Perfect Mashed Potatoes
This is hands down my family’s favorite mashed potatoes recipe. This recipe guarantees extra creamy potatoes thanks to a few simple ingredients and tricks. My family loves homemade mashed potatoes! Our recipe changes slightly depending on who makes it in our household. Adam uses unpeeled potatoes for skin-on mashed potatoes, and I usually peel them. We include either method in our recipe below! To use sweet potatoes, see our savory mashed sweet potatoes. I also love mashed potatoes on top of this Shepherd’s pie! Key Ingredients Potatoes: The secret to the creamiest, most delicious mashed potatoes is to use the right potatoes. Thin-skinned potatoes like creamers, baby potatoes, and Yukon Gold are the best potatoes for mashing. Small yellow, white, or red potatoes are perfect. Russet potatoes are fine, but I prefer to peel them. Mashed potatoes made with Russets will be lighter and more fluffy. Milk or broth: I love equal parts milk and chicken broth, but use what you have. The broth adds flavor, and the milk keeps them creamy. Butter: I’m generous with the butter in this recipe and love the flavor it adds to our potatoes. You can use olive oil to substitute the butter, which tastes different but very delicious. Cream: It is optional, but when I have it in the fridge, I love adding a small splash of cream to make them extra creamy and luxurious. When I don’t have cream, I love a dollop of sour cream or mascarpone cheese. Potatoes: The secret to the creamiest, most delicious mashed potatoes is to use the right potatoes. Thin-skinned potatoes like creamers, baby potatoes, and Yukon Gold are the best potatoes for mashing. Small yellow, white, or red potatoes are perfect. Russet potatoes are fine, but I prefer to peel them. Mashed potatoes made with Russets will be lighter and more fluffy. Milk or broth: I love equal parts milk and chicken broth, but use what you have. The broth adds flavor, and the milk keeps them creamy. Butter: I’m generous with the butter in this recipe and love the flavor it adds to our potatoes. You can use olive oil to substitute the butter, which tastes different but very delicious. Cream: It is optional, but when I have it in the fridge, I love adding a small splash of cream to make them extra creamy and luxurious. When I don’t have cream, I love a dollop of sour cream or mascarpone cheese. Find the full recipe with measurements below. Tips for Making the Best Mashed Potatoes Tip 1: Simmer in salted water. I cut the potatoes into chunks, and then simmer them in salted water. Medium chunks (1 to 2 inches) work well and take about 15 minutes. Similar to seasoning pasta water, use salted water to cook your potatoes. The seasoned water makes the potatoes taste better. I use 1 tablespoon of salt for a large pot of water. Tip 2: Cook until fork tender. I know my potatoes are ready for mashing when a fork can easily pierce them. Cooking them longer will make them too soft and sticky. Tip 3: Cover with a dishtowel. After draining, return the cooked potatoes to your saucepan and cover with a clean dishtowel for about 5 minutes to help absorb excess moisture that can make the potatoes watery. Tip 4: Use a potato masher, but a food mill is even better. If you have a food mill in your kitchen we highly recommend using it. It gives the potatoes a wonderful texture! That said, a potato masher is easier to clean, so we use it just as often. After mashing, stir in your milk (or broth) and butter. I like adding softened (or melted) butter. Tip 5: Extras to take mashed potatoes to the next level. To make them extra creamy, add a splash of cream. You can even add extras like roasted garlic, fresh chives, scallions, shredded cheese, and crumbled cooked bacon. These crispy fried shallots are amazing sprinkled on top, too. What to Serve with Mashed Potatoes I can eat these potatoes without anything else on the plate. They are fantastic with homemade gravy on top. I love them with roasted chicken, pork chops, and pork tenderloin. Mashed potatoes are classic with meatloaf (or this turkey meatloaf). Every Thanksgiving, you’ll see these potatoes with turkey gravy, amazing mushroom stuffing, and roasted garlic on the table. And just in case you need one, here’s my favorite roast turkey recipe! Perfect Mashed Potatoes PREP 15 mins COOK 20 mins TOTAL 35 mins PREP 15 mins COOK 20 mins TOTAL 35 mins This is how to make my family’s favorite mashed potatoes. The recipe is flexible and can be adjusted based on the ingredients you have on hand. You’ll add about 1 cup of liquid to the potatoes. I love equal parts milk and chicken broth, but use what you have. For extra creamy potatoes, add an extra splash of cream. 