Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Say hello to the most wonderfully creamy mashed potatoes, aka the future star of every single holiday dinner for the rest of your life. A combination of the right potatoes and a super simple technique makes all the difference - get perfect homemade mashed potatoes each and every time (plus countless requests for the recipe any time you make them!).
What are you MOST excited to eat on Thanksgiving?
I typically gloss over the turkey, accepting a small piece of dark meat, and load up on all of those side dishes, but the one that gets me starry-eyed every time is the mashed potatoes.
It took some time to nail down the technique for truly magnificent potatoes, but once I uncovered it, I've never made mashed potatoes another way! These are incredibly easy and require only a few ingredients, meaning there is absolutely no reason to leave them off of your menu, whether it’s a holiday or a weeknight dinner.
I love that these are super creamy but still retain a good bit of texture and some chunkiness - the best of both worlds when it comes to mashed potatoes.
The Best Potatoes to Use
These mashed potatoes rely upon Yukon gold potatoes to give them the creamiest, dreamiest texture!
Yukon gold potatoes are the very best of both worlds: they aren’t considered full-on waxy potatoes like red potatoes, which means they break down a little bit easier (important for mashing and creaming!), and they also aren’t considered full-on starchy potatoes like russet potatoes, which means they aren’t as fluffy and light (important for a creamy and dense texture!).
The semi-waxy and semi-starchy Yukon gold potatoes are basically what mashed potato dreams are made of!
Key Ingredients and Techniques
Mashed potatoes are pretty basic, right? Boil the potatoes, mash or beat in some liquid, season them, and voila! Potatoes! Except… sometimes they're not very good, right? Sometimes they turn out gummy or dry or bland and gosh, isn't that the worst?! Here's how to make the best-ever mashed potatoes recipe:
- Yukon Gold potatoes – As mentioned above, the type of potato is key to the final consistency.
- Half-and-Half – I know this is not readily available in all areas. You can substitute equal amounts of heavy cream and whole milk for the half-and-half in this recipe.
- Warm butter and half and half – In the past, I've stirred in softened butter and milk from the fridge, or some variation thereof. Instead, here we are warming the butter and half and half on the stove and mashing them into the potatoes, a little at a time. Adding them warm allows them to more easily absorb into the potatoes, making for much smoother and creamier mashed potatoes.
- Liberal Seasoning – Season more than you think you should! Seriously, is there anything worse than bland mashed potatoes? You may think that the amount of salt and pepper in this recipe is a lot, but I promise you that the potatoes taste AMAZING and this is not an area you want to skimp!
Many people swear by using hand mixer to make their mashed potatoes, but I have always found a manual masher to produce a better final product. I think it’s too easy to overbeat potatoes with an electric mixer, which can lead to gummy mashed potatoes.
How to Make Creamy Mashed Potatoes
The preparation doesn’t take long at all and you’ll be rewarded with the most fantastic mashed potatoes! Here we go:
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into even 1-inch dice.
- Place in a large saucepan or stockpot and cover with water, ensuring that there is an extra inch or so of water above the potatoes. Set them on high to boil.
- Meanwhile, place the half-and-half and butter in a small saucepan over low heat to warm and melt.
- Boil the potatoes until they are fork-tender and drain them in a large colander (I love this over-the-sink colander!).
- Return them to the original pot and give them a quick mash with your favorite potato masher (I don’t recommend using a ricer; while potato ricers can create fluffy and light mashed potatoes, I like the creamier, thicker texture achieved with a traditional masher).
- Add the warmed butter mixture a ladleful at a time, mashing the liquid into the potatoes until it is incorporated before adding more.
- Give it one more good final stir, then mix in the salt and pepper! Serve them up with your favorite dinner and a drizzle of gravy if you have it!
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Flavor Variations
I very much prefer a pile of creamy mashed potatoes that are simply seasoned with salt and pepper, however you can create a million different flavor profiles with this simple base. If you’d like to add some extra flavors, below are some ideas:
- Garlic – For a mellower flavor that isn’t too overwhelming, try going the roasted-garlic route.
- Tang – To get a little bit of a tang, try stirring in a dollop or two of cream cheese or sour cream.
- Onions – They can impart great flavor; I would suggest caramelized onions or shallots for a mild flavor.
