The Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe
This mashed potatoes recipe is easy to make and sublimely creamy, butter, rich, and flavorful.
Servings 8 servings
Calories 146kcal
Equipment
- Deep Stainless Sauce Pan with Lid
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt , divided
- 4 tablespoons butter , cut into chunks
- ⅓ cup half-and-half , or cream, or milk
- ½ teaspoon black pepper , freshly ground
- chives , minced
Instructions
- Scrub the potatoes clean and add to a deep pot. Completely cover the potatoes with water, about ½ inch above the potatoes. Bring the potatoes to a boil and add ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Boil the potatoes for 20 to 30 minutes or until they are very easily pierced with a fork and the skin pulls away from the potato where cut.
- Drain the potatoes, and while still hot, use a paper towel to wipe the skin away from the potatoes, then add back to the warm pot.
- Gently smash the hot potatoes with the tines of a hand mixer and add the butter to the potatoes. Cover with a lid for the butter to melt, about 3-4 minutes.*
- Add the half-and-half or other liquid dairy to the pot and set it in the kitchen sink so the potatoes don't fly around the kitchen while whipping. Cream the potatoes with the hand mixer until smooth, rotating the pot counterclockwise as you mix. Don't over-mix the potatoes. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and black pepper to taste, and add more dairy to get the consistency you like best.
- Add more butter if you'd like, and garnish with minced chives, or green onions, or serve plain.
Notes
*Adding the butterfat to the potatoes before adding the cream, half-and-half, or milk, coats the potato starches and acts as a barrier to ensure your mashed potatoes won’t turn out gummy, sticky, or overmixed.
Want your mashed potatoes to be even creamier? Mix in ⅓ cup of sour cream, plain Greek yogurt, or cream cheese. Adding this extra fat keeps the potatoes from drying out when reheating as well.
For tips on how to make the mashed potatoes in advance and reheat them later, keep scrolling past this recipe card to the bottom of the post.
Nutrition
Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 359mg | Potassium: 599mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 211IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 5mg