Potatoes are one of the most versatile vegetables. You can eat them as French fries, baked potatoes, roasted potatoes, home fries, scalloped potatoes, twice baked potatoes, hasselback potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato puree, potatoes au gratin, etc. But what is the difference between mashed potatoes and puree? Are they the same thing? You’re about to find out.
Table Summary
| Mashed Potatoes | Potato Puree |
| Lumpy and rustic texture | Smoother than mashed potatoes |
| Recipe only requires potatoes but sometimes cream or butter are used | Recipe uses milk or cream and butter |
Getty Images / Moment / Aniko Hobel
Definitions
Potato puree, also known as pomme puree, is a kind of mashed potato. Unlike regular mashed potatoes, potato puree is smoother due to the addition of milk or cream to its recipe. To make potato puree, you need to boil potatoes and allow them to cool down. Then, add lukewarm milk to the potatoes. Some chefs use a potato ricer or sieve to achieve the perfect texture.
Mashed potatoes, also known as mashed taters or just mash, are exactly what their name implies: mashed down boiled potatoes. Unlike potato puree, mashed potatoes are usually lumpy and have a “rustic” texture. While some chefs use butter and cream in their mashed potato recipes, others prefer to use egg yolks and less butter. Instead of potato ricers, chefs usually use potato mashers to make mashed potatoes.
Potato Puree VS Mashed Potatoes
The main difference between potato puree and mashed potatoes is their texture. Since mashed potatoes are exactly that, boiled potatoes that have been manually mashed down, their texture is a little lumpy. On the other hand, potato puree is a lot smoother because chefs use potato ricers and sieves to prepare the dish.