Recipes Side Dishes Potato Dishes Mashed Potatoes Smoky, Tangy Harissa Mashed Potatoes Are Ready for Their Thanksgiving Close-Up Be the first to rate & review! Smoky harissa and tangy labneh give these spicy mashed potatoes gorgeous color and flavor. By Ali Ramee Ali Ramee Ali Ramee is a recipe developer and food stylist for Dotdash Meredith. A College of Charleston graduate with a communications major, Ali began her culinary career in the kitchens of chef Hugh Acheson in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia. After an internship with America's Test Kitchen in Boston, Ali moved to San Francisco to continue her culinary education in some of the top tier restaurants in the city, like Flour & Water and Petit Crenn. Ali began working as a food stylist and recipe developer for the meal kit company Sun Basket before making the move to Dotdash Meredith Food Studios. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on October 10, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Photo: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 45 mins Yield: 10 servings F&W recipe developer Ali Ramee drew inspiration for this dish from chef Rose Previte, owner of Washington, D.C.’s acclaimed Compass Rose and Maydan. Previte leans into her Lebanese heritage by incorporating harissa, a peppery and smoky chile paste, into velvety mashed potatoes. In this recipe, for extra-creamy richness, Ramee folds in labneh, a double-strained Middle Eastern yogurt, to add a cooling component to the fiery harissa, resulting in this highly craveable side dish. The result is a super creamy and decadent Thanksgiving side that’s lightened by whipping it in the stand mixer and by the smoky tang from the harissa and labneh. “It's not so different from a standard mashed potato, but it's definitely not your grandma's mashed potatoes either,” noted one tester. There are lots of layers of flavor in play thanks to the compound butter. Overall, the dish is smoky and a little spicy with a nice smooth texture. Frequently asked questions What should I serve with spicy mashed potatoes? “I think people will really like these potatoes if they are served at Thanksgiving,” our testers said. Serve them along with all of your favorite Thanksgiving sides. Can I make this recipe ahead of time? Compound butter can be wrapped tightly in plastic and stored in a refrigerator for up to 1 week. Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Harissa is available at specialty grocery stores or online at nyshuk.com. Ingredients Compound Butter 1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened 1 teaspoon harissa 1/2 teaspoon za'atar 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika Mashed Potatoes 5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 cup labneh 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon harissa (such as New York Shuk) Chopped fresh chives, for garnish Directions Make the compound butter Stir together softened butter, harissa, za’atar, and smoked paprika in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside. Make the mashed potatoes Place quartered potatoes in a large pot, and cover with 1 inch of cold water. Add 2 tablespoons salt, and bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium, and boil, uncovered, until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes, and immediately transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on low speed, adding butter a few cubes at a time, until all of the butter is incorporated, about 2 minutes. Fold in labneh, harissa, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt until just combined. Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl. Top with desired amount of compound butter, and garnish with chives. Serve with remaining compound butter on the side. Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, November 2023 Rate It Print