What To Serve With Mashed Potatoes: 20+ Recipes
Never wonder what goes with mashed potatoes again—here are over 25 of the best recipes! There are plenty of meats, full-on dishes, and side dishes that pair wonderfully with mashed potatoes. I’m excited to show you my favorites today!
Mashed potatoes are such a versatile side dish that we tend to only pull out during the holidays.
Of course, they taste amazing with turkey and gravy, but they don’t just have to be a Thanksgiving dish!
In this roundup, I want to show you some delicious dishes you can pair mashed potatoes with all year round!
What Goes With Mashed Potatoes?
There are so many different things you can serve with mashed potatoes. Common meats served with potatoes for the holidays are turkey and ham, but you don’t have to stick with those. Other great proteins include chicken, beef tenderloin, pot roast, and more.
Can you eat mashed potatoes as a meal?
While it is not very common to eat mashed potatoes as a meal, it is certainly possible!
You can make your mashed potatoes into potato pancakes, fritters, etc, or serve them with other vegetables.
Really, the options are limitless with this well-loved classic! So let’s get right into all the mains and sides to serve with mashed potatoes.
1. Apple Butter Pork Chops
First up, check out these Apple Butter Pork Chops by Mess for Less! This dish takes a fun, delicious spin on a classic pork chop dish.
But unlike the dry, bland stuff you might be used to, these pork chops are moist, tender, buttery, and packed with delicious, sweet flavor.
And the best part? They’re incredibly simple to make, use minimal ingredients, and can be made in just one pan!
Other pork chop recipes would go great with mashed potatoes as well.
For example, these smothered pork chops by House of Nash Eats are dredged in a mix of flour and spices, and served with a flavorful sauce.
Or, this same blog has another recipe for grilled BBQ pork chops!
2. Crock Pot Cranberry Chicken
Are you looking for something easy, yet unique? If so, I bet you’ll enjoy this Crock Pot Cranberry Chicken from Wunder Mom!
This recipe only requires 4 ingredients and can be prepped in just a few short minutes. This cranberry chicken would pair beautifully with mashed potatoes, green beans, etc.,!
I love how this recipe allows you to make a meal with a play on Thanksgiving. However, lots of non-Thanksgiving chicken recipes actually work well with mashed potatoes.
We’ll look at some more further down in this post, but another one I just have to mention here is crockpot gravy chicken from Mess for Less.
3. Crock Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
There’s nothing quite like a great pot roast—especially with mashed potatoes! Pot Roast is easy to prep, it pairs well with most sides, and it is loved by the whole family.
This Mississippi Pot Roast is no exception! It’s so incredibly simple to prep (seriously, it only takes 5 minutes), and comes out delicious every time!
(Speaking of pot roast, you can also check out sides that go well with this meal here!)
Recipe From: Mess for Less
4. Best Smoked Pork Shoulder
If you thought pork chops was the only cut of pork to go with mashed potatoes, think again! Here is an amazing Smoked Pork Shoulder Recipe!
If you’ve never smoked meat before, it can seem pretty intimidating—but this recipe walks you through how to smoke it perfectly step by step! This pork shoulder is tender, delicious, full of smoky flavor, and the perfect dish to kick off the summer!
Recipe From: Good Life Eats
5. Mashed Potato Stuffed Meatloaf
Have you made stuffed meatloaf before? This Mashed Potato Stuffed Meatloaf is the perfect recipe to try!
This recipe is particularly great because it’s an amazing family friendly dish that’s full of wholesome ingredients like shredded carrots, oats, etc. This dish is also perfect for using up and re-purposing leftover mashed potatoes!
Recipe From: This Mama Cooks
6. Cast Iron Skillet Lemon Chicken
Are you looking for something a bit more elegant? This Cast Iron Skillet Lemon Chicken is just the thing.
Making dinners during the weeknight craziness can sometimes be stressful. That’s why it’s great to have those easy, 30 minute recipes on hand that you don’t have to slave away at!
This tender, delicious chicken gives the illusion that it was difficult and time-consuming, when in reality, it’s quick and easy to whip up! Because of this, it pairs as a wonderful dinner-party meal and also works great with a variety of sides.
Recipe From: Urban Bliss Life
7. Rosemary Garlic Beef Tenderloins
Here’s another more elevated dish: the Rosemary Garlic Beef Tenderloin! Beef tenderloin is great because it’s so flavorful on its own that it doesn’t need much in the way of seasoning and dressing to be delicious.
Just add some salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic, and you’re good to go! This dish is delicious, tender, and feeds a crowd, so it’s perfect for a family meal or a dinner with guests!
Recipe From: Our Wabi Sabi Life
8. Easy Rosemary and Walnut Crusted Chicken Strips
Are you looking for a more kid-friendly meal? If so, I think you’ll enjoy these Rosemary and Walnut Crusted Chicken Strips! I mean, who doesn’t like a good chicken strip??
Thanks to their walnut and rosemary coating, these chicken strips are wonderfully crispy (yet also moist and tender), flavorful, and can be ready in just 30 minutes!
