Add Egg Yolks For Richer And Creamier Homemade Mashed Potatoes (2024)

Julia Holland

·3-min read

Eggs are an almighty staple with multifaceted culinary powers that can thicken, flavor, emulsify, and bind ingredients in countless recipes from baked goods to soups to sauces. Western and Eastern cuisines commonly utilize raw eggs cracked over and stirred into dishes to add depth of flavor and a thick, velvety coating; Italians use a raw egg to create a sauce on the fly for pasta carbonara while Japanese cuisine cracks a raw egg over steamed white rice in tamago kake gohan.

In addition to rice and pasta, you can add potatoes to the list of carbohydrate staples that will benefit from the many attributes of a raw egg. Adding egg yolks to a pot of mashed potatoes is an easy, dairy-free texture and taste upgrade that doesn't require any special techniques. The yolks harbor all the flavorful fats and emulsifying componentsandwill thus effectively unify the fat and water in potatoes, translating to a smoother, uniformly creamy pot. Plus, the buttery richness of the yolks will pair perfectly with the earthy savoriness of the potatoes in a classic recipe and offer a perfect complement to more elaborate recipes like roasted garlic mashed potatoes.

There's no need to temper the egg yolk when you add it to a mashed potato recipe.Simply stir it into the mashed potatoes along with the other wet ingredients and seasonings. The suggested ratio of egg yolks to potatoes is one egg yolk for every pound and a half of potatoes.

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Read more: 23 Types Of Potatoes And When To Use Them

Mashed Potato And Egg Yolk Tips

Add Egg Yolks For Richer And Creamier Homemade Mashed Potatoes (2)

You can apply the egg yolk hack to any mashed potato recipe you'd like for richer, creamier results. As with yolk-heavy dishes like brioche or egg noodles, mashed potatoes infused with egg yolks will have a noticeably yellow hue. You can use egg yolks in addition to cream and butter for the most decadent flavor and texture, but you can also use egg yolks in a two-ingredient mash instead of dairy by blending the mashed boiled potatoes with a bit of their starchy cooking water and egg yolk.

If separating yolks from whites sounds like a daunting task, there are plenty of genius hacks to successfully isolate yolks. The water bottle hack uses an empty plastic water bottle to suck the yolk from the white. A tablespoon measure is another accessible tool to scoop the yolk from the white. If your potato masher has a round, slotted head then you can use it as a strainer for the whites and a barrier for the yolk. This is especially convenient for mashed potatoes as you can use the masher to separate the eggs and mash them into your potatoes.

Egg whites aren't a part of this mashed potato hack, but you can reserve them for a myriad of other uses, from frittatas to co*cktail foam. They'll keep in the freezer for up to a year.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.

Add Egg Yolks For Richer And Creamier Homemade Mashed Potatoes (2024)

FAQs

What does adding egg yolk to mashed potatoes do? ›

Adding egg yolks to a pot of mashed potatoes is an easy, dairy-free texture and taste upgrade that doesn't require any special techniques. The yolks harbor all the flavorful fats and emulsifying components and will thus effectively unify the fat and water in potatoes, translating to a smoother, uniformly creamy pot.

How does Gordon Ramsay make their mashed potatoes creamy? ›

Gordon Ramsay's mashed potatoes are known for their richness and flavor. He typically adds butter, heavy cream, and sometimes crème fraîche to his mashed potatoes for a creamy and indulgent texture.

What does adding egg yolk to a recipe do? ›

Recipes that use just the yolk of an egg typically do so for the yolk's fat content and emulsifying abilities. The fat gives baked goods extra-rich flavor and a velvety texture. The yolk also has the unique ability to bind liquids and fats together, creating an emulsion that prevents them from separating.

What is the trick to thicken mashed potatoes? ›

You can use what you have on hand: Flour, cornstarch, or powdered milk are all solid options that are probably already in your pantry. Potato flour and potato starch would work as well. Stir in the thickening agent gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes have reached your desired consistency.

Why do restaurant mashed potatoes taste better? ›

Garlic and herbs are added to boost flavor

Instead of boiling a few potatoes and mashing them plain, a lot of restaurant chefs like to apply a little more finesse. Garlic and herbs infused in butter and cream add a flavor boost without overpowering.

