Baked wings can be just as juicy and taste just as flavorful as fried wings! I tested batches of wings to determine which temperature resulted in crispy skin and tender chicken.

I’m sharing a recipe for everyday baked chicken wings, with sauce options, that stand up alongside some of our other favorite game day recipes like buffalo chicken meatballs and hot honey chicken tenders.

How to Cook Chicken Wings in the Oven

FAQs

More Appetizers to Try

• Steak nachos
• Asian chicken wings
• Crispy buffalo cauliflower tacos
• Hot honey chicken tenders

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Cilantro is one of those herbs that can take a dish from good to wow—but it also tends to wilt in what feels like minutes. If you’re constantly tossing limp or brown cilantro, this post is for you. I tested a few storage methods, and the jar and plastic bag method is the best way to store cilantro so it is fresh, vibrant, and ready to use for up to 2–3 weeks.

Whether you’re meal prepping or just tired of wasting herbs, here’s exactly how to store cilantro the right way.

FAQs

The post The Best Way to Store Cilantro So It Stays Fresh for Weeks appeared first on What Molly Made.

If you’re determined to learn how long it takes to grill a hamburger, we’ve got you covered. We cover cook times, grill times, and level of doneness, and discuss each type of grill to use for the best results in grilling a juicy burger! 

Keep reading and you’ll know the best ground beef to use, and how to shape, season, and grill the best burgers every time. Don’t forget all of our topping options to build perfect burgers!

If you need inspiration for a hamburger recipe to become your family’s new home chef then try our Grilled Hawaiian Teriyaki Burger! The combination of sweet pineapple, spicy mayonnaise, and the perfect hamburger is sure to up your burger game!

How to Grill Burgers (Step-by-Step)

Skip down to the recipe card if you want the full grilled hamburger recipe with my favorite seasonings.

Expert Tips

• Don’t open the lid or move the burgers, and flip only once. This will give you the best grill marks! 
• Cook times will vary depending on the thickness of your burgers and your preferred level of doneness, so always use a meat thermometer.
• Grill burgers over direct heat with the lid closed. This gives them a sear with grill marks and helps them cook evenly.
• A 6-ounce portion of beef should give you a 4 1/2-inch wide burger that’s about 3/4 inch thick.

FAQs

Storage Instructions

Once you cook the burgers, they last 3-4 in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Be aware that they’ll dry out slightly once you reheat the burgers.

Raw ground beef does not have a long shelf life and should be refrigerated no more than two days. Freeze any hamburger patties that are not cooked. 

Separate uncooked hamburger patties by a piece of parchment and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to four months.

What to Serve with Grilled Burgers

While this is a topic that will always be up for debate, we have some thoughts on what make the best side dishes for burgers!

• Potato salads: sweet potato salad or chipotle sweet potato kale salad.
• Salads (without leafy greens): cucumber tomato avocado salad, strawberry quinoa salad with feta, grilled zucchini salad, watermelon feta salad, summer corn salad, or tomato peach burrata salad.
• Pasta salads: Avocado pasta salad, Italian pasta salad, lemon orzo salad, or summer orzo salad, Mexican street corn pasta salad.
• Leafy greens: grilled peach salad, La Scala chopped salad, or kale apple salad.

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The very best way to cook your beef to proper degree of doneness is by using the internal temperature as a guide to capture the cooked beef temperature. This post will explain each type of beef, varying temperatures of doneness, and the best tools to use!

For a medium rare steak, pull it off the heat at 130°F (54°C) so it reaches 135°F (57°C) while it rests. The beef should have a warm red center and be 135°F for a medium rare cut of beef.

Meat Temperature Chart (°F & °C)

Always remove beef from heat 5-10°F before your target temperature to allow for carryover cooking (it will rise another 5-10°F as it rests).

Need more beef tips? Learn how to reheat leftover steak, how to cut flank steak, or a step-by-step guide for how to grill ribeye. Or browse hundreds of beef recipes!