That portion of mashed potatoes next to them looks just amazing, too. 🙂
Recipe From: The Gingered Whisk
9. Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak
There’s nothing like some warm and delicious comfort food over the holidays, and this Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak is no exception! The scrumptious meat patty pairs deliciously with the rich, onion and mushroom gravy.
And, like the other dishes, this steak is relatively simple to prep and cook! Pair this with some creamy mac n cheese or mashed potatoes, and you’ve got the perfect holiday dinner!
Recipe From: Soulfully Made
10. Tuscan Beef Pot Pie
Next is this yummy Tuscan Beef Pot Pie! This recipe features tender, falling-apart braised beef that’s simmered in a rich, red wine and vegetable sauce and the baked in a crispy and airy puff pastry. This dish does require some prep, but it’s one that the whole family will love!
Recipe From: A Little and a Lot
11. Rosemary Garlic Lamb Loin Chops
Lamb chops are another great choice to serve with mashed potatoes. Have you tried them before? Lamb is such a unique meat in the sense that each cut has it’s own separate flavor.
Adding a little bit of rosemary and garlic to an already flavorful lamb chop gives it the perfect extra punch. Because of this, cooking with it can sometimes be intimidating.
But don’t worry! This Rosemary Garlic Lamb Loin Chops recipe is almost fool proof and perfect for those of you who are just learning, or for those of you who want to make a fun, elevated dish!
Recipe From: Your Food and Fantasy
12. Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Here’s another steak recipe: the Garlic Butter Steak Bites, by Recipe Boy! This one pan recipe is so incredibly easy to make, and yet decadent and delicious!
Tender meat and bell peppers seared in garlic buttery goodness, you really can’t go wrong with this one! Serve this dish alongside some creamy mashed potatoes, and you have the perfect easy holiday meal!
Pairings For More Meals:
- Best Sides for Ham & Bean Soup
- Best Sides for Quiche
- Best Sides for Meatball Subs
- Best Sides for Chicken Alfredo
13. Thyme Pork Chops
Next, take a look at these Juicy Thyme Pork Chops! This recipe is simple, quick, and perfect for serving during the week, for a dinner party, or as a delicious Christmas dinner!
This recipe also features several tips on how to sear your meat perfectly, which is great for anyone who isn’t super experienced with larger cuts of meat!
Recipe From: My Kitchen Love
14. Meatballs
When you’re really in a rush, meatballs can make one of the best main dishes to go along with mashed potatoes. Especially if you use a recipe like these Cranberry Meatballs by On My Kid’s Plate!
This recipe uses frozen meatballs, put in the crockpot with other flavorful ingredients for a unique, fast dish!
If you’re not a fan of frozen meatballs, you can also make them from scratch.
I found this epic list of 150+ meatball recipes that is definitely worth checking out if you like this option!
15. Beef Wellington
Want to COMPLETELY up your game? Make the amazing beef wellington!
This dish works great alongside potatoes, and it is sure to impress your family or you guests.
Here is a Beef Wellington recipe by Kiddy Charts that breaks down all the steps nicely.
16. Classic Turkey
Of course, one of the most common proteins paired with mashed potatoes is turkey (usually on Thanskgiving and Christmas, right?!)
I thought it was worth mentioning here that although you can take the time to prepare a whole turkey, there are also other options.
For example, you can make just the turkey breast by itself, or you can make something like Fried Turkey Legs (recipe by Food Network!)
17. Sweet and Smoky Cast Iron Carrots
Next I’ll show you some side dishes that go with mashed potatoes (rather than just proteins!) This recipe is one of mine: Sweet and Smoky Cast Iron Carrots. These carrots are so incredibly easy to make and pair so well with almost any main dish!
The sweetness of the honey paired with the bite of the garlic add the perfect mix of flavors. If you’ve been looking for a great, healthy side dish, this one is perfect!
Recipe From: Ginger Divine
18. Fast Turkey Salad
Are you looking for a lighter side salad recipe? This Fast Turkey Salad by Daisies and Pie is just the thing! This recipe is seriously quick and simple to make.
Simply flash fry the turkey in butter, drizzle it in lemon juice, and toss it together with some mixed greens, and your good to go! This salad would also make a great appetizer.
What I love most is you still get some protein and a holiday feel, but without all the prep.
19. Parmesean Asapragus
Asparagus is another great veggie to go alongside mashed potatoes. Add some parmesan and lemon to the asparagus, and you’ve got a winner!
Check out this Parmesan Asparagus here.
20. Zucchini Salad
Last but not least, check out this scrumptious Zucchini Salad! The fresh, ribboned Zucchini pairs so well with fresh lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. You can accessorize this salad however you’d like, though it pairs amazingly with Parmesan and pine nuts.
Recipe From: House of Nash Eats
Conclusion
There are many dishes that you can eat with mashed potatoes for a complete meal! Whether you serve yours with pork, beef, or turkey, the result is sure to be a hit (becuase who doesn’t love mashed potatoes?!) I hope you enjoyed this list of recipes. Check out what to serve with scalloped potatoes next!
