This Mashed Potatoes Recipe is the best mashed potato recipe you’re ever going to make. Not just for holidays, this mashed potato recipe goes with everything!
As the holiday season is approaching, I wanted to share this super easy and delicious creamy mashed potatoes recipe with you. While in my opinion, mashed potatoes recipe goes with everything, it’s the best side dish for the holiday as pretty much everyone loves potatoes! You can’t go wrong with it and it’s a crowd pleaser just like my Potatoes au Gratin.
Need something to serve with these mashed potatoes recipe? Try my Baked Meatballs Casserole, Garlic Butter Pork Tenderloin Recipe, Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs, Easy Broiled Salmon Recipe, and my Roasted Lemon Chicken Leg Recipe.
This best mashed potatoes recipe is not only a great option to go along with your juicy turkey or cranberry sauce, but it is also a great recipe to have on hand every time you need a quick and easy side dish. It is so quick to whip up as it’s a recipe you can make in less than 30 minutes.
I find that this homemade mashed potatoes recipe is a very family friendly recipe as well. Most little ones I know love mashed potatoes and they are always reaching for seconds. If you have a little one who loves this creamy mashed potatoes recipes, let me know in the comments!
Ingredients to Make Mashed Potatoes Recipe
- Russet or Yukon gold potatoes – peeled and cut potatoes into quarters lengthwise.
- Salt
- Softened butter – softened, not melted.
- Heavy cream – you can also use sour cream or even cream cheese if you prefer.
- Salt and ground black pepper – to taste
- Fresh parsley
Instructions to make Mashed Potatoes recipe
Prep and Cook the Potatoes
- Peel potatoes and remove the little knots from the potatoes with the tip of a potato peeler.
- In a large pot (6qt.), place potatoes and cover with water. Add salt and bring to a boil. Cook potato until fork tender (about 15-20 minutes).
- Drain the potatoes and return them to pot.
Make the Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Add butter, salt, pepper and heavy creamy.
- Use a potato masher, a potato ricer or an electric mixer to mash the potatoes until smooth.
- Stir with a wooden spoon until completely combined and creamy.
- Transfer this creamy mashed potatoes to a serving bowl and top with more butter for more flavor. Season with fresh parsley.
Tips to the Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe
- Always start your potatoes in cold water and bring it up to a boil and don’t add the raw potatoes to boiling water. This helps the potatoes cook evenly and not fall apart/overcook.
- Be sure to fully drain your potatoes before you mash them. You don’t want it to be watery.
- It’s important to salt your water when cooking the potatoes as it helps flavour the potatoes early on and makes the potatoes more flavourful. This also means you can add less salt later since there’s already flavour.
How To Store Leftovers
- To Store: Add your buttery mashed potatoes in an airtight container and place it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: While potatoes don’t tend to freeze well, you can freeze mashed potatoes as the fat that’s added to it helps it freeze better. You can freeze mashed potatoes in 1 cup portions on a lined sheet pan before transferring them into a freezer bag if you want single portion mashed potatoes for later!
- To Reheat: In the microwave: when reheating mashed potatoes in the microwave, try to do so on half heat so it decreases the likelihood of it drying out. On the stove top: reheat this creamy mashed potatoes on low heat on the stove top with an extra splash of milk or cream to loosen it up.
Recipe Variations
- Garlic and herbs: If you love garlic as much as me, you’ll want to try this best mashed potatoes recipe with minced cloves garlic and fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, or chives. Just trust me!
- Low carb: For a low carb version of this recipe, give mashed cauliflower a try! I have an easy mashed cauliflower recipe that has the same creamy texture as these mashed potatoes!
- Vegan: To make this mashed potato recipe vegan, simply substitute the butter for vegan butter and use your preferred dairy-free cream instead of heavy cream.
- Instant Pot: How to make this recipe in a IP? Make my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
More Mashed Vegetables Recipes to Try:
Recommended Tools
- Large Pot: To boil the potatoes, you’ll need a large soup or stock pot.
- Potato Masher: Use a potato masher to get the perfect thick and creamy consistency. For this mashed potato recipe, you can also use a potato ricer or a hand mixer.
