The Best Mashed Potatoes
If you want to make The Best mashed potatoes, then you’ve come to the right place! Creamy, buttery, soft and whipped to perfection. I just love mashed potatoes!
Contains affiliate links
Saying that our family loves mashed potatoes is a huge under statement. We LOVE mashed potatoes! It’s one of the rare foods everyone agrees on, so I make them quite often. I have discovered little tips and tricks to no fail, creamy, dreamy, fluffy, delicious mashed potatoes.
And I have definitely had my share of potato fails! One Thanksgiving about 10 years ago, somehow I made the potatoes so gummy that we had to throw them out. It was like a brick in the pot. There was no saving these spuds. Sadly, I used all the potatoes we had- on THANKSGIVING! It was a disaster.
I’ve learned since then and I’m happy to report I have the blue print for lick your plate clean potatoes.
The Potato
My favorite potatoes to use are yellow or red. Of course russets work too, but I find red or yellow potatoes to make the fluffiest mashed potatoes. Skin on of off? Totally up to you! Just make sure to scrub your spud thoroughly.
If you do peel them, throw those peels into some oil with salt and pepper until crispy. SO GOOD!
Cut the potatoes into chunks. Make sure to cut them all the same size so they cook at the same time. A smaller dice will have a shorter cook time. I just let them go until they are fork tender and easily pierced (basically when they fall apart on your fork they are ready). It usually takes anywhere from 12-20 minutes depending how big the chunks are.
The water
Always cold. After chopping your potatoes add them to a large pot and fill the pot with cold water. Place on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Let the water come to a boil with the potatoes.
If you add potatoes to the boiling water, that could turn them gummy.
Once the water boiling you add 1-3 tablespoons of salt. A good rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon of salt to every pound of potatoes. Potatoes love salt and they can handle it. You can also use stock or broth in place of the water for more flavorful potatoes.
Milk and Butter
Of course using a higher fat milk will yield a richer more delicious potato. I prefer to use heavy cream or whole milk. But use whatever you have on hand. I aways start with 1/2 cup of butter (1 stick) and add more as needed.
The trick to creamy mashed potatoes is warm milk and butter. I start with 1 cup of milk and 1 stick of butter and I warm them together in a small pan while the potatoes are cooking. Careful not to boil the milk. You want it warm enough for the butter to melt into the milk.
Extras
I also add in a big scoop of sour cream, garlic or garlic powder and plenty of salt and pepper. Other add-ins like softened cream cheese or Boursin cheese are delicious! Try different herbs and spices like rosemary, sage, or saffron.
My kids aren’t very adventurous so I tend to stick to the basics.
Technique
There are lots of ways to make your potatoes creamy and dreamy. Everyone’s taste is different; some like it lumpy and some want no lumps in sight! I’m in between. I have found that mashing the warm potatoes after adding all the ingredients, using a potato masher, to break up the large chunks, then going in with a hand held electric mixer is the perfect consistency for me.
When using an electric mixer, keep it at a medium speed to prevent them from seizing up and getting “gummy”. To high of a speed is not good for dreamy potatoes.
Some love to use a ricer or food mill before adding anything to the cooked potatoes. If you have one, that’s a great technique to get ultra creamy potatoes with no lumps.
What’s your favorite mashing method? Let me know in the comments below!
Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Are you a fan of the loaded mashed potato? To your mashed potatoes add in bacon bits, chives or green onions, and shredded cheddar cheese to take them over the top!
Tip
Keep a small pack of dried potato flakes on hand. If you are ever preparing your mashed potatoes and you add too much liquid and the potatoes are too funny for your liking, add some of the potato flakes to thicken the mashed potatoes.
The Best Dishes for Mashed Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy
- Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Porcupine Meatballs
- Crock Pot Meatballs
- Apple Cider Pork Loin
- Meatloaf
- Mississippi Pot Roast
- Air Fryer Chicken Fingers
- Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin
- Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Chicken
- Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaves
Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to get new recipes sent right to your
inbox! Follow along with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube , Pinterest, and TikTok.
Did you make this recipe? Take a picture and tag me @StephGigliotti and
#StephRealLife. I would absolutely love to see your finished dish!
The Best Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds red or yellow potatoes washed and cut into chunks
- 1/2 cup butter 1 stick
- 1 cup heavy cream plus more as needed
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 tbsp salt more to taste
- 2 tsp black pepper more to tatse
- 3 tsp garlic powder more to taste
Instructions
- Peel potatoes or scrub if you are leaving the skin on. Cut potatoes into chunks. Add potatoes to a large pot. Fill with cold water and add 1-3 tablespoons of salt (to taste), bring to a boil and cook potatoes until fork tender, about 12-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the heavy cream and butter to a small saucepan and heat until warmed through and butter is melted. Do not boil.
- Drain the potatoes. Add in the cream and butter, 1 tbsp salt, pepper, garlic powder and sour cream. With a potato masher, mash the potatoes until creamy. If you like them very smooth, finish with a hand mixer until fluffy.Add more cream as needed, a little at a time, if the potatoes are too thick. You can always add more but you can't take it out, so add in small amounts until the desired consistency is reached.
- Taste and adjust sour cream, butter and seasoning to taste. Serve warm.