Why Internal Beef Temperature Matters

Have you ever been to a restaurant and wondered how they cook their burgers and steaks so perfectly? Though they may have professional chefs working their magic, you can get the same result at home by using a meat thermometer.

Using an instant-read thermometer is the #1 way to tell when your beef is cooked to the right temperature (see below for how to properly use a meat thermometer). There is nothing worse than spending money on a cut of beef and overcooking it, especially expensive cuts like prime rib.

Whether you’re making chuck roast, ground meat, the perfect steak, or a roast, this post outlines all you know to know about cooking meat to a delicious and safe temperature.

Want to learn more about temperatures and times? Learn how long to grill chicken breast, how long to grill pork tenderloin, how long to grill pork chops, and how long to bake chicken wings.

What Temperature Should Beef be Cooked to in Celsius?

• Rare: 52°C
• Medium rare: 57°C
• Medium: 63°C
• Medium well: 66°C
• Well done: 71°C and above

Internal Temperature of Steaks

Cooking steaks at higher temperatures gives you a delicious sear on the outside with a perfectly tender inside. Somewhere between 450-500 degrees f is the best temperature to grill steaks. But what about the internal steak temperature?  

• Rare steak (I don’t recommend this): Pull it off the heat between 120-125 degrees f for a target temperature of 125°F.
• Medium-rare steak: Pull the steak off the grill when the internal temperature reads 125°F. The final temperature should be 135°. 
• Medium steak: Remove the steak from the heat when it reaches 135°F, with a target temperature of 145°F.
• Medium well steak: Remove the steak from the heat when the internal temp reaches 145°F for a 150°F target temperature.
• Well-done steak (please don’t do this):  Remove the steaks from the heat at 150°F or above, for a 160°F target temperature.

How to Properly Measure Beef Temperature

For ½ inch thick or more steaks, use a meat thermometer to insert horizontally into the thickest part of the meat and wait for the temperature to read about 10 degrees below these target temperatures: 145°F (medium-rare), 160°F (medium) or 170° (well done). 

• Insert a meat thermometer horizontally into the thickest part of the beef.
• Avoid the thermometer resting in fat or touching bone.
• For the most accurate reading, use a high-quality food thermometer that measures quickly. A good thermometer is worth the money!

Internal Temperature of Ground Beef

Ground beef should always be cooked to a safe 160°F.  Ground beef includes all recipes that have ground beef as the base like burgers, meatballs and meatloaf. Eating raw meat is the last thing you want! The safe minimum internal temperature of ground beef is 160.

The color of the ground beef isn’t always a reliable indicator for doneness so use a meat thermometer to determine the internal temperature to ensure it’s thoroughly cooked. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the beef until it reaches a safe and savory 160°F.

Internal Temperature of Roasts

There are two ways to check the internal temp of a roast: place an oven safe thermometer in the thickest part of the beef prior to cooking and leave it in throughout the cooking process or use an instant read thermometer after the cook time is complete.

Tough cuts like roasts cook low and slow (instead of on high heat like steaks). However, the internal temperatures remain the same!

Roasts include cuts of beef like round roasts, rump roasts and chuck roasts and their internal temperature should read 145°F (medium-rare), 160°F (medium) or 170° (well done).

Read more about determining doneness from The Ohio Beef Council and for an even more in depth guide to specific cuts, temps and cook times check out these oven roasting guidelines.

Best Digital Meat Thermometers

• Instant read meat thermometer
• Meat thermometer with extra long probe
• Bluetooth meat thermometer

Best Beef Recipes

Browse hundreds of beef recipes depending on what you’re craving!

Steak Recipes

Steak bites and potatoes, healthy IP mongolian beef, beef tenderloin, IP beef stroganoff, one pan garlic steak and potatoes, stuffed flank steak, steak fajitas

Ground Beef Recipes

Mexican beef and rice, IP spaghetti, teriyaki burger

Roast Recipes

Beef ragu, Garlic Herb Standing Rib Roast, sweet potato beef stew, korean beef tacos, IP Pot Roast

This post is sponsored by The Ohio Beef Council. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to brands like them for believing in me and allowing me to share free information and recipes with you!

