These are the best creamy Homemade Mashed Potatoes, perfect for Sunday dinners, holidays, or no occasion at all! I’m sharing my recipe and tips for how to make the best mashed potatoes every time!
Table of Contents
- Why this is the Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe
- Ingredients for the Best Mashed Potatoes
- How to make Mashed Potatoes
- Best Mashed Potato Recipe Tips
- What to serve with the Best Mashed Potato Recipe
- Storing instructions for the Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe
- Mashed Potato Recipe FAQs
- What to do with leftover mashed potatoes
- More Potato Recipes You’ll Love
- Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe
- More States I Have Visited in my American Eats Series
My mom was born and raised in Idaho, so we ate mashed potatoes more than probably any other side dish when I was growing up. It’s one of the first things I learned how to make as the oldest daughter, while my mom worked on other parts of the meal. I knew I wanted to share my mashed potatoes recipe to represent foods Idaho is known for as part of my American Eats series, where I’m working my way through the most popular foods and flavors of the USA, one state at a time!
These potatoes are so creamy and easy and delicious. They are the perfect side for serving with your favorite Swedish meatball recipe, Mississippi pot roast, chicken madeira, meatloaf hamburger patties, and so much more!
You can even make these mashed potatoes ahead of time for holiday meals so it’s one less thing to worry! You can’t have Thanksgiving dinner without creamy mashed potatoes! They are always on my plate, right there with the smoked turkey and fresh green bean casserole!
Why this is the Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Homemade mashed potatoes are so much better than potato flakes from the store that there is hardly any comparison. And my mashed potatoes recipe stands apart from most others because of the addition of cream cheese, which makes them slightly tangy and extra creamy and delicious.
Ingredients for the Best Mashed Potatoes
- Potato – You can use russet potatoes, yukon gold potatoes, or a combination of the two for your mashed potatoes.
- Salt – Just regular table salt. I prefer the regular kind, not the iodized version.
- Garlic – This is optional if you like garlic mashed potatoes, but you can omit it for more of a classic mashed potatoes flavor.
- Milk – Heating up your milk before adding it to the potatoes actually helps it absorb better so the mashed potatoes aren’t runny and you don’t have to mix them as long, which can make them gluey.
- Salted Butter – You will need 1 stick of butter for this recipe.
- Cream Cheese – This is another optional ingredient but it’s such a flavor enhancer and makes these mashed potatoes extra special.
Best potatoes for mashing:
When it comes to making the creamiest, best mashed potatoes, classic Russets (the big brown potatoes) or Yukon golds (smaller with yellow-ish skin and buttery flesh) are best. Both Russets and Yukon golds are starchier than red or white potatoes, which are waxier and don’t mash as well.
Some people have a strong preference for one over the other, but I think both are delicious and give excellent results. To me, Russets are more traditional and what I grew up on. But I love to use Yukon golds and leave the skin on for mashed potatoes. The potatoes won’t be as quite as classic or creamy, but Yukon gold skin is very thin and I like the texture and flavor it adds.
You can even do a combination of both Russets and Yukon golds, if you want. For the mashed potatoes in these photos, I just used Russet potatoes.
How to make Mashed Potatoes
- Wash potatoes, peel, and cut in half or quarters for even cooking without letting the potatoes get waterlogged.
- Fill the pot with enough cold water to cover the potatoes by at least an inch and be sure to salt the water! This seriously makes a big difference! I always add a generous tablespoon of salt to the water.
- Boil just until you can easily insert a knife or fork into the middle of the potatoes.
- Drain really well. Give the boiled potatoes a chance to dry out a bit before mashing.
- Heat your milk/cream before adding it a little at a time to the potatoes. Hot potatoes don’t absorb cold liquid nearly as well as warm liquid. Also, don’t just dump the warm liquid in all at once. Start by adding about ¼ of the liquid and go from there until you get the desired consistency that you are going for.
- Make sure your butter is room temperature before adding it to the potatoes. You don’t want it melted, but nice and soft so it mixes in well.
