Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Dining with your loved ones is always better with a side of creamy, smooth, and delicious Mashed Potatoes!

Of all the side dishes, Mashed Potatoes have always been some of the best ones to make at home. It’s all about transforming fresh potatoes into a soft, tasty, and decadent dish.

When you make it right, it will truly feel like it melts in your mouth. With the right spices, this side dish tastes so much better. You can serve Mashed Potatoes with your favorite main dishes, especially those with meat and vegetables.

Potatoes are now made tastier than ever. What better way to have the best time with your family than with good food, right? The next time you dine with your loved ones, be sure to cook Mashed Potatoes for the perfect meal!

How to Make Mashed Potatoes

Today, you will find out why Mashed Potatoes are some of the easiest side dishes you can make at home. It takes less than 30 minutes to make but the memory of the flavor lasts forever!

Let’s talk about what it takes to make Mashed Potatoes.

Ingredients

Going on a grocery trip? Remember to list these down for Mashed Potatoes!

Potatoes

For potato-loving foodies, the Mashed Potatoes recipe is definitely for you.

In this recipe, you will transform potatoes into a new dish. They are mildly sweet, starchy, and creamy vegetables with low sugar content. Instead of turning them into fries, just cook Mashed Potatoes with them.

You can steam, bake, or fry for better flavor and texture. It’ll also have a tender texture once boiled and mashed until thick and smooth. Kids and adults will surely love them in their meals.

According to Bon Appetit, Yukon Gold potatoes are one of the best kinds of potatoes for this recipe. I also suggest Maris Pipper and Russet potatoes because of their buttery quality.

For more potato recipes, I suggest making Meat Pie, High-Protein Beans, and Chicken Pie. There’s always a new way to enjoy potatoes. What are your favorite potato recipes at home?

Garlic

Any version of Mashed Potatoes is better with garlic.

You will only enjoy the best version of Mashed Potatoes when it has the added flavor of garlic. It’s one of the best spices to use for this dish because of how pungent, spicy, and nutty it tastes.

Once cooked into the dish, the garlic will have a buttery quality that goes with the potatoes. Even its fragrance will leave you wanting more every time. It will surely give you the savory balance that you’ve been looking for.

Milk

How else can you make potatoes smooth and creamy? Use milk!

You will need two kinds of milk for this recipe: fresh milk and evaporated milk. Their combination will make the potatoes taste and feel better as you eat. The moisture from these milks will also fuse the ingredients for a well-combined flavor.

Moreover, the milk will give the dish its signature creamy quality. It also makes the potatoes easier to mash. Just be sure that the milk is warm to keep the potatoes fresh and hot.

Salted butter

Any dish is better with better, Mashed Potatoes are not an exception.

Mashed Potatoes taste so much better with salted butter. It adds richness to the flavor and consistency of the dish. Even the aroma of the butter makes the potatoes more appetizing.

As alternatives, ordinary butter, and buttermilk are good options to try. Don’t forget to add salted butter because it will take the potatoes to the next level. Once you taste it in the mix, you’ll know why it’s such a key ingredient.

Seasoning

A little bit of seasoning can make a big difference in your Mashed Potatoes.

In this recipe, it can be just as simple as using salt and pepper. These can balance the flavors of the potatoes, milk, and butter for the best flavor yet. The salt also acts as a preservative to make the dish last longer.

Whether it’s a holiday or a regular day, you can make amazing Mashed Potatoes. Make Thanksgiving and holidays better by preparing this dish for them!

Directions

Grab your masher, and let’s smash this Mashed Potatoes recipe together! 

Prepare the potatoes

1. Use a knife to peel and cut the potatoes into wedges.
2. Rinse and drain.
3. Bring water to a boil in a large pot.
4. Then, add the potato wedges and garlic cloves.
5. Cook the potatoes until soft and tender.
6. Drain the water with a colander. 

Mash them!

1. Put the cooked potatoes in a pot on medium-low heat.
2. Season with sea salt.
3. Pour in the fresh milk and evaporated milk – the secret ingredient.
4. Then, add the salted butter.
5. Use a masher to mash everything together until fluffy, smooth, and creamy.
6. Garnish with black pepper and serve!

Just look at the soft texture – it’s so moist and rich that it almost feels like heaven to eat. Even the taste is the perfect mix of sweet and salty flavors.

