7 Chain Restaurants Where the Mashed Potatoes Are Actually Real
Mashed potatoes are one of the most versatile sides that pair with everything from fried chicken and turkey slices to steak and pot roast. However, not all mashed potatoes are made with actual fresh potatoes. A lot of restaurants and fast food chains cut corners and use dehydrated potato flakes. Where can you get delicious, real mashed potatoes? Here are 7 chain restaurants where the mashed potatoes are actually real.
Texas Roadhouse
Texas Roadhouse serves homestyle, skin-on, scratch-made spuds that diners love. They are “thick but very creamy,” but the consistency isn’t so homogenous that they feel like baby food, says a Redditor. “I love how they left the peels on. Peppery with a little bit of chunks. Very satisfying to chew,” commented a Facebook user.
Outback Steakhouse
According to users in the Reddit r/Cooking and Reddit r/KitchenConfidential forums, the secret to Outback’s famous mashed potatoes is an incredibly high dairy-to-potato ratio and a heavy hand with salt and garlic seasoning. They use a rich blend of half-and-half, generous amounts of melted butter, and shredded cheddar cheese mixed in for texture and flavor. There is also a “Loaded” version featured on the Outback Menu, topped with sour cream, bacon, green onions, and a mix of Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese
Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel has so many sides that diners love, but the country mash is always a favorite. According to the chain, the creamy mashed potatoes aren’t made with butter. Instead, they are made with a hint of margarine, black pepper, and salt
Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen
Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen skin-on Idaho mashed potatoes feature a chunky, rustic texture. You can get them served plain, or you can elevate them with brown gravy, white country gravy, or melted cheddar cheese and bacon bits. “They tasted very good,” says a Redditor.
The Capital Grille
For an elevated mashed potato dish, head to The Capital Grille for Sam’s Mashed Potatoes, “an original Capital Grille recipe of red bliss potatoes, sweet cream, butter and salt.” The house-made side is “creamy and savory” and one of the most-ordered items. “Best mashed potatoes ever,” an Instagrammer commented.
Smith & Wollensky
Smith & Wollensky is another popular steakhouse that serves a bougie mashed potato dish. The “creamy mashed potatoes” are “smooth and buttery, providing the perfect comfort food complement to the steak,” says a diner.
LongHorn Steakhouse
Over at LongHorn Steakhouse, the mashed potatoes are always a creamy, real-butter mash hit with diners. “The mashed potatoes were DELICIOUS!” a Yelper writes. They are “creamy and steaming hot,” adds another. There are so many copycats on the internet. “How does steakhouses make their mashed potatoes SUPER silky smooth?” one Redditor asked. Lots of people responded that the key is “A LOT of butter and/or cream.”