Mashed Potatoes and Broccoli

These potatoes are so beautifully delicious and full of tacky goodness that they could simply be counted as dinner’s main course and no longer the plain old side kick. The great way to describe these potatoes: broccoli cheese soup meets mashed potatoes. Don’t get the wrong idea from that though, these potatoes aren’t soupy.

They are soft, flavorful and oh so cheesy, with all the right amount of nutrition from the broccoli. They are mashed potatoes prepared luxurious. One thing I choice about these potatoes is that you don’t need drippings from meat for gravy, just a whole lot of soft cheese. I hope you enjoy these mashed potatoes and broccoli as much as I do!

If you love these you may also like to try my recipe for backed potatoes. They are loaded with cheese, drizzled with zesty ranch, and then finished off with crispy bacon and green onions.

I’m going to present you today with a recipe that isn’t at all interesting, but is good, nonetheless. It came from a desire for old fashioned, comforting, mashed potatoes combined with my new year’s goal to eat more vegetables. We always have broccoli in the house and I’ve prepared mashed cauliflower before—an idea was born.

Basically, this is the combination of mashed potatoes and broccoli. There’s still butter in the mashed potatoes—I just couldn’t do it without butter—but there’s also fiber, and vitamins and a beautiful green color from the broccoli. The flavor is improved with lemon zest and enhanced with cheese. The broccoli adds an earthy flavor to the potatoes that’s hard to pinpoint, and the whole thing is beautiful with something like meatloaf or pot roast. It’s mashed potatoes, but lighter and more colorful.

Nutrition Information

Per serving: Calories — 135, Fat — 4g, Cholesterol — 16mg, Carbohydrate — 17g, Sugar — 0g, Protein — 7g, Fiber — 2g, Sodium — 330mg, Potassium — 200mg.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A– 30%, Vitamin C– 100%, Calcium– 15%.

Ingredients

2 big potatoes, peeled

2 cups chopped fresh broccoli

1/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

How to make Mashed Potatoes and Broccoli

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F / 175 degrees C. Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about fifteen minutes; drain. Meanwhile, place broccoli in a steamer over one inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender but still firm, about four to six minutes. Drain and set aside.

Mash the potatoes with milk and salt. Brush a deep nine inch pie recipe with olive oil and press the potatoes in. Brush with remaining olive oil. Back in preheat oven for thirty minutes or until lightly browned.

Arrange onions, broccoli and cheese in the potato crust. Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour over broccoli and cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for thirty to forty minutes, until slightly puffed and cooked throughout. Allow to cool for ten minutes before serving.