Trust me, Mashed Potatoes are a must-try!

Tips

Potatoes

Buying potatoes

• Look for ones with smooth and clean skin.
• They should also feel firm to the touch without cuts, cracks, or bruises.
• Avoid potatoes with wrinkled areas and green spots. 

Storing potatoes

• Do not wash the potatoes when you store them.
• AllRecipes suggests storing them in a cool area at room temperature for up to two months.
• Placing them on the counter can make them last up to two weeks. 
• Love Food Hate Waste suggests storing cooked potatoes in the fridge for two days or in the freezer for three months. 

Mashed Potatoes Variations

Are there other versions of the Mashed Potatoes that you can do? Of course!

The best potatoes to use for mashed potatoes include Yukon Gold, Maris Pipper, Russet, and King Edward. They’re also naturally tasty, creamy, and soft for a real mashed potato recipe. 

To make this dish vegan, replace fresh and evaporated milk with soy, coconut, almond, oat, or other non-dairy milk. There are also plenty of vegan butter options you can buy in grocery stores. 

You can also add cream cheese, chives, green onions, sour cream, thyme, mixed herbs, nutmeg, and other spices for better flavor. For baby-friendly mashed potatoes, just mix the potatoes with milk for similar quality. 

Mashed Potatoes Without a Masher

Aside from using a masher, you can also mash with a food mill, a food processor, a stand mixer, a whisk, a potato ricer, or even a fork. 

Alternatively, you can place the cooked and cooled potatoes in a resealable bag. Then, mash them with a rolling pin or other tools. 

Remember to cook the potatoes for 15 to 25 minutes and check them for doneness. 

More Potato Recipes

• Sweet Potato Porridge – turn your potatoes into a thick and filling porridge.
• Sweet Potato Puree – introduce your baby to how good sweet potatoes are.

Recommended Tools

• Pot: Boil the potatoes in a pot of boiling water.
• Masher: Mash the ingredients with a masher.
• Spatula: Mix everything using a spatula.
• Colander: Drain the potatoes with a colander.
• Knife: Cut the potatoes with a knife.
• Fork: Check the potatoes for doneness by poking them with a fork. 

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How to Serve Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes are so versatile that you can serve them with so many dishes.

In popular culture, Mashed Potatoes are enjoyed as side dishes because of how filling they can be. It’s a great recipe to go for, especially if you love something creamy and smooth on the side.

There are also times that I drizzle the potatoes with gravy for a kick of savory flavor. I especially love making it when my family craves pies or roasted dishes. We have it during our favorite holidays, especially Thanksgiving.

For instance, you can pair them with:

• Roast Chicken – you will love Mashed Potatoes best with Roast Chicken as your main dish.
• Air Fryer Fried Chicken – it’s another chicken recipe that goes well with potatoes.
• Turkey Pie – pies especially taste better with potatoes as a side dish.
• Meat Pie – meat and potatoes have never tasted better.

The best thing about it is that you can prepare it two days ahead to have more time to cook your main dishes. You can also enjoy it with Iced Tea, Strawberry Banana Milkshake, or Carrot Juice. 

Limit your mashed potato intake to one cup every other day. According to Eat This, eating too many mashed potatoes can lead to increased carbohydrates and blood sugar, so eat them in moderation. 

Storage Tips

• At room temperature: Home Cook Basics suggests eating room-temperature mashed potatoes within two hours. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are mashed potatoes healthy to eat?

According to Weekand, Mashed Potatoes are good sources of potassium and vitamins that can help with digestion, blood pressure, and metabolism. The starch from potatoes also keeps your gut healthy.

What is mashed potatoes made of?

Classic Mashed Potatoes are made of potatoes, butter, milk or cream, and salt and pepper. As long as you boil and mash the potatoes well, you can already mix in your preferred ingredients to get the best flavor and texture.

What makes a better mashed potato?

One of the best tips I can give for better Mashed Potatoes is to use fresh milk and evaporated milk. Aside from making the contents easier to mash, they also add flavor and texture to the dish!

Don’t skip the herbs and spices because they will give life to the potatoes. It also balanced the flavor of the milk and butter for the best-tasting recipe.

What is healthier than mashed potatoes?

In case you want to go for healthier options, you can cook alternative ingredients like cauliflower, squash, carrot, parsnip, turnip, beans, and so much more.