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Parmesan-Garlic Smashed Potatoes

A quick microwave recipe of smashed potatoes flavored with garlic, low‑fat milk, Parmesan cheese, and salt.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 6 ingredients
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Why it works: Potato and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 9% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,611 recipes. Both carry (e,z)-2,6-nonadienal, which smells cucumber, melon. The science ↓

Parmesan-Garlic Smashed Potatoes

Time12 to 14 minutes

Ingredients

Directions

Cook the potatoes

  1. In a 2‑quart microwave‑safe container, combine potatoes, water and garlic.

  2. Cover and microwave on high for 12 to 14 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Mash and finish

  1. Mash potatoes until smooth.

  2. Add milk, cheese and salt, beating until light and fluffy (if mixture becomes too thick, add more milk 1 tbsp at a time).

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

879Calories
36 gProtein
17 gFat
146 gCarbs

Counts 6 of 7 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 6 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Flour1 cup (125g) all-purpose455
Potato1 medium (173g) baked161
Milk1 cup (244ml) whole149
Parmesan Cheese1 oz (28g)110
Garlic1 clove (3g)4
Salt1 tsp (6g)0
Waternot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Potato + milktop 9% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together3,611 recipes

    Shared aroma: (e,z)-2,6-nonadienal (cucumber, melon).

  2. Potato + clovetop 14% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together1,297 recipes

    Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

  3. Milk + parmesan cheesetop 15% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together1,608 recipes

    Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).

  4. Potato + parmesan cheesetop 15% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together572 recipes

    Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

  5. Clove + milktop 18% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together5,165 recipes

    Shared aroma: cuminaldehyde (Spicy, cumin).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Potatoes
Provide the starchy body that mashes into the soft base of the dish.
Garlic
Adds pungent aroma that mellows as it cooks with the potatoes.
Parmesan cheese
Adds savory, salty flavor and some richness to the mash.
Low-fat milk
Adds moisture so the mashed potatoes become light and fluffy rather than stiff.

The step that matters

Adding milk while beating. Beating cooked potatoes too long or with too much liquid turns starch gummy. Adding milk gradually and stopping once the mixture is light keeps the texture fluffy.

Swap the clove

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (potato, milk, parmesan cheese):

  1. Garlicfits better
  2. Celeryfits better
  3. Dillfits better
  4. Clovethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against potato, milk, parmesan cheese. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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