The post Beef Internal Temperature: Chart for Perfect Doneness appeared first on What Molly Made.

Mashed potatoes are one of the best side dishes—it’s why we always make a double batch! Luckily, you can store mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and freeze them for up to 4 months.

Meal prep an extra batch of boursin mashed potatoes or store leftovers with all of these tips—then learn how to use leftover mashed potatoes.

Need another mashed potato recipe? Try crock pot mashed potatoes or dairy-free mashed potatoes.

This simple, creamy, and versatile comfort food pairs with so many delicious meals and is a staple at Thanksgiving dinner. If you have leftover mashed potatoes, keep reading for the best way to keep them fresh and safe for eating. We also cover food safety with your leftover mashed potatoes.

Defrosting or Reheating Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Whether you store your leftover mashed potatoes in your refrigerator or freezer, when it’s time to reheat, make sure to check for signs of spoilage. Freezer burn, an odd smell, or a sour taste from a taste test, is enough reason to throw them away!

If you are getting your leftover mashed potatoes out of the freezer, you can thaw them out in your refrigerator overnight. If you’re on a time crunch, soak your container or freezer bag in a bowl of hot water. Once they become pliable, you can reheat them! To reheat, you can use your microwave or stovetop. 

To use your microwave, make sure to warm them in short bursts and stir in between (roughly 1-2 minute cycles). The outer mashed potatoes will become warmer than the inside and you want to mix all of the warm spots together. 

To use your stovetop, reheat using medium heat. Using your stovetop may increase moisture loss, though, so you may need to add some liquid to keep them their creaminess. Depending on your personal preference, you can add a little chicken broth or cream cheese to thin them out. We recommend 1/2 cup of chosen liquid to every 4 cups of mashed potatoes.

Storing Different Cooking Methods

Whether you make your mashed potatoes in a slow cooker, Instant Pot, or on the stove top using fresh potatoes or instant potatoes, storing methods are all the same!

Even though boxed and instant have a longer shelf life with their preservatives, once they’re prepared, they have the same longevity as making using fresh potatoes. 

All cooked potatoes should be treated the same when it comes to storing no matter how they started!

Do They Spoil Faster with Dairy?

Since most mashed potatoes contain milk and butter, their shelf life is much shorter when compared to those mashed potatoes that don’t have dairy products. 

Recipes that contain dairy do spoil quicker, which is why we really love with these dairy-free mashed potatoes. 

How Do I Tell If My Mashed Potatoes Have Gone Bad?

Here are some signs of spoilage are easier to recognize than others!

1. Look for moldy patches. Moldy patches and spots will be the most obvious indicator. If your airtight container fails and moisture or air get in, the container will become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria.
2. Smell them.  Starchy foods should not have a strong smell. If your potato leftovers don’t smell good or smell sour, throw them away. 
3. Taste test. While a taste test is a braver way to tell, it’s also a foolproof way! If they have a sour flavor or sour taste, throw them away.
4. Discoloration. You know what color mashed potatoes should be (white and/or gold). Iff there is any discolored areas, throw them away. 
5. Moisture loss. Another way to check if your mashed potatoes have gone bad is that they have become too dry and crumbly. While your leftover potatoes may dry out a bit when you reheat them, if they are falling apart before reheating, consider throwing them away. While some moisture loss is expected, too much moisture loss is bad.
6. Glossy patches. Glossy patches are another sign they’ve gone bad.
7. Been left out too long. They should be stored within a few hours of cooking as they will experience bacteria growth. If they are left at room temperature for too long, they become unsafe to eat.

If they show any of these signs of spoilage, throw them away. You do not want to get food poisoning from eating bad leftovers!

Frequently Asked Questions

Recipes to Repurpose Mashed Potatoes

If you have leftovers, we highly recommend pairing them with a heart entrée, like this gluten-free turkey meatloaf or this air fryer turkey breast. Add in our gluten-free cornbread stuffing and top it all with our gluten-free gravy.