- Fresh Herbs – Depending on what you’re serving, you might want to garnish with a bit of fresh rosemary or thyme; chives would be pretty neutral and a great garnishment no matter what else you’re serving.
- Bacon – Feel free to stir in some cooked, chopped bacon!
- Dairy-Free – While the taste will differ, you can substitute margarine or vegan butter in this recipe.
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Years ago, as a new mom of two-under-two, I grew tired of trying to time my potatoes with the turkey being done and carved on Thanksgiving, so I started making them early in the day and keeping them in the slow cooker on warm. It worked like a charm!
Now I make them in the morning before anyone gets here and they're piping hot when we sit down to eat.
How-To: Simply make the potatoes as directed, then splash a little heavy cream into the bottom of a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker and transfer the finished mashed potatoes into the slow cooker. Drizzle a little heavy cream on top, cover, and set to warm. Stir every 30 minutes or so and add a splash more cream if the potatoes seem dry at any point. Serve when ready!
What To Serve with Mashed Potatoes
- Meatloaf!
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken
- Topping for Shepherd's Pie
- Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs
- Chicken Fried Steak
- Cumin and Fennel-Crusted Roast Lamb
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Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (180 ml) half-and-half
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water.
- Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are very tender.
- Meanwhile, heat the butter and half-and-half in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Drain the potatoes and return to the pot. Mash up the potatoes a little with a potato masher. Add the melted butter mixture a little at a time and use the potato masher to combine. Once it has all been added, use a wooden spoon or spatula to give it a few stirs to combine completely. Stir in the salt and pepper and stir to combine. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Equipment: Potato Masher
- Half-and-Half: I know this is not readily available in all areas. You can substitute equal amounts of heavy cream and whole milk for the half-and-half in this recipe.
- Seasoning: These are very well seasoned (there’s nothing worse than bland mashed potatoes!); if you’re watching your salt intake, you may want to cut back on the salt to start and then add more to taste.
- Flavor Variations: Create different flavors from this base recipe by adding things like roasted garlic, caramelized onions or shallots, fresh herbs, bacon, cream cheese, or sour cream.
- Dairy-Free – While the taste will differ, you can substitute margarine or vegan butter in this recipe.
- Make-Ahead: You can keep these mashed potatoes warm in a slow cooker if making them for a holiday dinner. Splash some cream on the bottom of the slow cooker, add the mashed potatoes, and then a splash of heavy cream on top. Keep the slow cooker on warm and stir occasionally. If the potatoes seem dry at any point, then just stir in some additional cream.
- Storage: Keep leftover mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published in November 2011.
Photography by Ari of Well Seasoned
For Thanksgiving this year, try slow cooker mashed potatoes … they are heated through and through so you don’t have the problem of them cooling down before they’re even served … and most of the work is done hours ahead of time. I used a recipe found on the internet that cooks cubed potatoes in chicken broth for a few hours (with a little butter on top) … and then adds sour cream, cream cheese, etc. before serving.
That is my kind of mashed potatoes. I don’t think they need all of the extras that people are putting in them now. My mother always took them from the stove, drained them, sprinkled with salt, mash and then add the butter and mash until smooth and then add 2% milk, and they were as good as anyone’s mashed potatoes. She always saved every calorie that she could!
Have been making my mashed potatoes in the microwave for a few months and will never go back. These look good, but I’m shocked at all these “fluffy” lovers. I’ll take mine with a few chunks, thank you!
Delish. Pure and simple.
I’m passionate about my potatoes, and a few previous recipes I’ve used left me disappointed. I followed this recipe to-the-letter, and it was amazing. The perfect consistency and the perfect flavor.
I will definitely be making this again on Christmas!
can i use UHT milk instead of half and half? it probably won’t taste exactly the same but it wld be somewhere there right?
Hi Jenn, I am unfamiliar with UHT milk, but in general you could substitute milk for half & half.
Hey Michelle,
What exactly is half and half? I’m not sure I’ve heard of it here in India..
Hi Janani – It is literally half whole milk, half heavy cream. If you don’t have it where you live, you can easily substitute a 50/50 mix of whole milk and heavy cream.
It helps to really boil your potatoes until very soft. For some reason makes them tastier. And after mashing or whipping, put a big glob of butter on top and heat in microwave for a quick minute to offset the cooling that has occurred.
