Whether you’re cooking a Thanksgiving feast or preparing a weekday family dinner, finding ways to reduce the time you’re in the kitchen is a must. For some people, it makes no sense to scrub, peel and boil a bag of potatoes when they can save so much time using boxed instant potatoes instead.
However, if you’re gluten-free, you can’t cut corners in the kitchen without doing a lot of research. Well, we’ve done the research for you and brought you a list of six gluten-free instant mashed potatoes so you can save time in the kitchen and spend it with your family instead.
Mashed potatoes need their stuffing sidekick! Check out our list of the best gluten-free stuffing mix brands you need to try.
Gluten-Free Instant Mashed Potato Brands You Should Try
Gluten-free home cooks love instant mashed potatoes because they are convenient, versatile, and inexpensive. But beware! Just because potatoes are naturally free from gluten doesn’t mean that your box of instant mash is gluten-free.
We’ve compiled a list of safe gluten-free instant mashed potato brands you can trust. And for good measure, we’ve also included helpful information about where you can buy these products and how each brand avoids allergen and gluten cross-contact in its manufacturing facility. In no time, you’ll be whipping up spud-tacular dishes you can be proud of.
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Idahoan Mashed Potatoes
Idahoan instant potatoes are gluten-free, MSG-free and made from 100% real Idaho russet potatoes.
Here’s a list of all instant mashed potatoes Idahoan makes with a gluten-free label:
- Idahoan Original Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Applewood Smoked Bacon Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Baby Reds Family Size 8.2 oz Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Baby Reds Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Baby Reds with Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Butter and Herb Family Size 8 oz Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Butter and Herb Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Buttery Golden Selects Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Buttery Homestyle Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Buttery Homestyle Family Size 8 oz Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Cheddar & Sour Cream
- Idahoan Chicken Broth Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Classic Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Four Cheese Family Size 8 oz Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Four Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Loaded Baked Family Size 8 oz Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Loaded Baked Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Mashed Potatoes Seasoned with Hidden Valley Original Ranch
- Idahoan Monterey Pepper Jack Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Reduced Sodium Buttery Homestyle Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Roasted Garlic Family Size 8 oz Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Smokey Cheese & Bacon
- Idahoan Sour Cream & Chives Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Vermont White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
- Idahoan Wisconsin Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
Cross-Contact: Idahoan doesn’t have a lot of information on their website about gluten or allergy cross-contact. Their FAQ directs you to read the individual product pages to learn more about allergens within each product.
However, we reached out to Idahoan to learn more about their allergen protocols and what steps they take to ensure that their instant mashed potatoes are gluten-free. The company reached out quickly and said, “Our products do not contain gluten.” They went on to explain that while they don’t use dedicated allergen facilities, they do have scheduling and cleaning procedures in place, in addition to inspections and testing, “to prohibit allergen cross contamination between products.” (Source: Idahoan)
Betty Crocker
Betty Crocker mashed potato buds are made from 100% American-grown potatoes. They are simple to make by adding milk and butter.
However, not all of Betty Crocker instant mashed potatoes are gluten-free. But there is one item we trust because it says “gluten free” right on the box:
- Betty Crocker Unflavored Mashed
Please avoid all the Betty Crocker flavored mashed potatoes if you’re on a gluten-free diet. We looked at several of the labels, and all the flavored options said, “MAY CONTAIN WHEAT AND SOY INGREDIENTS.” It’s safest to get the unflavored mashed potatoes, which are gluten-free, and add seasonings yourself.
Cross-Contact: Betty Crocker doesn’t list how they prevent gluten or allergen cross-contact in their facilities. We’re happy that they have gluten-free instant mashed potatoes at all, but we don’t have much more information than that about how they can keep the GF community safe. We sent them an email to learn more and will update this article when we hear back.
Honest Earth
Honest Earth instant mashed potatoes are naturally gluten-free and made from fresh dried real potatoes sourced from Idaho. Their ingredients are literally just “Idaho potatoes, butter and sea salt.” With ingredients that clean, you get a pure potato flavor that’s not impacted by preservatives.