If you’re looking for something even heartier, our Instant Pot pot roast would pair perfectly with leftover potatoes. The recipe uses roasted potatoes but mashed potatoes make this meal just as delicious! We like to think of it as an easy Shepherd’s Pie.

Potato Pancakes: Another option is potato pancakes (also known as potato patties)! This is an easy ways to repurpose your leftover potatoes. Simply add some olive oil to a frying pan and heat it up. While the oil is heating, using an ice cream scoop (or your hands), scoop some of the leftover mashed potatoes and flatten it into a little pancake. Place them into the frying pan and let them fry. Top with a little sour cream for this perfectly repurposed side dish.

Leftover Mashed Potato Main Dishes

If you are ready to give your potato leftovers main character energy, then check out a few of these options.

One of the more creative ways to repurpose your leftover mashed potatoes is to make them into gnocchi. While this method may take a little more time and effort, especially if it’s your first time, the end result is worth it. 

Check out our tutorial on how to make gnocchi. While this recipe uses sweet potatoes, you can use your leftover mashed potatoes instead. You may need to thicken them up, though, before adding the flour to them.

If that’s the case, check out how to thicken mashed potatoes. For best results, add your gnocchi to this creamy chicken gnocchi soup!

Another great way to repurpose is in a potato soup. Mashed potatoes will give the soup a thicker texture, it will not affect the flavor! Try using them in this Instant Pot corn chowder or this Whole 30 Zuppa Toscana.

The post How Long are Mashed Potatoes Good for? appeared first on What Molly Made.

FAQs

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FAQs

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Whether you’ve made a delicious filet mignon, flank steak, or ribeye steak – no matter what type of steak – or whether you made it at home or ordered it at a restaurant, keep reading for the best way to reheat your leftover steak!

When you’re ready to use your leftover steak the next day, try it in this steak and sweet potato hash – perfect for breakfast and leftover steak!

Let’s be honest: sometimes there is nothing better than a big and juicy steak for dinner. However…if we’re being even more honest, sometimes our eyes are bigger than our stomachs and we end up with leftover steak.

The best part? There is no “right way” to reheat your steak; pick whatever method works best for you!

Best Tips for Leftover Steak

We can’t sugar coat this: the first time you eat that hot and juicy steak will be the best that it will taste. Cooking steaks and eating them fresh off the grill or stovetop is the best way to enjoy a good steak.

However, while we never set out to eat steak and leave leftovers, sometimes, it happens.

If you have leftover steak, it is perfectly safe to reheat it, as long as it’s cooked properly the first time and stored correctly. According to the USDA, a raw steak cooked the first time should reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees before consumption.

We know that internal temperature may be a little high for some of our users’ preferences so we have this guide that details the best temperatures for grilling steak to ensure your steak is safe to consume.

To store steak, be sure to use an airtight container or a zip-top plastic bag with the air expressed out of it. Steak is a perishable food so use your leftover steak quickly.

Even if stored properly in your refrigerator, it is only good for 3-4 days.

Reheating Leftover Steak

When you have leftover steak that you want to reheat, there are a few important things to have:

1. Patience: Reheating steak requires a little bit of patience. Most methods for reheated steak work best when the steak is room temperature. While you can reheat steak straight from the refrigerator, the best results will occur when the steak is closer to room temperature.
2. Diligence: All methods require proper timing and paying attention. To ensure your steak doesn’t turn in to a tough, rubbery, overly chewy slab of meat, make sure that you don’t rush the process of reheating your steak.
3. Average expectations: Reheated steak is still delicious but steak the second time is never as good as the first. Don’t expect your steak to taste as great as it did when you first ate it!

The Oven Method – The Best Way

Reheating your leftover steak in the oven is going to be not only the best method, but the preferred method, out of all of the reheating process methods. It will be the most time-consuming but is an easy way to get your steak ready to use for leftovers! 