These taste amazing! They are so creamy. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Delicious! I like to make them with a ricer and then all you have to do is stir in the hot butter and milk! These look absolutely amazing! Happy Thanksgiving!
This is a great recipe for Thanksgiving to have on the table but I need to have some cut up garlic in my mashed potatoes with a little basil.
Add this to my list of yummies I am making from your site here. I am doing the sweet potatoes gratin, the cranberry upside down cake, these potatoes smashed style and I am quite certain I will be using your stuffing recipe as well. Thanks for the fun recipes!
I love mashed potatoes. Have you tried the Pioneer Woman’s recipe with cream cheese? So yummy! Changed my life!
I always heat the milk for mashed potatoes in my microwave in a glass measuring cup; only takes a couple minutes and don’t have to watch another pot on the stove. Also add some sour cream along with the butter while mashing. Yummy!
Two more things to try:
1. Try adding some cream cheese along with the butter to the potatoes. You will get a creamy and tangy flavor that is delicious.
2. For super fluffy potatoes, add about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon baking soda after all the other indredients have been mixed in. Whip them one more time with the baking soda. You will be amazed how fluffy they become. It doesn’t take much either!
These look gorgeous! I can’t wait for Thanksgiving!!!
mmmm, mashed potatoes are my favorite, but I like to add cheese and sour cream too. I’ll have to try this, thanks!
I too absolutely love mashed potatoes, but even more since I bought a potato ricer. Boil the potatoes in chunks, drain, then smash them thru the ricer into a bowl. I never tried to heat up my fatfree half & half with the butter but I will on Thursday (and i will try a little Greek yogurt for a change)!!! You also use less liquid with this method and they don’t come out all sticky like they do with a hand mixer. They are the lightest, fluffiest mashed potatoes you have ever had.
I have heard this, I am going to have to try it!
Thank you for that tip about warming the milk and butter…I’m going try that! These look so delicious and the color of the Yukon Gold potatoes look so pretty.
Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, and rolls, you say? Are you coming to my house for Turkey Day, ‘cuz that is exactly my menu…with a chicken (since there’s just 3 of us) and your cranberry sauce recipe. :) This is pretty similar to how I do mashed potatoes, except I don’t mix the butter and milk/half and half together first before adding to the potatoes (I just dump the butter in, mash it around till melted, then pour milk in till I get the consistency I want.) I wonder what kind of difference it makes? I would try it on Thursday, but I think I’ll have enough going on without getting out another saucepan. But next time I make mashed potatoes I’ll give it a try. :)
I absolutely agree with your menu choices – the potatoes, sweet and otherwise – are the best part of the meal. I am going to give your warm milk and butter a try with my Yukon Gold potatoes. I guess I will have to peel them this year….sigh. Someone needs to make a machine for that.
This is almost the way I make mine but I use can milk it gives it a richer taste I’ll have to try your’s and see how they taste. O love mash potaties You sound like me. I could make a meal on mash and corn on the cob
Simple and classic! I love it! I like the Yukon Gold Potatoes too!
I love mashed potatoes, I just hate the work, so only on the holidays.
I love mashed potatoes, the fluffier the better. Always use milk (or half and half) and butter and then a sprinkling of chives. (J.A.M.’s addition of nutmeg sounds great too)
Mmm mashed potatoes are my favorite! Love them with tons of gravy.
The best tip I ever got about mashed potatoes was not to use milk but to retain about a cup of the liquid the potatoes have cooked in and add this with butter. Silky smooth potatoes every time. The starch [and the flavour] which comes out when boiled goes back into the mash. Life changing ;-)
Oooh what a great tip, I am definitely going to try this!
These DO look perfect!
I always do it that way ( so I have learned from my grandmother ).
But with some freshly grated nutmeg through it .
And to get it very airy ( fluffy we call it, hahaha ) ,you can also beating an egg through it. (Only if you use the mixer).
And …. yes, my favorite food is mashed potatoes ;-D
XXX, J.A.M.
I’m the same way! I love my carbs.. Do you usually make plain mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving? What are your favorite add-ons?
Hi Jennifer, I do love just regular, mashed potatoes! My favorite variety though is roasted garlic.
I hadn’t thought to mix the butter and milk together first. I think I’m going to try this when I make my potatoes on Thursday. Thanks for the tip!