Are you eating enough vegetables? Are you eating any at all? This side dish hack of spinach mashed potatoes will actually get you eating some spinach for once.
I’ll get straight into the full recipe card below after the brief introduction, so that you don’t have to scroll down to get the details.
However, after the spinach mashed potatoes recipe card, there are tips and variations that are worth reading, so do scroll down to see those!
The other good news is that it’s okay to count potato as a vegetable. Let me say that again, potato counts as a serve of vegetables! To ensure balance, just make sure to serve it with some greens and proteins; like spinach.
I made an amazing discovery recently. My supermarket sells frozen mashed potato, and yours probably does too.
This recipe marries frozen mashed potatoes and frozen spinach. They can be microwaved together and stirred, creating the perfect spinach mashed potatoes side dish. Simple.
Spinach Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen mashed potato
- ½ cup frozen spinach
Instructions
- In a microwave safe bowl, add the mashed potato and spinach still frozen straight from the bag.
- Microwave for about ten minutes total. Every two minutes, stop the microwave and give the contents of the bowl a stir. The exact time will depend on your microwave. The spinach mash is finished when everything in the bowl is piping hot, so make sure to use oven mitts.
Nutrition Information
Yield 2 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 253Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 2mgSodium 745mgCarbohydrates 38gFiber 5gSugar 3gProtein 6g
Variations
- If you don’t have a microwave, the dish can be warmed on the stove.
- If you prefer not to use frozen vegetables, peel and chop 500g of potatoes, place in a microwave safe bowl with ¼ cup water, and microwave for about 20 minutes total, stirring a few times. Add a handful of fresh spinach (make sure you rinse it well first), and microwave for one last minute to wilt the spinach. Stir through a dollop of butter, ¼ cup milk and salt and pepper to taste.
- To make it vegan, follow the steps above but use olive oil and soy milk (instead of butter and milk).
A Note On Frozen Mashed Potato
The frozen mashed potato comes in little cubes, imagine that someone has cooked mashed potato, then frozen it into ice cube trays, then popped the little frozen cubes out and put them in
a bag. I always have a good look at the back and read the ingredients, look for one that has just potatoes, milk, butter and salt. Preferably get one with no added sugar and no preservatives
if you can.
Basically I get the frozen mash, put it in a bowl, and microwave it until it is warmed through, and it magically turns into creamy dreamy mashed potato. I like to keep some in the freezer for
when I need a quick side. If you can’t see it in the frozen vegetable isle, your supermarket might have fresh mashed potato in the side dishes area. Again check the ingredients on the back.
Pair Spinach Mashed Potatoes With
Pair with anything that involves the word ‘gravy’. Lamb shanks work exceptionally well. Use this anywhere you would usually use mashed potatoes. Grilled fish, or a vegetarian dish would be great too.
Another idea is you can make a fun breakfast meal: stack poached egg and fried bacon on top of the spinach mashed potatoes. Serve with mayonnaise or hollandaise sauce. Yep, amazing.
The Origin Of Spinach Mash
Spinach mashed potatoes don’t have a single point of origin but are a variation found in multiple cuisines. In Eastern Europe, particularly in Slavic and Balkan countries, greens like spinach, kale, or nettles are often mixed into mashed potatoes for added flavour and nutrition. Often, garlic and sour cream would also be added (yes please).
In France, a similar dish called pommes purée aux épinards is made with butter and cream for a rich, velvety texture. This combination is also common in Irish cuisine, where colcannon, which is a mix of mashed potatoes and cabbage or kale shares a similar concept.
Over time, spinach mashed potatoes have become a comforting and nutrient packed side dish enjoyed in many cultures, and is a lovely comfort food.
