want a more unique or impressive dish to serve with mashed potatoes, try lamb.

You can make:

• Lamb chops
• Rack of lamb
• Roast leg of lamb
• Lamb roast

Main Course

Here are some of our favorite main course recipes to serve with mashed potatoes. They’re each comforting, flavorful, and easy to make.

• Chicken Pillows
• Balsamic Chicken and Veggies
• Creamy Mushroom Swiss Chicken Bake
• Chicken and Broccoli Casserole with Mayo
• Beef Stroganoff

Side Dishes

Bread

Bread is another comfort food like mashed potatoes. So, naturally, they pair well together.

Here are some simple bread recipes to try:

• Rhodes Rolls Breadsticks
• No-Knead Crescent Rolls
• Cheesy Drop Biscuits
• 4 Ingredient Cheesy French Bread
• Soft and Fluffy Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

Roasted, Sauteed, or Steamed Vegetables

Mashed potatoes also pair well with almost any vegetable in any form.

You’ll love these easy and delicious vegetable sides:

• Honey Butter Skillet Corn
• Zucchini and Yellow Squash Casserole
• Green beans with bacon or green bean casserole
• Crockpot Brown Sugar Cinnamon Carrots

Salad

You can’t go wrong with a good salad recipe. Whether you prefer leafy greens, crunchy cabbage, or vegetable salads, they’re all great options to serve with mashed potatoes.

Try one of these yummy salads to complete your next meal:

• Sweet Broccoli Cauliflower Salad with Bacon
• Persimmon Salad with Goat Cheese and Oranges
• Ultimate Winter Green Salad with Pomegranate, Pears, and Pecans
• Spinach Strawberry Salad with Almonds
• Chicken Caesar Salad With Pasta
• The Easiest BLT Salad With Avocado

Other Sides

And here are some other delicious sides this list wouldn’t be complete without.

• Stuffing
• Dressing
• Dessert salad like Pink Fluff and Raspberry Jello Salad
• Baked beans like Cowboy Baked Beans

What To Do with Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Now that we’ve listed the best foods to serve with mashed potatoes, here’s how to store and use your leftovers.

Shelf Life

How long are leftover mashed potatoes good for?

That depends on how well they’re stored!

The best way to store leftover mashed potatoes is in a shallow airtight container, towards the back of the refrigerator.

Or, for the freezer, use heavy-duty, freezer-safe bags.

Flatten them as much as possible to help them fit better on the shelf.

And ensure the potatoes cool to room temperature before putting them in the freezer. Otherwise, they may heat the foods around them.

Make sure you don’t leave mashed potatoes out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.

And only keep them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and in the freezer for no longer than 12 months.

Leftover Mashed Potato Recipes

There are several delicious ways to repurpose leftover mashed potatoes.

Here are some of our favorite ideas:

• Refrigerator mashed potato rolls
• Shepherd’s pie
• Potato nuggets
• Potato fritters
• Savory mashed potato muffins
• Mashed potato waffles
• Potato soup
• Pierogis
• Mashed potato gnocchi

RELATED: Creamy Gnocchi with Tomatoes and Spinach

How To Know If Mashed Potatoes Are Bad

Always inspect your potatoes before reheating them!

Even if it hasn’t been the full 3-5 days, your potatoes may go bad. So, if the potatoes have an unpleasant smell or you notice a sour taste, stop eating them and throw them away.

You should also look out for other signs of spoilage like moldy patches, dry patches, or glossy-looking areas.

FAQs

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