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Potato flakes are a very easy-to-make dish. Even though the potato flakes are not considered an essential pastry dish, it won’t do you any harm to keep some of them in your pantry just in case. The good thing is that you can easily get them in the pantry section of most supermarkets around you.
Most people fail to realize that these flakes made from either cooked, drained, or rehydrated russet potatoes can surprisingly work wonders in many dishes. Potato flakes are similar to potato starch and can act as a thickening agent for your soups and gravies.
They can also give your chicken and bread a crispier and fluffier texture, but why use potato flakes in bread? Well, potato flakes are used in bread because they make your bread a lot fluffier than normally baked bread.
We’ll discuss this further later in the article; for now, let’s see the various ways you can use potato flakes!
Where Can I Use Potato Flakes?
Potato flakes are not only limited to bread. You can make use of these flakes in other dishes to
1. Make crispy chicken or pork
After you must have dipped your chicken tender or chicken breast in fish fillets or lightly pounded pork chops into the egg wash, you can dredge them in a mixture of parmesan cheese and potato flakes and a certain seasoning of your choice.
After this, you can now fry your chicken until it turns golden brown. When the potato flakes are added, it gives your chicken or pork a light and crispy coating, and this also is an excellent alternative to crushed crackers or breadcrumbs.
2. Whip up very light gnocchi
Using your dehydrated cooked potato flakes means that you can get away with using less flour in your gnocchi dough, which results in you getting fluffier and less gummy gnocchi.
By doing this, you can also skip some steps that involve cooking and ricing your potatoes, resulting in making your dish faster than usual and making it less gummy.
3. Making moist and tender meatloaf
The binding agent usually used in meatloaf is rice, oats, dried or fresh bread crumbs, and most times, instant potato flakes are added.
The flakes are added to keep the meat tender and moist and work perfectly as they blend naturally into the recipe. The best type of potato flakes to use are the flavored ones, it is either you go with butter or herbs, or you can add the flavor of your choice.
Why Use Potato Flakes in Bread?
Adding these instant potato flakes to your baked bread gives it a uniquely soft and fluffy texture. Another added advantage is that whatever you bake with the potato flakes tends to last longer, even for several days.
Since the potatoes contain potassium, the yeast is said to rise faster, meaning you would be digging into a thicker bread.
What Can I Substitute for Potato Flakes in Bread?
I will provide you with some of the very best substitutes for potato flakes in bread.
1. Tapioca Flour
Tapioca flour, also known as cassava flour, is preferable to potato flakes, even if they are less dense. Although their taste and physical appearance slightly differ from the potato flakes, they operate just like them.
They are both gluten-free alternatives, making tapioca flour perfect for gluten intolerant people. The tapioca flour is far finer than the potato flakes, which would result in an even fluffier bread. You can substitute them in a ratio of 1:1.
2. Rice Flour
Rice flour can also serve as a thickening agent, as you can use it to thicken stews, soups, and gravies. You should note that before using the rice flour, you should soak it in either cold or hot water.
Only then would it work well in your meals, and when substituting, you should do it in a ratio of 2:1 (rice flour: potato flakes).
3. Wheat Flour
The last flour you should consider is wheat flour. It is very healthy as it is a good source of thiamine and vitamin B6.
You should also mix this flour with cold or warm water before using it in your recipes. Alternatively, you can also make a roux with them and use them in your gravies and stews.
4. Xanthan Gum
The xanthan gum is another great substitute that can be used as a thickener or stabilizer. Its thickening abilities are far stronger than several other alternatives, even potato flakes.
Due to its strong thickening abilities, it should be used carefully as a single mistake can end up spoiling your whole dish. For even one part of potato flakes, you should use four parts of xanthan gum.