Why add baking soda to mashed potatoes? ›

Directions. Throw just a pinch of ARM & HAMMER™ Baking Soda into potatoes while mashing to make them fluffier.

Is it better to use milk or heavy cream in mashed potatoes? ›

The best Creamy Mashed Potatoes consists of perfectly cooked russet potatoes, melted butter, heavy cream and a touch of tartness like crème fraîche.

How to make mashed potatoes Rachael Ray? ›

directions
  1. Boil potatoes until tender, 15 minutes. ...
  2. When the potatoes are tender, drain them and return them to the hot pot to let them dry out a bit.
  3. Mash potatoes with half-and-half or milk using a potato masher.
  4. Add in the cream cheese and smash until the cheese melts into the potatoes.
  5. Add chives or scallions.

How do you make mashed potatoes fluffy and not sticky? ›

Using a potato ricer or food mill breaks down cooked potatoes without overworking them, and from there you can gently fold in butter and milk for light and airy mashed potatoes, or you can control the level of starch manipulation to produce creamy pommes purée.

What happens if you use egg yolks instead of whole eggs? ›

Yolks also act as an emulsifier, making a creamy dough even before it's baked. Egg whites, on the other hand, can have a drying effect. A cookie made with extra egg yolk (or, in this case, only egg yolk), will be lighter and chewier than a cookie made with whole eggs.

What does egg yolk do to flour? ›

besides the nutritional benefits there are a few other good reasons to use egg in breadmaking. It makes the bread lighter and fluffier. The reason for that is the fat in the yolk that inhibits gluten formation just as any other fat would.

Which is the best function of egg yolk in cooking? ›

They are a highly bioavailable source of the carotenoid lutein, a deep yellow pigment which give baked goods a rich color. In baked goods, egg yolks: Act as an emulsifier, keeping moisture in products and tenderizing crumbs. Adds volume and richness.

Can you add too much milk to mashed potatoes? ›

Runny potatoes can happen for a few different reasons. Too much liquid: This is the most common reason. In the mashing process you may have added too much milk or broth.

How do you make mashed potatoes less dense? ›

Secrets to Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
  1. Use Russets. ...
  2. Rinse excess starch from the diced potatoes before cooking. ...
  3. Use a potato ricer instead of a potato masher. ...
  4. Use half-and-half or whole milk rather than heavy cream to keep it lighter. ...
  5. Gradually and gently fold the melted butter and half-and-half into the potatoes.
Feb 13, 2023

How to make mashed potatoes thicker without cornstarch? ›

How To Thicken Mashed Potatoes [7 Easy Methods]
  1. Turn up the heat. If you're unsure how to thicken mashed potatoes, you can try the simple method of turning up the heat on the stovetop. ...
  2. Add a thickening agent. ...
  3. Mix in dehydrated potatoes. ...
  4. Try using the oven. ...
  5. Zap it in the microwave. ...
  6. Strain the potatoes. ...
  7. Add more potatoes.
Dec 13, 2023

What not to do with mashed potatoes? ›

The 7 Biggest Mistakes You Make With Mashed Potatoes
  1. You Don't Wash Potatoes First. ...
  2. You Use Just One Type of Potato. ...
  3. You Don't Season the Water. ...
  4. You Add Potato Pieces to Boiling Water. ...
  5. You Use the Wrong Gadget to Mash the Potatoes. ...
  6. You Only Use Butter. ...
  7. You Make the Potatoes Too Soon.
Jun 15, 2021

Why does egg yolk thicken sauce? ›

Egg yolks are the ideal addition to pasta sauces, salad dressings and custards that need thickening. The protein in egg yolks thicken when heated and they also add a richness to sauces. You'll need to be careful when adding egg yolks to hot sauces because they can scramble the sauce.

What are the benefits of eggs and potatoes? ›

High in vitamin B6, magnesium and several antioxidants, herbed potatoes are loaded with fibre and make your meals more satiating. Eggs give you 'good cholesterol' and improve heart health. They help in regulating blood pressure and are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids.

What makes mashed potatoes stick together? ›

Here's how this sticky state of affairs happens: Cooking causes the starch granules within the potato cells to absorb water and swell. Some cells will inevitably burst, releasing tacky gel that helps give mashed potatoes their cohesiveness.

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