How Cracker Barrel Makes Its Mashed Potatoes

Cracker Barrel is all about comfort food. From homestyle breakfasts and biscuits and gravy to family-sized meals full of fried chicken and meatloaf, the chain specializes in foods that fill you up and remind you of grandma's kitchen. Few foods check both boxes like the chain's famous mashed potatoes. Available in a few different varieties and perfectly paired with dozens of main courses, these special spuds are a staple of the Cracker Barrel menu.

To find out what makes the chain's signature side so delectable, we went straight to the source and chatted with Matt Banton, vice president of menu strategy and culinary innovation for Cracker Barrel. Banton gave us the inside scoop on the mashed potatoes, including ingredients, preparation methods, and just how many pounds of potatoes Cracker Barrel serves each year. Read on to find out all of this and more as we dive into how Cracker Barrel makes its mashed potatoes.

Sometimes, simple really is better, and Cracker Barrel's mashed potatoes are no exception. It all starts with russet potatoes, which are selected for their texture and flavor. Each batch of mashed potatoes is made fresh in-store daily. The potatoes are machine peeled and then machine mashed to ensure a smooth and consistent texture. Since each batch is made individually, the amount of potato skin that makes it into a serving is variable, but it always provides a little extra flavor and texture.

Once the potatoes are mashed, they're seasoned. Salt and pepper are the only seasonings used on Cracker Barrel mashed potatoes. Of course, that doesn't mean those are the only additions providing flavor – warm margarine is added as well to provide taste and further smooth out the texture. While there are plenty of other toppings that Cracker Barrel offers — more on those in a moment — the potatoes themselves are pretty simple: russet potatoes, margarine, salt, and pepper is all it takes.

Not that there's anything wrong with enjoying a creamy bowl of mashed potatoes on its own, but Cracker Barrel does have a few topping options to take your side dish to the next level. First up are the two gravy options: brown and sawmill gravy. Brown gravy — shown above — is made with a broth base, while sawmill gets its lighter coloring from milk or cream. While brown gravy tends to rely on beef broth for flavor and flour as a thickening agent, sawmill gravy opts instead for sausage and cornmeal. In addition to topping potatoes, Cracker Barrel frequently pairs the sawmill gravy with biscuits.

From a nutrition standpoint, the two gravies are pretty similar. A single serving of mashed potatoes with brown gravy contains 220 calories, while a single serving with sawmill gravy has 240 calories. It's hard to pick a favorite between the two savory gravies, so when in doubt, think about ordering both the brown and sawmill varieties; your stomach will thank you.

Gravy isn't the only route to elevating mashed potatoes. Cracker Barrel also offers its Loaded Mashed Potatoes. Topped with bacon pieces, green onion, and colby cheese, the Loaded Mashed Potatoes are a fan favorite. Colby cheese is used because it's a milder version of cheddar, providing a solid flavor that isn't overpowering. A single serving of this option contains 320 calories.

Of course, mashed is not the only way to serve potatoes. In fact, mashed potatoes are only the second most popular side dish on Cracker Barrel's menu. The top spot belongs to the Hashbrown Casserole, a combination of shredded potatoes, colby cheese, chopped onions, a signature seasoning blend, salt, and pepper. Thanks to the popularity of the Hashbrown Casserole, mashed potatoes, and other potato-based items, Cracker Barrel dishes out a whopping 13.5 million pounds of fresh potatoes per year. No matter how you order them, that's a lot of spuds.

Cracker Barrel is hardly the only restaurant that serves mashed potatoes. In fact, here at Mashed, we've taken a look at everything from the best fast-food mashed potatoes to the best mashed potatoes in the U.S. We've even tackled the question of why mashed potatoes always taste better at restaurants. So, why the fascination with mashed potatoes? The answer is simple: people love this side dish.

According to the Campbell's Soup Company's 2024 State of the Sides report, mashed potatoes are the second most popular side dish at Thanksgiving dinners. That's actually down from number one last year, as stuffing/dressing — depending on what region of the country you're from — slid into the top spot. Rounding out the top five are sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and mac and cheese. With the exception of the green beans — which are generally covered in crispy fried onions and swimming in sauce — the top sides have one thing in common: carbohydrates. As a starchy side, mashed potatoes are a carb lover's best friend largely because carbohydrates help release serotonin to the brain. That's right, potatoes are scientifically proven to make you happy. Keep that in mind the next time you sit down at Cracker Barrel and have to decide between sides. There are plenty of good options, but few are as comforting as the classic mashed potatoes.