Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients for mashed potatoes

• Potatoes – We recommend Russet potatoes and Yukon potatoes together.
• Butter – Make sure you’re using salted butter. Full-fat butter is the best for mashed potatoes. Melting the butter and mixing it into the mashed potatoes will result in the potatoes fully absorbing the butter and flavor. Do this first before adding in the milk or cream.
• Whole Milk or Cream – We recommend using whole milk or cream. You can also do a combo of both or half and half. The creamier the milk, the creamier the potatoes.
• Seasoning– Mashed potatoes need a lot of seasoning. We use salt and pepper to taste. We also like using seasoned salt too!

Tips for the best mashed potatoes

• Clean your potatoes well. They grow in the ground, and they’re covered in dirt. You don’t want to taste dirt with your mashed potatoes. We suggest using a vegetable scrub brush. Scrub the potatoes so there’s no more dirt.
• Cut the potatoes evenly. Evenly cutting your potatoes will result in evenly cooked potatoes.
• Season your mashed potatoes generously. First, start by salting the water once it reaches a boil. Salt and pepper are great to start, but we like to add granulated garlic or seasoned salt instead of regular salt. Don’t stop there. We also love using roasted garlic, sour cream, cream cheese, caramelized onions, chives, scallions, or even cheese and bacon! As you season the mashed potatoes, taste along the way. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out. Make sure you’re using a new spoon and not double dipping for guests. 🙂
• Start with cold water. This ensures evenly cooked potatoes. If the water is hot, the outside of the potatoes will cook before the inside, resulting in bad mashed potatoes.
• Use room-temperature butter and warm milk or cream. Room-temperature butter will mix into the mashed potatoes much more quickly than cold. We don’t recommend melting the butter as it separates the fat and milk solids. Warm milk is also better absorbed into the potatoes.
• Add the butter first. The fat in the butter will coat the starch in the potatoes, making for a creamy and silky smooth mash.
• Drain the potatoes well. This gets rid of the excess starch. Using the water could result in watery mashed potatoes.
• Remove excess water: Place the potatoes back into the cooking pot and heat them over the stove for about a minute, stirring continuously to prevent scorching. This will remove excess moisture in the potatoes.

What not to do for mashed potatoes

• Don’t cook your potatoes whole. While some recommend it, we do not. The potatoes won’t cook evenly, and you’ll have unevenly cooked mashed potatoes with hard and softer bits throughout your mash.
• Don’t overcook or undercook potatoes. Overcooking will result in gluey potatoes; undercooked will result in evenly cooked mashed potatoes that are lumpy in the wrong way. They’re ready when you insert your fork into the potato with little effort.
• Don’t overwork your potatoes. Over-mashing potatoes can turn them into gluey mashed potatoes.
• Don’t use a food processor to make mashed potatoes. A food processor is a great kitchen gadget, but not for mashed potatoes. They’ll be gluey and more like spackle than mashed potatoes. This also goes for your high-speed blender or immersion blender.
• Please don’t leave them without stirring them. Keeping the potatoes warm? Don’t forget to stir every so often so they don’t scorch the bottom. Stir as needed, even in a slow cooker or instant pot on warm. This will ensure the potatoes stay warm and do not burn on the bottom.

Additions for flavored mashed potatoes

• Sour Cream – Start off with 1/2 cup and then add more if needed for taste.
• Cream Cheese – Add a half brick of cream cheese, about 4 ounces, taste it, and add more if needed.
• Cheese – Some love adding shredded cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese for cheesy mashed potatoes.
• Bacon – Crispy bacon is an excellent addition to mashed potatoes. It also adds a bit of saltiness, so keep that in mind when seasoning.
• Broccoli – While broccoli mashed potatoes may sound odd initially, it’s a great way to add more veggies for the kiddos while making them a fun green color!
• Caramelized Onions – We love adding caramelized onions. If you like this option, try our Mashed Potatoes with Fried Onions and Oil.
• Roasted Garlic – Use freshly roasted garlic for a flavor punch in your mashed spuds.
• Herbs – When melting, we love to garnish with fresh herbs, but you can add some thyme or other fresh herbs to the butter.
• Flavored Butter or Flavored Oils – One favorite is truffle oil mashed potatoes, but there are many flavored butter and flavored oil options.

Storage and reheating tips

• Refrigerate: Place leftover mashed potatoes into an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy within 3 days.
• Freeze: Freeze mashed potatoes in large portions or small portion sizes. Ensure you use an airtight container and enjoy within 10-12 months.

How to keep mashed potatoes warm

There are a few ways to keep mashed potatoes warm, but these two are our favorite methods:

Slow Cooker – Smear butter inside your crockpot and then add mashed potatoes. Place your crockpot on warm and stir about every 30 minutes to prevent scorching.

Instant Pot – You can do the same in your Instant Pot as the slow cooker. Select the warm setting and use a lid. We have an instant pot glass lid for this reason. Stir every 20 minutes or so.

How to reheat mashed potatoes

• Microwave: Put the mashed potatoes in a microwave-safe dish and add milk or cream. Stir and then microwave for 1 minute. Stir and then check the temperature. Microwave for 30-60 seconds more if needed.
• Stovetop: This is our preferred method. Place mashed potatoes in a saucepan and add milk and a tab of butter. Place the heat on medium-low and stir continuously until the potatoes are warmed.
• Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place leftover mashed potatoes into an oven-safe casserole dish in an even layer, mix with a little more milk or cream, and top with a few tabs of butter. Cover with foil and then bake for 30 minutes.