How to Reheat Leftover Steak in the Oven

1. Let your steak rest. Pull your steak out of your refrigerator and let it warm up to room temperature.
2. Preheat your oven. As your steak rests, preheat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. 
3. Prepare your baking sheet. This is arguably the most important step of reheating your leftover steak in the oven. Place a wire rack and place it on a rimmed baking sheet. Using the wire rack helps to lift the steak up off of the baking sheet so that the heat can circulate around the steak. This helps the steak reheat evenly.
4. Place steak in the oven. Put your leftover steak in the oven and bake 20-30 minutes, or, using a meat thermometer, until your steak reaches an internal temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook time in the oven may vary depending on the thickness of your steak.
5. *Optional* Sear your steak on the stove top. If you’d like a nice crust on your steak, take a few minutes to give it a quick sear! Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a cast-iron skillet or nonstick skillet to medium-high heat. Sear the steak on each side for about a minute.
6. Let your steak rest. Yep – just like in step one – it’s time to let your steak rest again! After you’ve reheated it, let it sit for about 5 minutes before using it for your next delicious meal.

If you are looking to reheat your leftover steak and make a meal while you’re at it; we cannot recommend foil packs enough! This steak and sweet potato foil pack is an entire meal in itself but these Philly cheesesteak foil packs are a family favorite!

The Stove Top Method – The Great Way

If you’d rather skip the oven, you can go straight to the stove top to reheat your leftover steak. You can use any type skillet but for best results, we recommend using a nonstick skillet or cast-iron skillet.

How to Reheat Leftover Steak on the Stove Top

1. Let your steak rest. For all of these methods, it’s important to let your leftover steak rest before reheating! Pull your steak out of your refrigerator and let it warm up to room temperature before warming up on the stove top.
2. Heat up the pan. Let your chosen skillet warm up on medium heat or medium-low heat.
3. Add juices. Once the pan is warmed up, add your steak and whatever au jus is with it. However, to keep your steak from drying out, adding a little bit of moisture will help keep your leftover steak juicy. We recommend adding a little bit of beef broth.
4. Cover it. Cover your steak with a lid and reduce to a lower temperature. Let it cook until its internal temperature reaches 110 degrees Fahrenheit by checking it with a meat thermometer.
5. Sear it. Once your steak is at the right temperature, remove the pan from the heat. Remove the leftover steak and wipe the pan clean of any juices and liquids that remain. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and place the pan back on your stove top over medium-high heat. Give your leftover steak a quick sear, about a minute on each side. This may vary depending on the thickness of the steak.
6. Let your steak rest. It’s a pattern! Let your steak rest for about 5 minutes before consuming.

We love pan-seared steak in this steak stir fry.

The Microwave Method – The Quickest Way

If you are absolutely crunched for time, you can reheat your leftover steak in the microwave. Admittedly, this won’t give you the best results but it will work in a pinch!

How to Reheat Leftover Steak in the Microwave

1. Let your steak rest. To get the best results, let your steak come to room temperature. While you may not have the time, it is best to not microwave your steak as a “straight out of the refrigerator” cold.
2. Add juices. Once your steak is at room temperature, place it in a microwave-safe container with any of the leftover steak drippings or au jus. We recommend a dash of beef broth!
3. Cover it and microwave. Cover the container with plastic wrap or the container’s lid. If you use the lid, do NOT seal the container but simply place the lid on top to cover. Adjust your microwave’s heat setting to cook at a lower temperature – we recommend 50% of full heat – and microwave in 30-second intervals.
4. Let your steak rest. Let your steak rest for about 5 minutes before consuming as this will help it retain moisture.

This herby garlic steak and potato recipe or our creamy Balsamic steak pasta are both great options to serve with your leftover steak.

The Air Fryer Method – The Easy Way

One of our favorite kitchen appliances is our air fryer! The ability to get crispy, hot and juicy leftovers without the oil is why it’s one of our favorites. It’s also an easy way to reheat not only leftover steak but also all leftovers!