- For extra indulgent mashed potatoes, I will sometimes add an 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese and 1 cup of sour cream to these potatoes. It makes them so rich and amazing! But if I’m making these to be topped with gravy, I usually leave it out.
- Be sure to taste and add additional salt, if needed.
Best Mashed Potato Recipe Tips
How many potatoes per person for mashed potatoes?
Since potatoes vary wildly in size, a good rule of thumb is to go with about ½ pound of potatoes per person.
How long to boil Homemade Mashed Potatoes
The amount of time you need to boil your potatoes before they are ready to be mashed is going to depend on how large the potatoes are while they are boiling. But plan on at least 10-15 minutes for smaller chunks, and 15-20 minutes if the potatoes are larger.
If you cut the potatoes into smaller chunks, they definitely cook faster. However, they also absorb a lot more water this way, making for watery, less flavorful mashed potatoes. So I prefer to either boil the potatoes whole, if they aren’t too large to fit in my pan, or just cut them in half or quarters. It does take longer to boil them this way, but it’s worth it.
Always start the potatoes in cold, salted water so they cook evenly and boil until they are tender enough so that a sharp knife or fork slide easily in and out of the potatoes.
Why are my Homemade Mashed Potatoes gluey?
Ugh, gluey mashed potatoes are the worst. The reason some mashed potatoes turn out gluey is because they have been overworked. It’s a mistake that happens when you beat the mashed potatoes for try long, trying to get out every last lump in pursuit of the creamiest potatoes. Only it turns the starch in the potatoes into paste. Not good.
Here are my three top tips for avoiding gluey mashed potatoes:
- Make sure to cook the potatoes all the way through. A knife or fork should EASILY go through them. Sometimes when you struggle to get lumps out of the potatoes, it’s because they weren’t completely done to begin with.
- Mash the potatoes with your beaters, a potato masher, or a potato ricer first. Don’t turn your beaters on, just use them to mash down on the chunks of potato and break them up a bit before you ever start mixing.
- Don’t overmix! I know it’s tempting to fall into the trap of thinking that if you mix the potatoes longer using your electric mixer that they will be smoother and fluffier, but this is where most people run into trouble. You really don’t even need a mixer for mashed potatoes and get really wonderful, creamy consistency with a potato masher and a little elbow work.
What to serve with the Best Mashed Potato Recipe
There are so many things that go well with mashed potatoes! Here are just a few of our favorites:
- Southern Fried Chicken
- Meatloaf Hamburger Patties
- Filet Mignon or Ribeye Steak
- Roast Chicken
- Turkey Gravy
- Grilled Fish
- Corn on the Cob
Storing instructions for the Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe
If you have leftover mashed potatoes, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. When you’re ready to eat them, reheat the mashed potatoes gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of milk or cream to restore their creaminess, if needed.
You can also freeze leftover mashed potatoes for up to 3 months. To reheat frozen mashed potatoes, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat them gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally until heated through. Add a splash of milk or cream as needed to restore creaminess.
Best way to reheat Mashed Potatoes
Transfer the potatoes to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until hot. Meanwhile, get a pot of water simmering on the stove. When the potatoes are hot through, transfer them to a heat proof bowl that can be set over the simmering water. Add the butter and stir with a large spoon until the butter has melted and combined with the mashed potatoes.
- How to reheat mashed potatoes on the stove? Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large pot and add a couple tablespoons of milk. Reheat slowly and gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
- How to reheat mashed potatoes in the oven? Transfer the potatoes to an oven-safe dish and cover with a lid or aluminum foil. Heat in a 350 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes until warmed through.
- How to reheat mashed potatoes in a slow cooker? Transfer the potatoes to a slow cooker and reheat on low heat for 3-4 hours until hot all the way through.
Mashed Potato Recipe FAQs
You can easily make the mashed potatoes 2-3 days in advance of a big meal or celebration, like Thanksgiving or Christmas. Or even just get them out of the way earlier in the day and let them stay warm in a slow cooker on low heat for 4 hours while working on the other elements of the meal.
