Mashed potatoes with mushrooms and brussels sprouts
When I was a child, my mom used to make beautiful winter dishes like this, adding more broth for us kids and grating Parmesan cheese on top. I remember trying to sneak the Brussels onto my sibling’s plates; now I’ve absolutely grown to love this dish.
Creamy mashed potatoes
1.2 kg floury potatoes, such as Sebago, brushed or peeled and cut into even chunks
40 g butter
½ cup milk, warmed
¼ cup sour cream, crème fraîche or plain Greek yoghurt
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for the cooking water
Black pepper
Mushroom and Brussels sprout topping
350 g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced or finely shredded
300 g mushrooms, sliced — Swiss brown, button, field mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, or a mix
1 small brown onion or 2 shallots, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
20 g butter
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ cup vegetable stock or water
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1–2 teaspoons lemon juice
Sea salt and black pepper
To finish
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons toasted walnuts, hazelnuts or pepitas, optional
Extra olive oil, optional
Method
Cook the potatoes. Add potato chunks to a large saucepan, cover with cold water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to the boil. Reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes, until completely tender when pierced with a knife.
Make the mash. Drain the potatoes well, then return them to the warm saucepan over low heat for 30–60 seconds to steam off excess water. Remove from heat. Add butter, warm milk, sour cream or yoghurt, salt and pepper. Mash until creamy, adding another splash of milk if needed. Cover to keep warm.
Brown the mushrooms. While the potatoes cook, heat olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer where possible. Leave them for 2–3 minutes before stirring, then cook for another 4–5 minutes until deeply golden. Browning the mushrooms first prevents them from becoming watery and builds the savoury flavour of the dish.
Cook the sprouts. Add onion or shallots to the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add Brussels sprouts, garlic and thyme. Season with black pepper and a small pinch of salt. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until the sprouts are tender with browned, lightly crisp edges.
Make it glossy. Add tamari, balsamic vinegar and stock or water. Let it bubble for 1–2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the pan, until the mixture is moist and glossy rather than saucy. Stir through lemon zest and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve. Spoon the mash into a large shallow bowl or onto plates. Pile the mushrooms and Brussels sprouts over the top. Finish with parsley, toasted nuts or seeds, black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil if you like.
variations
More luxurious: stir 30–50 g grated parmesan through the mash, or crumble goat feta over the finished dish.
Vegan: use olive oil or vegan butter, oat milk and plant-based yoghurt in the mash; use vegetable stock and omit dairy toppings.
More substantial: fold in a drained tin of cannellini beans or lentils with the sprouts, or serve with a fried egg.
More autumnal: add a handful of chopped kale with the sprouts, or stir through 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard at the end.
For a crispy finish: scatter the mushroom-sprout mixture over the mash in a ceramic baking dish and grill briefly until golden—no foil needed.
The combination of creamy mash with browned Brussels sprouts and mushrooms is a well-established autumn format; keeping the vegetables distinct rather than over-mashing them preserves texture and makes the dish feel more substantial.
