Canned Chipotle Peppers Are The Next Level Addition For Mashed Potatoes

Plain old mashed potatoes are delicious and all, but have you ever craved a little more flavor from the classic side dish? For those looking to take their potatoes' flavor up a notch, there's a simple twist that can add a dose of spicy, smokey flavor. Canned chipotle peppers are the powerful secret ingredient here, and they're available at most grocery stores in the canned vegetable aisle.

A TikTok offers one idea for how to incorporate canned chipotle peppers into your smashed spuds. The chef starts by smoking the canned chipotle peppers on the grill. Meanwhile, he prepares the mashed potatoes as usual. When the chipotles are ready, they can be diced, mixed with milk, and stirred into the mashed potatoes on the stovetop. You could also mix in cheese for added flavor if you liked. This is all straightforward enough, but the recipe can be even easier than it sounds.

The TikTok recipe uses Grown in Idaho's Frozen Mashed Potatoes — which save time on peeling, cooking, and mashing — but the chipotle twist can be added to homemade, instant, or pre-made mashed potatoes alike. Also, the smoking step can likely be skipped, as all canned chipotle peppers are already cooked and have that flavor already in them. In fact, chipotles are actually just jalapeño peppers that have been smoked, aged, and dried.

It's no surprise that viewers seemed to love the idea of chipotle mashed potatoes. Commenters shared their enthusiasm over the dish. One person wrote: "Chipotle mashed potatoes??? COUNT ME IN!!" Another TikTok user wrote, "Love mashed potatoes and these look awesome!" 

Though they are considered a staple of Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine, chipotle peppers have been embraced across the United States, especially in their canned form. Now you can find their flavor in everything from chipotle mayo to Taco Bell menu items, and they even pop up in a Margarita engineered by Guy Fieri. The canned variety often comes packaged in adobo, a rich, tomato-based sauce that adds sweetness and tang to the peppers, and can be used as an ingredient in its own right.

@cheftimclowers

#ad The perfect mashed potatoes pairing to go with a thanksgiving meal. Chipotle Mashed potatoes and a creole turkey served with the finest @Grown In Idaho Frozen Potatoes #chiptole #spicy #comfortfood #turkey #idaho #growninidaho

♬ original sound – Chef Tim Clowers

There are several varieties of chipotle-laced mashed potatoes out there, but they can all be customized to fit your favorite classic mashed potato recipe. Recipes that take things even further include chipotle and roasted garlic mashed potatoes. Food Network star Alton Brown also put his own spin on the recipe, bringing a sweet heat by subbing potatoes for sweet potatoes. Those who want to try the twist but are worried about the spice level can moderate the heat by adding fewer peppers than the recipe calls for.