6 Servings Watch Us Make the Recipe You Will Need 2 pounds (900g) Yukon Gold potatoes, red potatoes, or white potatoes Salt 1 cup (235ml) whole milk or broth, try homemade chicken broth 3 tablespoons (40g) butter or olive oil 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper Splash of cream or a dollop of sour cream, optional Directions 1Scrub and dice the potatoes, keeping them a similar size. We often leave the skin on the potatoes, but it is completely up to you. 2Add the potatoes to a large saucepan, add a tablespoon of salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. 3Cook until the potatoes fall apart when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. 4While the potatoes cook, heat the milk, broth, and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until warm and the butter melts. 5Drain the potatoes, return them to the pot, and cover them with a clean dishtowel. Leave them for about 5 minutes to absorb excess steam that can make mashed potatoes watery. 6Pour in the warm butter mixture, and then mash the potatoes until creamy. The potatoes seem thin at first, but they absorb the liquid after a minute or two. Stir in the pepper and splash of cream (optional). 7Taste for seasoning and adjust with additional salt and pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes so the potatoes thicken, then serve. 1Scrub and dice the potatoes, keeping them a similar size. We often leave the skin on the potatoes, but it is completely up to you. 2Add the potatoes to a large saucepan, add a tablespoon of salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. 3Cook until the potatoes fall apart when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. 4While the potatoes cook, heat the milk, broth, and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until warm and the butter melts. 5Drain the potatoes, return them to the pot, and cover them with a clean dishtowel. Leave them for about 5 minutes to absorb excess steam that can make mashed potatoes watery. 6Pour in the warm butter mixture, and then mash the potatoes until creamy. The potatoes seem thin at first, but they absorb the liquid after a minute or two. Stir in the pepper and splash of cream (optional). 7Taste for seasoning and adjust with additional salt and pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes so the potatoes thicken, then serve. Adam and Joanne's Tips Storing: Homemade mashed potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze them, let them cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Reheating: To reheat mashed potatoes, do so in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat. Consider adding an extra splash of milk or cream before reheating to prevent them from drying out. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. You can use russet (baking) potatoes. The mashed potatoes will be a bit fluffier. Substitute brown butter for the butter to make brown butter mashed potatoes. For stiffer mashed potatoes, reduce the amount of liquid called for in the recipe to 3/4 cup from 1 cup. For extra creamy potatoes, use a food mill. Pass the cooked potatoes through the smallest disk of a food mill then stir in milk or chicken stock and butter. (It’s best the potatoes are peeled for this). The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We assumed 1/2 milk to 1/2 stock and added a splash of cream. Storing: Homemade mashed potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze them, let them cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Reheating: To reheat mashed potatoes, do so in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat. Consider adding an extra splash of milk or cream before reheating to prevent them from drying out. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. You can use russet (baking) potatoes. The mashed potatoes will be a bit fluffier. Substitute brown butter for the butter to make brown butter mashed potatoes. For stiffer mashed potatoes, reduce the amount of liquid called for in the recipe to 3/4 cup from 1 cup. For extra creamy potatoes, use a food mill. Pass the cooked potatoes through the smallest disk of a food mill then stir in milk or chicken stock and butter. (It’s best the potatoes are peeled for this). The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We assumed 1/2 milk to 1/2 stock and added a splash of cream. Nutrition Per Serving Calories 182 / Protein 4 g / Carbohydrate 28 g / Dietary Fiber 3 g / Total Sugars 2 g / Total Fat 7 g / Saturated Fat 4 g / Cholesterol 18 mg AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us