Is there anything better on earth than a big bowl of buttery mashed potatoes? I mean real, homemade mashed potatoes. Wait, don’t answer that. Let’s just appreciate how amazing mashed potatoes are in their own right. And if you want to know how to make the creamiest, fluffliest, cloud-like mashed potatoes that you’ve ever had, stick with me. This mashed potato recipe is going to knock your socks off.
Ingredients for Mashed Potatoes
It doesn’t take a lot of ingredients to make an amazing batch of mashed potatoes. It’s more about the technique. So here are the simple ingredients you’ll need to make mashed potatoes:
- Potatoes: (of course) I like russet potatoes the best for mashed potatoes because the get nice and fluffy when boiled, creating a beautifully fluffy mashed potato. But if you’d like something a little richer and heavier, you can go for a Yukon gold or red potato.
- Salt: It’s imperative to salt the water that the potatoes are boiled in to make sure your mashed potatoes have great flavor.
- Butter: Butter and potatoes were made for each other. The richness of butter helps balance the starchiness of the potatoes. Try using Brown Butter for even more depth of flavor.
- Milk: Milk adds moisture, flavor, and a little bit more fat to balance the potatoes. The added moisture makes them easier to whip up into a cloud-like texture. Try using buttermilk or a mix of milk and chicken broth for even more flavor.
- Pepper: A little bit of pepper goes a long way toward adding a little dimension to the flavor of the potatoes.
What Else Can I Add?
The recipe below is for a really classic mashed potato, flavored simply with milk, butter, salt, and pepper. But there are SO many different ingredients that you can add to mashed potatoes to give them more flavor. Here are some ideas for other ingredients to add flavor to mashed potatoes:
- Sour cream
- Cream cheese
- Cheddar cheese
- Roasted garlic
- Bacon
- Ranch seasoning
- Garlic herb seasoning
- Green onion
- Chives
- Blue cheese
- Parmesan
- Caramelized onions
- Smoked paprika
Why Do Mashed Potatoes Get Gluey?
Two things lead to heavy, sticky, gluey mashed potatoes: too much starch and over-whipping or over-stirring. To keep these mashed potatoes light, fluffy, and cloud-like, we rinse the excess starch not once but TWICE during the process, then briefly whip the potatoes after mashing to get them extra smooth and aerated. The result is heavenly.
Do I need to Peel the Potatoes?
To peel or not to peel potatoes is totally up to your personal preference. If you’re going for a super smooth and silky mashed potato, you’ll probably want to peel them first. If you want a mashed potato that is a little more rustic, feel free to leave the peels on! The peels do add a nice bit of flavor and texture, which can be fun.
What to Serve with Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are the quintessential American side dish and they go with just about anything. I love making them a part of a classic “meat and potatoes” meal, by pairing them with Homemade Meatloaf or Salisbury Steak. And then I always add something green on the side like Steamed Green Beans or Roasted Broccoli.
Mashed potatoes also make a great base for bowl meals. Check out our Loaded Mashed Potato Bowls!
Mashed Potatoes
Servings 5 1 cup eachIngredients
- 2.5 lbs. russet potatoes ($2.00)
- 1/2 tsp salt (to salt the boiling water) ($0.02)
- 4 Tbsp butter ($0.60)
- 1/2 cup whole milk ($0.17)
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste) ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp pepper ($0.02)
Instructions
- Peel and dice the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Place the diced potatoes in a colander and rinse well with cool water to remove the excess starch.
- Place the rinsed potatoes in a pot and add fresh water until the potatoes are covered by one inch. Add ½ tsp salt to the water in the pot.
- Place a lid on the pot and bring the water up to a boil. Boil the potatoes for 6-7 minutes, or until they are very tender (a fork can pierce the potato effortlessly).
- Drain the potatoes in a colander and rinse again briefly with warm water.
- While the potatoes are draining, add the butter and milk to the pot used to boil the potatoes. Heat them over medium until the butter has melted.
- Add the drained potatoes back to the pot and mash with a potato masher.
- Season the potatoes with salt and pepper (I used ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper, but if you use unsalted butter you'll probably want more salt).
- For extra smooth and fluffy mashed potatoes, use a hand mixer to whip the potatoes until there are no lumps and they are light and cloud-like. Serve and enjoy!
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Equipment
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How to Make Mashed Potatoes – Step by Step Photos
Peel and dice 2.5 lbs. of russet potatoes (roughly half of a 5 lb. bag) into 1-inch cubes. Place them in a colander and rinse with cool water to remove the excess starch.
Add the potatoes to a pot and add fresh water until the potatoes are covered by one inch. Add ½ tsp salt to the water.
Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to high, and bring the pot up to a boil. Continue to boil the potatoes for 6-7 minutes, or until they are very tender. If there is any firmness left in the potatoes, your mashed potatoes will not be smooth. You can test the doneness by piercing the potatoes with a fork.
Drain the potatoes in a colander and rinse briefly with warm water.
While the potatoes are in the colander, add 4 Tbsp butter and ½ cup whole milk to the pot that was used to boil the potatoes. Heat the butter and milk until the butter is melted.
Add the rinsed potatoes back to the pot and mash with a potato masher. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. I used ½ tsp salt and about ¼ tsp pepper, but if you’re using unsalted butter you may want more salt.
To make the potatoes extra light and fluffy, beat them with a hand mixer until no lumps remain.
Serve the potatoes with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
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YUM! Used these potatoes with the Bratwurst and Sauerkraut recipe. Easy, simple, and tasty. Can’t go wrong.
This method has never failed me! My family now insists that I bring the mashed potatoes to Thanksgiving and Christmas because they are soooo good. I use my Instant Pot to cook the potatoes, which saves me time and stove space.
To make mine fluffy, I rice them using a ricer. Love mashed taters! Butter and milk, have to add some fat to the carbs. Everything in moderation but it’s an important part of the meal.