How to Reheat Leftover Steak in the Air Fryer

1. Preheat your air fryer. Heat your air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Remove steak from the fridge. Unlike with other methods, you don’t have to let your steak come to room temperature before putting in the air fryer!
3. Put steak in the air fryer. Place your whole steak directly on the wire rack in your air fryer basket. Make sure there is a wire rack in the air fryer basket so that the heated air circulates properly!
4. Heat it. The amount of time to reheat your steak will depend on the thickness of your steak. For an average-sized steak, start with 3-5 minutes and adjust accordingly.
5. Let it rest. Even though you don’t have to let it rest before you heat it up, you do need to let it rest before you consume it. Cover it with aluminum foil and let it rest for 5 minutes.
6. Add some moisture. Leftover steak from the air fryer will come out perfectly seared but, on its own, it may be a little dry. To get flavorful meat, top it with a little garlic butter!

If you love the air fryer as much as we do, try out some of our other favorite air fryer recipes! These Hawaiian chicken kabobs would be great with steak, but we also love these crispy air fryer salmon bites, this air fryer orange chicken, and this air fryer breaded shrimp!

Cold Steak – A Different Way

That’s right – our fifth and final way of reheating your steak is to, well, not reheat it! The good news is that that this is still an excellent way to enjoy your leftover steak.

Cold steak is great on top of salads. Try cold steak on top of this strawberry spinach salad with health poppyseed dressing or add it to this kale salad with goat cheese. We also love cold steak in warmed up tortillas for tacos or as part of cold sandwich.

Frequently Asked Questions

Delicious Steak Recipes

• Steak and potato breakfast hash
• Sheet pan steak fajitas
• Creamy balsamic steak pasta
• Flank steak stir fry
• Homemade steak seasoning

More Steak Cooking Tips

• How to grill ribeye
• Best temperature to grill steak
• How to cut flank steak
• Internal temperature of beef
• Best substitutes for flank steak

The post How to Reheat Leftover Steak – 5 Different Ways appeared first on What Molly Made.

Use one of these 9 simple substitutes for sun-dried tomatoes if you don’t like them or don’t have them on hand. They’re all simple variations that still add the tomato flavor or texture to your recipe.

We’ve even included directions on how to make homemade sun-dried tomatoes and offer some non-tomato based substitutes!

Any of these options would be a great alternative in our creamy Tuscan chicken. Try them out the next time you make your favorite dish. Let us know what you think about our sun-dried tomato substitutes in the comments!

What Exactly is a Sun-Dried Tomato?

I am sure we’ve all had this question at least once before…what, exactly, IS a sun-dried tomato? They are fresh tomatoes…dried in the sun! Really – that’s what they are – dehydrated tomatoes! 

More specifically, they are fresh tomatoes that lose their water content after drying in the sun (or oven). With today’s technology, many people and companies speed up the process by using a dehydrator or oven to make sun-dried tomatoes. 

Typically, these fresh tomatoes turned sun-dried tomatoes spend 4-10 in the sun before the drying process is complete. Since sun-dried tomatoes are dry tomatoes that lose their water content, it takes a lot of sun-dried tomatoes to make a comparable amount.

Fresh tomatoes lose around 90% of their water content when dried. As a result, it takes roughly 20-30 pounds of fresh tomatoes to make 1 pound of sun-dried tomatoes.

Typically, fresh plum tomatoes are used to make sun-dried tomatoes. However, they can be made from any variety of tomato, including cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or roma tomatoes.

How to use Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Sun-dried tomatoes are usually preserved in an oil, like olive oil. They are used in a wide variety of recipes but will most often be found in pasta dishes or Italian dishes. They are also becoming very common pizza toppings! Try using sun-dried tomatoes on our gluten-free pizza crust!

The texture of sun-dried tomatoes is different than that of a regular tomato. The chewy texture and rich flavor make it a delicious snack on it’s own. However, you can add it to any dish you’re preparing because it is a highly versatile ingredient. The flavor profile of a sun-dried tomato has a much more intense tomato flavor than fresh tomatoes. 

Adding sun-dried tomatoes for your next grocery trip? Grocery stores will usually stock oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes in the canned goods section. Fresh sun-dried tomatoes can be found in the produce section.

