No holiday meal would be complete without a big bowl of creamy dreamy, mashed potatoes. These are the BEST mashed potatoes, incredibly buttery and creamy, easy to make, and the perfect addition to every meal.
Mashed potatoes (and stuffing) are the best part of any Thanksgiving or holiday meal and the perfect side with almost anything! They go especially well with sauces, gravy or things like Salisbury steak, beef tips, or Swiss steak. They are so buttery and creamy, nobody can resist! This mashed potatoes recipe is simple so it’s perfect alongside almost anything. They are great on their own and of course, served with turkey and gravy, holiday meals, or just as good old comfort food.
The best potatoes to use for mashed potatoes are Russet potatoes or Idaho potatoes because of their high starch content. Yukon gold potatoes are another good option, the texture of Yukon gold is a bit more buttery and not quite as starchy. If using Yukon gold potatoes, you can leave some of the skin on for a bit of texture. Russet or Idaho potatoes have tough skin that should be peeled first.
Ingredients in Mashed Potatoes:
Butter – This is one place where there really are no substitutes. Use real butter for these creamy spuds, and plenty of it. Salted butter is the best but if you don’t have it, unsalted butter works too, and the potatoes can be salted to taste.
Cream/Milk – this recipe uses warmed whole milk, but cream also works if you have it on hand. Remember to heat the dairy for the best potatoes.
Seasonings – Again, keeping this recipe simple, you can simply add salt & pepper. If you’d like a little bit of garlic, chop a few cloves, and let them boil with the potatoes. Chives are great in this recipe too (add with the butter).
While a homemade mashed potatoes recipe is easy to make, here are a few tips to make sure they’re absolutely perfect.
Drain Well: Let them sit for about 5 minutes or so to completely drain or even drain well and put them back in the warm pot for a few minutes to make sure all liquid is evaporated.
Mash by Hand: Use a hand masher or a potato ricer for the creamiest potatoes. An electric mixer, stand mixer or food processor can work but it can also break down the starches in the potatoes and cause a gummy texture if they are overmixed.
Add BUTTER! There are places you can skimp on the butter, and this is not one of them. Butter adds a creamy and… well, buttery texture.
Heat the Cream: Heat your milk/cream in a small saucepan or the microwave before adding. This keeps the potatoes hot and absorbs better. Add cream/milk a little a time to get the right consistency.
Here is how you make the perfect mashed potatoes:
Peel the Potatoes: Peel the potatoes (per the recipe below).
Cut into quarters and place into cold salted water in a large pot (cold water helps to ensure they cook evenly).
Boil the Potatoes: Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender. The length of time you need to boil the potatoes depends on how big they are cut. I cut my potatoes into quarters and boil them for about 15 minutes. To check if your potatoes are ready, use a fork to poke the potato and see if it is tender!
Mash the Potatoes: Once well-drained, mash with the potatoes with a hand masher and with melted butter, warmed milk, and salt & pepper per the recipe below.