- Large Bowl: I can never make just a little bit of mashed potatoes, so a nice big bowl comes in handy for serving.
What To Serve With Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Here are tasty recipes that would pair well with creamy mashed potatoes:
- Easy mains: I love recipes that come together in the oven, because you can multi-task and make the potatoes while the rest of the meal is cooking. For an easy, nutritious meal that your family will love, serve this classic side dish with my Easy Oven Baked Ribs, Easy Oven Pork Chop Recipe, or my Healthy Meatloaf Recipe. Also, it’s perfect to serve it for Thanksgiving dinner with Easy Roasted Turkey Leg and or Turkey Breast Recipe.
- Garlic butter: There’s just something about garlic butter that pairs SO well with these creamy mashed potatoes. I highly recommend trying this dish with my Garlic Butter Pork Tenderloin Recipe.
- More sides!: To round out your meal, add another tasty veggie side dish like my air fryer Brussels sprouts, roasted green beans, roasted vegetables or fresh arugula salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Choose higher starch potatoes such as Russet Potatoes or Yukon Golds for the most fluffy and smooth mashed potatoes. Waxy potatoes are more firm so when mashed, it might come out looking more like a paste.
I suggest using unsalted butter for this mashed potatoes recipe since we are seasoning with salt and pepper. If you only have salted butter, I suggest tasting as you go to not make this creamy mashed potatoes recipe overly salty.
Half and half is a good alternative if you don’t have any heavy cream on hand.
Whole milk also can work in a pinch as well but keep in mind that the heavy cream in the recipe helps with giving the mashed potatoes a creamy luxurious texture. If you use something like slim milk, your mashed potatoes won’t come out as creamy.
Here are some ideas of what you can (but not limited to!) top your creamy mashed potatoes with: Bacon, chives, shredded cheese, jalapeños, roasted garlic, green onions, other fresh herbs of choice.
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Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. russet or Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut potatoes into quarters lengthwise.
- Salt for boiling water
- 1 stick softened butter plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
- 1/2 cup heavy creamy
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tsp. fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and remove the little knots from the potatoes with the tip of a potato peeler.
- In a large pot (6qt.), place potatoes and cover with cold water. Add salt and bring to a boil. Cook potato until fork tender (about 15-20 minutes).
- Drain and return potatoes to pot.
- Add butter, salt, pepper and heavy creamy.
- Use a potato masher to mash potatoes until smooth. I LOVE to use this one (It's the best)
- Stir until completely combined and creamy.
- Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl and top with more butter. Season with fresh parsley.
Tips
- Salt the water generously as it adds flavour to the potatoes.
- Make sure the potatoes are well drained before mashing so they stay thick and creamy.
- To store: Place leftover mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: I like to reheat the mash in the microwave or stovetop with a splash of liquid to help loosen it up.
- To freeze: Freeze mashed potatoes in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Video
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Chrissa - Physical Kitchness says
Love love love the array of herbs you used in these mashed potatoes! Mine were so boring, now I have an excuse to mix it up a bit!
Denise @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
I’ve never tried putting olive oil in my mashed potatoes before, but these look so creamy I’m going to have to try it! I also love that you put tarragon in them…I love tarragon and it seems so underused!
eat good 4 life says
I love everything about this. I love mashed potatoes but I have not made them in for ever. I like the fact that you used basil, I am sure the flavor was superb!
Susan Wirth says
I’m confused. The comments don’t seem to match the ingredients in your recipe. Where is the tarragon, basil, and olive oil?
Olivia says
This recipe was retested and updated. That’s why we didn’t add these ingredients.
jessica says
I dont have heavy cream or cream at all, is there a subsitute I can do?
Olivia says
You can use milk 2%
Bonnie says
You have contradicting potato boiling instructions. One place says add potatoes to cold water and bring to boil. A second place says add potatoes to boiling water. 1st is correct.
Olivia says
Thanks for pointing it out. You should add potatoes to cold water and bring to boil.
Mika balogh says
This recipe is marked vegan but cream and butter arent
Olivia says
I think it’s marked as vegetarian.