Can’t find sun-dried tomatoes at your grocery store?  Here are the best substitutes for sun-dried tomatoes!

Best Sun-dried Tomato Substitutes

To decide the best option for your sun-dried tomato substitutes, consider if you are cooking with them or using as a topping. Depending on how you are using them will help decide which substitute is best.

Best Sun-dried Tomato Substitutes – Non-Tomato Based Substitutes

If you have a tomato allergy or dislike the taste, there are excellent sun-dried tomato substitutes that are not tomato-based.

7. Roasted Bell Peppers

As far as non-tomato options go, roasted bell peppers are one of the best alternatives for sun-dried tomatoes. They offer very similar coloring but have a less intense flavor, overall, than sun-dried tomatoes. They are also bell peppers and not tomatoes so they will not give your recipe any hint of tomato flavor.

You can make roasted bell peppers by slicing them and putting them on a baking sheet in your oven. Check out our tutorial on how to cut bell peppers! 

Roasted bell peppers work great as salad and pizza toppings. They are also great as part of an antipasto platter or an accompaniment to a crusty bruschetta.

8. Tamarind Paste

If you are making an Asian inspired dish, tamarind paste will be an excellent substitute for sun-dried tomatoes!

Because of tamarind paste’s sour taste, we recommend that you start by substituting 1/4 teaspoon of tamarind paste. Taste test before adding more!

But you will need to take care of the quantity added to the recipe; tamarind paste has a robust sour taste. We recommend using a small amount of the paste and testing before adding more. I like to start with a ¼ teaspoon.

9. Pecans

Okay – hear us out – pecans can actually make a great substitute for sun-dried tomatoes! Pecans add a dense texture and some crunch to your recipe.

Pecans can add a bit of a smoky flavor or sweet flavor, depending on which ones you use, and can be a great addition to any salad or pasta salad. They would be a great substitute for any tomato, not just sundried tomatoes, like in this summer orzo pasta salad. 

Frequently Asked Questions

 If you make a recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!

Recipes with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

• Creamy Tuscan Chicken
• Tuscan Sausage Sheet Pan Gnocchi
• Creamy Balsamic Steak Pasta
• One Pan Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi

The post Best Substitutes for Sun-Dried Tomatoes appeared first on What Molly Made.

Mashed potatoes are a staple side dish for a hearty meal, especially at Thanksgiving dinner! But nothing is worse than runny mashed potatoes. My favorite ways to thicken mashed potatoes are adding a thickening agent (like cornstarch), adding dehydrated potatoes, or cooking them down to remove some moisture.

I’m sharing tips for each method, and also how to prevent runny mashed potatoes in the first place.

Making Thanksgiving dinner or other holiday meal? We love to make these dairy-free mashed potatoes for all of our mashed potatoes needs.

Be sure to check out some of our other favorite Thanksgiving recipes, including our gluten-free stuffing,  Thanksgiving cranberry apple sangria, cheesecloth turkey or use your air fryer to make a perfectly moist turkey breast!

​Why I Love these Thickening Methods

• They’re simple steps for when your short on time! All of our recommended methods are quick and easy fixes to address watery potatoes.
• Not all require additional ingredients. The science of cooking is amazing and sometimes, adding a little heat is all you need to revive too wet potatoes!
• The best part: none affect the taste! All of our recommendations are purely meant to help get you thicker mashed potatoes. This gives you the confidence to try them all and see which is the right way for you.

How to Thicken Mashed Potatoes

Most of the time when we figure out our mashed potatoes are runny we are nearly ready to serve them. These simple methods are an easy fix to runny mashed potatoes!

1. Add a Thickening Agent 

Adding a thickening agent is easily the best way to fix runny mashed potatoes. We recommend using any thing from the starch family, including corn starch, potato starch, or even tapioca starch. If you are following the Whole30 diet, you can use tapioca starch or even arrowroot powder as your chosen thickening agent.

Add your chosen thickening agent one tablespoon at a time using a food processor, hand mixer, or immersion blender to combine everything together.

Why Do I have Runny Mashed Potatoes?

