Innovative And Practical Way To Reheat Mashed Potatoes In An Air Fryer

An easy hack to get your dose of comfort food is to reheat mashed potatoes in an air fryer. Almost all households own an air fryer, as more people are moving towards a healthier eating lifestyle. You can make the most of your cooking equipment by using it when you need easy and quick warming techniques for different meals and foods.

A sustainable outlook on food, including not wasting anything, is practical and cost-efficient. The advantages of reheating your meals are also favorable health-wise because the heat will kill bacterial threats in your food. Reheating foods is an art and science that is well worth mastering.

Why Air Fryer Is The Best Way To Reheat Mashed Potatoes

Yes, you can reheat mashed potatoes in the oven, in an instant pot, soup maker, or in the microwave. But the most convenient and practical of them is using an air fryer.

Making use of an air fryer to reheat food is typical for fries, pizza, chicken, and steak, but for mashed potatoes?

You’d be surprised that it works efficiently for this soft mass of potatoes, butter, and milk. 

Here are some reasons why you should reheat mashed potatoes in an air fryer:

• It is a quick and easy setup of reheating, and it won’t even take 10 minutes to get it done and enjoy your mashed potatoes.
• When reheating, one of the significant blunders is overcooking your mashed potatoes, and instead of saving food, you end up wasting your meal. With an air fryer, so long as you get the temperature and time right, you won’t have to worry about burning your mashed potatoes. This also saves you the frustration of having to clean a blackened pan.
• Only some people are kitchen geniuses, but when using an air fryer, all you need to know is how to put the mashed potatoes in an air fryer pan correctly and set the temperature and time. It is an easy way to reheat your mashed potatoes and any other food, for that matter.

How To Reheat Mashed Potatoes In Air Fryer

Don’t let your leftover mashed potatoes go to waste. Save yourself the hassle of using your cooking stove and instead opt for your air fryer—your most straightforward and most convenient kitchen gadget—to reheat mashed potatoes.

Here are the quick steps to do that:

1. Preheat your air fryer.

2. Place your leftover mashed potatoes in a pan or cake tray intended for your air fryer.

3. Add some butter on top. The amount of butter depends on your personal preference.

4. (Optional) Add some warm milk on top of the mashed potatoes.

5. Add some salt and pepper.

6. Air fry your mashed potatoes for 6 to 7 minutes at 360 °F (180 °C). If you add milk, you may need to pause and stir it at 2-minute intervals.

7. Serve and enjoy.

Tips When Using an Air Fryer to Reheat Mashed Potatoes

Make the most of your gadget and your mashed potatoes when reheating by following these proven and easy hacks:

• Reheat mashed potatoes in an air fryer at the right temperature. Setting your air fryer at 400 °F (200 °C) will dry out your mashed potatoes.
• Do not place your mashed potatoes on the air fryer straight from the oven. For better results, bring your mashed potatoes to room temperature prior to reheating them in the air fryer.
• After bringing the mashed potatoes to room temperature and observing the water at the sides, discard the water using a spoon.
• To give your mashed potatoes a more flavorful twist, you can add some of your leftover meat by breaking it into smaller pieces. Beef, chicken, ham, and pork can give new life to your mashed potatoes. Only use turkey if you have a good supply of gravy because adding this to your mashed potatoes can cause it to become too dry.
• Another option to give your mashed potatoes a newer taste will be to add some grated cheese on top. Other alternatives are chives, garlic, and sour cream.
•  It is better to make your mashed potatoes a little runny before reheating them in the air fryer as it will become thicker once heated.

Other Ways To Reheat Mashed Potatoes

Unable to reheat mashed potatoes in an air fryer because you don’t own one or because an air fryer is not readily available to you at the moment? Don’t worry. You can always opt for the traditional and proven ways to reheat mashed potatoes.

1. On A Stove

This is the classic way of reheating mashed potatoes and all other meals. Upon reheating it on the stovetop, you will barely even notice that it is a reheated leftover.

To reheat your mashed potatoes, add half a cup of milk to a pan and let it boil for several seconds before adding your mashed potatoes. You’ll need to mix the milk and the mashed potatoes vigorously to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

After a few minutes, the warm mashed potatoes with milk will regain their creamy texture. This is the recommended time to add your salt, pepper, and other new flavors that you want to incorporate.

2. In An Oven

Reheating your mashed potatoes in an oven may involve a few more steps, but it works.

For starters, you need to preheat your oven to 360 °F (180 °C). Next, put a cube of butter in your baking dish or pan and melt it in the oven for about 5 minutes.

Add some warm milk to your leftover mashed potatoes and add some salt and pepper. After a good mix, add and set the mashed potatoes in your butter-lined baking pan.

Cover your pan with aluminum foil and reheat your mashed potatoes for 30 minutes at 430 °F (220 °C). After reheating, your cold and leftover mashed potatoes should now have a smoother and creamier texture and be ready to be enjoyed.

3. In A Microwave

Similar to an air fryer, you can also use a microwave to reheat your mashed potatoes in a snap.

Start by mixing melted butter, milk, and your mashed potatoes that are already at room temperature. Set this in your microwave-friendly bowl, and place it in your microwave oven for 2 minutes.

Give it a good mix using a spoon, and pop it back into your microwave for another minute, and it’s ready to eat!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Do Leftover Mashed Potatoes Stored In The Fridge Look Dry?

This is expected because storing your leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge causes them to lose all their moisture and water. This is the reason why it almost looks glue-like. Adding milk can add moisture so that after you reheat mashed potatoes in the air fryer, they regain their silky and smooth texture.

Additionally, right out of the fridge, your mashed potatoes will look dull. This is where the butter comes to the rescue, as it will restore its appetizing shine.

Can You Reheat Mashed Potatoes More Than Once?

You can reheat mashed potatoes in an air fryer as often as you want. You just have to ensure that you set the right temperature to kill bacteria every time you reheat it. 

Additionally, you have to accept that when you reheat mashed potatoes in an air fryer more than three to four times, it can reduce the overall food quality.

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