Question: What are Skinny Mashed Potatoes?
Sometimes a recipe will suggest serving skinny mashed potatoes alongside an entrée. A few people have asked what we mean by skinny mashed potatoes.
Answer: Regular mashed potatoes usually call for cream and butter to be added. Simply put, skinny mashed potatoes are made by substituting nonfat or low-fat milk or buttermilk—or fat-free broth—in place of cream, whole milk and butter. I also like to use fat-free sour cream or low-fat plain yogurt as cream and whole milk substitutes, too. Fat-free half and half and fat-free evaporated milk are also great alternatives.
You can add flavor to skinny mashed potatoes by adding some crushed roasted garlic, a little chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, or a simple blend of fresh or dried herbs to give them added interest.
If you want that buttery flavor without the butter, use butter-flavored sprinkles (such as Butter Buds), or go ahead and add just one tablespoon of butter as a special treat.
As always, go easy on portion sizes. A serving size of mashed potatoes should really be no more than a half cup.
Try this almost fat-free recipe for garlic mashed potatoes.