There are several reasons that you may have runny mashed potatoes but here are a few of the most common reasons your potatoes may be runny!

• Excess moisture. If you have excess moisture in your potatoes, like too much milk or melted butter, you can get soggy potatoes. 
• Wrong potatoes. Not all potatoes are created equally! When you make mashed potatoes, it is best to use Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold. These two types of potatoes have the highest starch content and assist with giving your mashed potatoes a smooth consistency. Red-skinned new potatoes, or any of the waxy varieties of potatoes, will turn gluey or sticky when mashed.
• Excess water. This is different than excess moisture because it focuses on the cooking process of the potatoes before mashing. If your potatoes absorb too much water during the boiling process, you will be left with watery mashed potatoes. Make sure to remove as much drained liquid as possible if you’re boiling the potatoes. 
• You used cauliflower. We LOVE a great cauliflower mash in place of regular mashed potatoes but the fact is, cauliflower mashed potatoes are inherently more watery than regular mashed potatoes. Check out this creamy cauliflower mash recipe if you are looking for a healthy substitute over potatoes!
• Ask Dr. Potato. If none of our recommendations help, try asking our trusty friend, Dr. Potato! Dr. Potato isn’t a real doctor but a team of potato experts from the Idaho Potato company ready to answer all your potato-related questions! Find out more here: Ask Dr. Potato!

How to Prevent Runny Mashed Potatoes

As they say, the best defense is a good offense, which means: the best way to thicken mashed potatoes is to not need to thicken them in the first place. Store these tips to memory to avoid runny mashed potatoes next time!

• Avoid excess water, also called waterlogging, by boiling your potatoes whole. By boiling your potatoes whole, you trap all of the potatoe-y goodness (yes, that’s the technical term) inside. Slicing or dicing your potatoes allows more water to be absorbed into your potatoes. 
• Use a shallow baking dish. If you cook your mashed potatoes in the oven, your potatoes will be less runny if you use a shallow dish. Think of it like this: when you paint, thinner layers dry quicker and faster than heavy, thick layers. This is the same with mashed potatoes! If there is less surface area to cook through in a shallow baking dish, you are encouraging excess moisture to evaporate from the mashed potatoes quicker.
• Avoid adding too much liquid. If your recipe calls for one cup of milk, add only one cup of milk. Check the consistency of your mash and add more liquid if necessary.
  • Expert tip: It is always easier to add additional liquid than it is to remove liquid so follow the recipe and make adjustments as needed.
• Use the right potatoes. Yukon Gold and Russet potatoes are the best for mashing. They have the highest starch content and give your mashed potatoes a creamy texture.
  • Expert tip: Remember that cauliflower has a much different water content then potatoes! If you are making cauliflower to make your mashed potatoes, we recommend using our cauliflower mashed potato recipe. If you are substituting cauliflower into a potato-based recipe, cut the liquid ingredients in half and add more as needed to reach your desired consistency.

Expert Tips to Fix Runny Mashes Potatoes

We understand that it’s not only important to know how to fix your runny potatoes, but also just as important to know what not to do when trying to fix runny potatoes! Here are a few general guidelines to avoid when trying to thicken your mashed potatoes: 

1. Try not to use flour as a thickening agent. Flour is a great thickening agent for baked goods and a hearty soup, like this one pot creamy cauliflower soup, but it is not always a good thickening agent for mashed potatoes. It can mess with the flavor of the potatoes and give them a chalky taste. 
2. Don’t add additional potatoes. If your mashed potatoes are runny, adding additional potatoes is a labor-intensive and unnecessary extra step. This isn’t to say that you can’t add extra potatoes to try and fix your watery potatoes but the three methods above are easy ways to fix your potatoes and don’t require you to go through the entire potato-boiling process again.
3. Try hard cheese: mix in a hard cheese like shredded cheddar to thicken the up slightly. It won’t fix really runny potatoes (like the above methods), but it helps the structure some.

Frequently Asked Questions

Mashed Potato Recipes

• Best Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes
• Boursin Mashed Potatoes
• Garlic Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

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