Honest Earth has three gluten-free instant mashed potato options:
- Honest Earth Creamy Mash Potatoes
- Honest Earth Rustic Mashed Potatoes with Butter & Sea Salt
- Honest Earth Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Butter & Sea Salt
Cross-Contact: Honest Earth is owned by Idahoan, which doesn’t use gluten in any of its products. Idahoan performs random testing and has cleaning schedules to make sure allergen cross-contact doesn’t take place between products. (Source: Idahoan)
Edward & Sons
Edward & Sons instant mashed potatoes are certified gluten-free by the GFCO! (They’re the only certified GF products on this list.) They are also certified organic, vegan, and kosher. With all those certifications, it’s no wonder that the ingredients are really clean as well.
Check out these Edward and Sons gluten-free instant mashed potato options:
- Edward & Sons Organic Homestyle Mashed Potatoes
- Edward & Sons Organic Unseasoned Mashed Potato Flakes
- Edward & Sons Organic Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Cross-Contact: Edward & Sons makes many gluten-free mashed potato flake options; however, not everything the company makes is gluten-free. They have a very helpful Allergen Table, and we reached out for more information about how they prevent gluten cross-contact in their facilities.
An Edward & Sons rep responded and said, “Our Organic Mashed Potato products are produced in a Gluten Free certified facility but are also produced on shared lines with gluten.” These two concepts don’t make sense to me. However, in a gluten-free products list that Edward & Sons sent, they say, “Our Gluten-Free criteria specifies that the factory use no ingredients known to contain gluten in our gluten-free recipes.” They also do random testing to make sure no gluten is found in finished products.” (Source: Edward & Sons)
Bob’s Red Mill
Bob’s Red Mill potato flakes are naturally gluten-free, vegan, kosher, and non-GMO. This product is another great option if you’re looking for really clean ingredients. Spoiler: It’s just “Dehydrated potatoes.”
Bob’s Red Mill currently has only one gluten-free potato flake option:
- Potato Flakes Instant Mashed Potatoes
Cross-Contact: Because this product is naturally gluten-free, we wondered why it wasn’t certified gluten-free. Others had the same question because one of the reviews under this product asked why they weren’t made in Bob’s Red Mill’s dedicated gluten-free facility. This is what the response was from Bob’s Red Mill staff: “The agriculture supply chain is complex, and there are certain products for which cross-contact with gluten-containing grains may occur before the ingredients reach our facility. Although potatoes are an inherently gluten-free food, because of these supply chain complexities and the potential for cross-contact with this particular product, we can’t guarantee that this product meets our strict gluten-free standards, and therefore we choose not to label it gluten-free.” (Source: Bob’s Red Mill)
Hungry Jack
Hungry Jack instant potatoes are made with real Idaho potatoes and are gluten-free.
Hungry Jack has only one gluten-free instant mashed potato option available:
- Hungry Jack Mashed Potatoes
Cross-Contact: Hungry Jack doesn’t have any information on their website about how they prevent allergen or gluten cross-contact in their products. We will update you when we learn more.
Gluten-Free Instant Mashed Potatoes FAQ
Are instant mashed potatoes gluten-free?
Yes! The following brands sell gluten-free instant potatoes:
- Idahoan Mashed Potatoes
- Betty Crocker
- Honest Earth
- Edward & Sons
- Bob’s Red Mill
- Hungry Jack
Not all potato flakes (or instant potatoes) are gluten-free, though. Even though potatoes are naturally free from gluten, some manufacturing processes introduce gluten into the product. So look for a product that has a gluten-free label.
Can celiacs eat instant mashed potatoes?
Celiacs can eat instant mashed potatoes as long as they are gluten free. Remember, never assume that something is free from gluten. If you have celiac disease, it’s best to stick to certified gluten-free instant potatoes, like those made by Edward & Sons.
Gluten-Free Instant Potato Flakes Save Time
Whether you’re incorporating potatoes into a hearty soup or preparing them for a festive holiday side dish, instant potatoes can give you the Idaho potato taste without all the fuss. There are a lot of gluten-free instant mashed potatoes to choose from, so which should you pick? The choice is entirely personal, but we feel that good instant potatoes have clean ingredients. And if you want stellar potatoes, don’t forget the perfect companion: gluten-free gravy!
Go get your grub on!
