These Mashed Potatoes are my favorite side dish of all time. Fluffy, creamy and rich, this easy recipe is sure to become a family favorite! This easy to follow recipe produces the best mashed potatoes you’ve ever tried! See my video below for step by step instructions! Need more ideas for potatoes? Try these amazing Garlic Roasted Potatoes or Twice Baked Potato Casserole!
Mashed Potatoes
If there was one food I could happily eat on a daily basis, it would have to be mashed potatoes. Potatoes are my very favorite ingredient and I use them regularly for all sorts of tasty recipes.
Creamy mashed potatoes have, in my humble opinion, a place at my dinner table for almost all meals. I usually make a bunch because leftovers are just as awesome as fresh.
The one thing I love about this mashed potatoes recipe is that I get to top them with gravy. Whether it’s turkey gravy, or my chicken fried steak gravy, pot roast gravy, it does.not.matter. I’m into ALL of it.
Best Potatoes To Use
My favorite potatoes for mashed potatoes are definitely Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes.
They yield the fluffiest mashed potatoes and are equally delicious. If you go with Yukons, I wouldn’t even bother peeling the potatoes. We leave the skin on because it’s so thin and adds just enough texture to keep the potatoes interesting.
Another option is to use a combination of potatoes – amazing flavor! You can also make this mashed potatoes recipe with red potatoes. Super yummy, just not quite as fluffy.
When selecting your potatoes, make sure to give them a once over. You want the potatoes to be:
- firm to the touch, should not give easily when you press the potatoes with your fingers
- not green, you’ll need to look closely for this
- not sprouting, that means the potato is definitely past it’s prime
- free of large blemishes, the normal small knots are perfectly acceptable
How To Make Mashed Potatoes
The process is really simple and straight forward. You’re going to want to check out my tips and tricks below for the BEST mashed potatoes though!
- Start by peeling the potatoes. If you like a more rustic feel, leave the skin on! One less step is always a good thing. Just make sure the potatoes are thoroughly washed! I like to use a vegetable scrub brush to get rid of all the dirt and debris. (my favorite potato peeler and scrub brush << affiliate links). Rinse the potatoes.
- Cut the potatoes in half or quarters depending on the size.
- Place potatoes in a large dutch oven or stock pot.
- Cover potatoes with cold, salted water. The water should cover the potatoes by at least one inch.
- Bring the water to a boil and cook just until the potatoes are fork tender. If you cook beyond this point, you start running the risk of getting waterlogged potatoes which is not what you want.
- Drain the potatoes and return to the hot pot.
- Allow the potatoes to sit in the pot for about 5 minutes so any additional moisture can evaporate.
- Add softened butter to the potatoes and give them a good mashing with your favorite potato masher.
- Mash in the hot milk and cream.
- Finally, in goes the sour cream and salt and pepper to taste.
Mashed Potatoes Recipe Variations
The awesome thing about this recipe is that you can make them differently every time! The sky is the limit! Here are some fun ways to change up these easy mashed potatoes:
- Swap in cream cheese for the sour cream – makes for extra creamy potatoes
- Cook the potatoes with a few heads of garlic for tasty garlic mashed potatoes. You can also stir in roasted garlic!
- Mash in your favorite cheese or cheese blend along with bacon and green onions for loaded mashed potatoes
- Swap out whole milk for half and half or evaporated milk for richer flavor
- Swap in sweet potatoes to make mashed sweet potatoes
- Add in additional seasonings like Cajun Spice Mix or Old Bay seasoning
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Great idea! This recipe can easily be made in advance. Follow the instructions below and transfer the potatoes to a oven safe, microwave safe bowl or dish up to 48 hours in advance.
Remove potatoes from refrigerator an hour before reheating.
- To reheat in oven:
- Cover dish with foil and bake at 350F for about 30 minutes or until heated through. Stirring occasionally will help them to heat up more quickly.
- To reheat in the microwave:
- Cover and reheat at 50% power in 60 second intervals, stirring in between. Stir in hot milk if the potatoes are too thick.
- Reheat in the slow cooker:
- Transfer to a slow cooker and turn to low. Depending on the size of your slow cooker, this could take 2 to 3 hours to heat up. You will need to stir occasionally as well, adding additional hot milk if the mashed potatoes are too thick.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Homemade Mashed Potatoes
- Cut your potatoes into quarters for quicker more even cooking.
- Don’t overcook your potatoes. Remove when they have just reached fork tenderness. Overcooking can cause the potatoes to be waterlogged.
- Return cooked potatoes to the hot pot to allow any extra moisture to evaporate.
- I prefer using a hand potato masher or potato ricer. It’s nearly impossible to use a hand mixer or stand mixer without ending up with gummy mashed potatoes. It just releases too much starch.
- That being said, really avoid over mashing your potatoes. You can do this even if you are mashing by hand.
- You want the potatoes to be mashed to your desired consistency here because once the liquid is added, you’re going to want to avoid too much mashing.
- Cube softened butter before adding to the potatoes. This allows the butter to incorporate quicker with less mashing.
- Heat the milk and cream before mixing into the potatoes. It keeps the potatoes nice and hot and absorbs more easily.
- Slowly add milk and cream to until your desired consistency is reached.
- Taste! Taste! And taste again! Before you season, taste test! Add a little salt and pepper and taste again.
- Serve warm with additional butter on top.
More of Our Favorite Side Dishes
- Baked Sweet Potato (How To Bake Sweet Potatoes)
- The BEST Twice Baked Potatoes
- Nana’s Famous Green Bean recipe
- Cranberry Sauce life changing to be sure – just read the reviews!
- Turkey Gravy – side dish? Don’t judge me.
How To Make Mashed Potatoes
The BEST Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 lbs potatoes Russet or Yukon Gold, preferred
- 12 tbsp butter softened and cubed, salted or unsalted is fine
- 3/4 cup milk whole if possible
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and rinse. Cut the potatoes in half or quarters depending on the size.
- Place potatoes in a large dutch oven or stock pot. Cover potatoes with cold, salted water. The water should cover the potatoes by at least one inch.
- Bring the water to a boil and cook just until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return to the hot pot.
- Allow the potatoes to sit in the pot for about 5 minutes so any additional moisture can evaporate.
- Add softened butter to the potatoes and mash until desired consistency is reached.
- Add in the hot milk and cream a little at a time mashing until your desired consistency is achieved. You don't need to use all of the milk or cream.
- Finally, stir in the sour cream and add salt and pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
Tools Needed
vegetable scrub brush | potato peeler | potato ricerNutrition
Originally published November 20, 2019.
NurseB says
I recommend starting with a little butter, blend, then determine how much milk and heavy whipping cream to use. I did not use that many potatoes, so I didn’t add sour cream. The potatoes still came out pretty good even though they were not as thick as I wanted them. I will tweak next time. 🙂
Sharon Morris says
Can you make and freaze?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Yes, you sure can!
Kim B. says
Just wanted to share that I’ve made this recipe for a Thanksgiving Potluck and again for Resurrection Sunday and my co-workers and family tore up t he potatoes, my 24 y/o son especially asked for them again. I made them missing the whipping cream one time and they still turned out great. Thanks for sharing!!
Roberta says
Can’t wait to try it tomorrow! On Easter Sunday!
Beth says
That recipe for mashed potatoes is exactly what my mother made for special dinners. She called them “party mashed potato’s”