Mashed potatoes freeze well, if you want to make them even farther in advance than just 2-3 days. In this case, I would recommend making them all the way through with the butter and everything since that will help them freeze better. Frozen mashed potatoes may be a bit more on the watery side, but this can be fixed by stirring in a few spoonfuls of sour cream after reheating.
Let the potatoes cool completely, then transfer to a large freezer-safe ziploc bag for storage and press into a flat layer so that the frozen potatoes can defrost easily later on. They will freeze well for up to 2 months.
Thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight before reheating in the oven in a covered dish at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes until hot through or in a slow cooker for 2-4 hours on LOW.
What to do with leftover mashed potatoes
If you have leftover potatoes, you can always freeze them for later. Or you can make shepherd’s pie, potato bread, or potato rolls!
More Potato Recipes You’ll Love
- Creamy Potluck Potatoes
- Scalloped Potatoes [Au Gratin Potatoes]
- Irish Colcannon (Mashed Potatoes & Cabbage)
- Salt Crusted Baked Potatoes with Roasted Garlic & Rosemary Butter
- Homemade French Fries
- Oven Roasted Barbecue Potato Wedges
Appetizers
Skordalia (Greek Garlic-Potato Spread)
Side Dish
Twice Baked Potatoes
Side Dish
Duchess Potatoes
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Best Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4-5 pounds potatoes (Russets, Yukon Golds, or a combination of both)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt + 1 Tablespoon for salting the water
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
- 1 cup whole milk, heated up in the microwave for 1 minute
- 1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley or chives, for garnish
- Fresh cracked black pepper, for garnish
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and cut in half or in quarters, if potatoes are very large. Add to a large pot and cover completely until there is an inch of water above the tops of the potatoes. Add a generous tablespoon of salt to the water. Add garlic to the water, if using.
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a medium to let the potatoes simmer until cooked through (usually about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes). Cook just until the potatoes are tender enough to be pierced with a fork or sharp knife. Drain well.
- Heat milk in the microwave for 60 seconds while the potatoes are draining and set aside.
- In the same pot you cooked the potatoes in, mash the potatoes by hand using a potato masher, potato ricer, or an electric mixer just enough to break them up.
- Add the warm milk slowly while mixing or mashing. Do not overmix! Mix in remaining 1 ½ teaspoons salt.
- Add the softened butter, a few tablespoons at a time, mixing on low speed or mashing with the potato masher after each addition. Add cream cheese, if using. Taste and adjust salt, if needed.
- Transfer the finished mashed potatoes to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh chopped parsley, cracked pepper, or chives. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
More States I Have Visited in my American Eats Series
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • New Jersey • New York • Oregon • Puerto Rico • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Utah • Wisconsin
Oh my word! These look amazing!!
When I first clicked on Idaho I wondered out loud, “What food would Idaho even be known for?” To wish I was obviously oblivious to the fact the state is known for their potatoes! So, one night my wife wanted to know what I wanted on the side of my pork and I said Idaho mashed potatoes! Because I saw this recipe a week or so back when looking through the American Eats section. Best potato mash was not an understatement. Maybe because of all the cream cheese, butter, and garlic, but I loved this dish. My wife did most of the work and really put her love into. Thanks for bringing an Idaho potato recipe into our northeast home.
….Stan
I’m so glad you and your wife enjoyed this dish, Stan!
I have made these twice already and after searching for this exact recipe again I figured I should make a review. it really is the best mashed potato recipe!
I’m going to try today (Thanksgiving). It looks fantastic. Just wondering when you would add the optional garlic and if it’s raw or cooked.
You can either add the garlic raw to the water with the potatoes and let them cook together for a more mild garlic flavor, or more of an intense garlic flavor add the raw minced garlic to the milk or cream before heating it in the microwave. Then add both to the mashed potatoes. I hope that helps!