There’s nothing quite like a hearty side dish to accompany a festive feast, and this Stuffing Topped Mashed Potatoes recipe ticks all the boxes. Creamy, buttery mashed potatoes are topped with a crispy sausage, sage, and onion crumb, offering a delightful contrast in textures. Even if you’re not a fan of traditional mashed potatoes (like myself!), this twist might just change your mind. Let’s dive into the magic of this dish and explore why it’s perfect for your Christmas dinner.
Table of Contents
- Ingredient Breakdown
- The Inspiration: Transforming Textures
- Method Matters: Getting It Just Right
- Customising Your Stuffing Topped Mashed Potatoes
- Why You’ll Love These Stuffing Topped Mashed Potatoes
- Christmas Recipes
Perhaps controversially, I’ve never been a fan of mashed potatoes. Something about the texture—too soft, too uniform—has always left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. But as with most things in the kitchen, a little creativity can go a long way. This Stuffing Topped Mashed Potatoes recipe is inspired by Bon Appetit’s Mashed Potatoes With Crispety Cruncheties, and I think it’s a game-changer. Creamy, buttery mash topped with a crispy, savoury crumb made from sausage, sage, and onion. If you’re looking to jazz up your Christmas side dishes this year, this one is for you.
Ingredient Breakdown
- Maris Piper or King Edward Potatoes: These starchy potatoes are perfect for mashing, providing a fluffy, creamy texture.
- Whole Milk: Adds richness and helps create a smooth, velvety mash.
- Unsalted Butter: For that essential buttery flavour and creamy consistency.
- Fresh Rosemary and Thyme: Infuse the milk with earthy, aromatic notes, elevating the mash beyond the ordinary.
- Olive Oil: Used for sautéing, it adds a subtle fruitiness to the topping.
- Sausagemeat: Provides a savoury, meaty base, full of flavour.
- Day-Old Ciabatta: Adds crunch and texture, contrasting beautifully with the smooth mash.
- Onion: Adds sweetness and depth, perfectly complementing the sausage.
- Fresh Sage Leaves: Offers a robust, aromatic flavour, quintessentially Christmassy.
The Inspiration: Transforming Textures
Let’s talk textures. The idea for this recipe came about after seeing Bon Appetit’s Mashed Potatoes With Crispety Cruncheties. It spoke to me as I never really liked mashed potatoes and needed a way to make them more interesting for myself. Adding a crispy, flavour-packed topping seemed like the perfect solution. The creamy, buttery base of the mash is comfort food at its best, but with the added crunch and depth from the sausage, sage, and breadcrumb topping, it becomes something far more intriguing. Think of it as a mash-up (pun intended) between a traditional side dish and a festive stuffing—each bite brings a new dimension.
Method Matters: Getting It Just Right
The Mash
Start by prepping your potatoes. Peel and quarter them for even cooking. Place them in a large pot, cover with cold water, and season generously with salt. This step is crucial; we want the water to be as salty as the sea. As the potatoes cook, they’ll absorb just the right amount of salt, enhancing their flavour from the inside out without being overwhelmingly salty.
While the potatoes are bubbling away, it’s time to infuse the milk and butter with rosemary and thyme to a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then, turn off the heat, cover, and let it sit.
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them well and pass them through a ricer or food mill for the smoothest mash. Stir in the milk mixture, then taste for seasoning.
The Topping
The topping is where things get interesting. Brown the sausage meat, then transfer it to a plate.
Fry ciabatta crumbs in the same pan golden and crunchy, then transfer it to a plate.
Next, sauté the onion and sage in a bit more olive oil until the onions are soft and the sage is fragrant.
Finally, return the sausage and breadcrumbs to the pan, toss to combine, and warm through.
Bringing It All Together
To serve, spoon the warm, creamy mash onto a serving plate and top generously with the sausage and breadcrumb mixture. The contrast between the soft, buttery mash and the crispy, savoury topping is what makes this dish special. It’s not just about flavour—it’s about creating a memorable eating experience.
Customising Your Stuffing Topped Mashed Potatoes
Feel free to play around with the ingredients. If sausagemeat isn’t your thing, try using bacon lardons or a vegetarian sausage alternative. You could even swap the ciabatta for gluten-free bread to accommodate dietary preferences. The beauty of this dish lies in its adaptability. Whatever you choose, the core principle remains the same: balance a creamy, smooth base with a crispy, flavourful topping.
Why You’ll Love These Stuffing Topped Mashed Potatoes
This stuffing-topped mashed potato dish is for anyone who loves a bit of contrast in their meals. It’s for those who appreciate a traditional favourite but aren’t afraid to mix things up. Whether you’re a mashed potato sceptic or a die-hard fan, this version has something to offer. It’s a recipe that’s both comforting and exciting, familiar yet new. Give it a try this Christmas—you might find it’s the unexpected star of your holiday meal.
Christmas Recipes
For more Christmas recipes, check out my Christmas Recipe Collection, where you’ll find a curated selection of festive recipes, perfect for the holiday season. From indulgent mains and comforting sides to delightful desserts and warming drinks, each recipe is crafted to bring joy to your Christmas celebrations.
Stuffing Topped Mashed Potatoes
These creamy, buttery mashed potatoes, topped with a sausage, sage and onion crumb, make the perfect Christmas side. Anyone that knows me knows that I controversially don’t love mashed potatoes. It’s a texture thing (a pile of mush doesn’t quite do it for me!). Adding a crispy topping, however, transforms it into something so delicious. I hope you’ll give it a go!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
For the mash:
- 700 g Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 400ml whole milk
- 100g unsalted butter
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
For the topping:
- olive oil
- 150g sausage meat
- 75g day-old ciabatta, blitzed into crumbs
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold water, season very, very generously with salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Taste the water: it should be sea-level salty; don’t worry, very little of the salt will actually be absorbed by the potatoes. Cook until fork tender.
- Meanwhile, place the milk, butter, rosemary and thyme in a saucepan. Season very generously with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, then remove the saucepan from the heat, cover and let sit for at least 30 mins.
- Drain the cooked potatoes then pass them through a ricer or food mill. Alternatively, you can mash the potatoes by hand.
- Bring the milk mixture back to a simmer, then strain it into the potatoes and mix until well combined. If you like your mash looser, you can add more hot milk. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking, then cover and keep warm until the crumb is ready.
- Heat a splash of olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the sausage meat and crumble it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned, then transfer to a plate.
- Add another splash of olive oil, along with the blitz ciabatta and some salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until golden, then transfer to a plate.
- Finally, add another splash of olive oil along with the sage and onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, around 5 minutes. Return the sausage and ciabatta to the and toss to heat everything through.
- Dish up the mash and top with then stuffing crumb, then serve and enjoy!
