A dish that we love but don’t give enough credit to is, without a doubt, mashed potatoes. So today we’re taking on the very important topic of how to make the best mashed potatoes and also sharing a few of our favorite mashed potato recipes with you. You can thank us later. Let’s get started!
Tips for the Best Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are a simple, no-fuss dish which means it doesn’t take much to really step your game up. Here are our best tips.
Always opt for Yukon Golds. They’re the best for mashing.
Just cut your potatoes in half before boiling them, there’s no need to cut them any smaller. Small bits of potato allow for more water to seep in which ultimately results in less flavor. If you’re going for full-flavor mashed potatoes, boil them with the skin on them and remove the skin after the potatoes have cooked.
If you like to add butter and cream (or milk) to your potatoes, always add the fat, in this case, the butter, first. It’s a texture thing, doing this keeps the potatoes firm before they’re softened by your liquid of choice.
Speaking of your liquid, easy does it as you add it in. It takes potatoes a second to soak up liquid, so it’s really easy to end up with liquidy mashed potatoes if you aren’t being careful.
If you hate lumpy mashed potatoes, invest in a potato ricer. No more lumps, only mashed potatoes with the consistency of an actual cloud.
If you’re wanting to get a little crazy, as your potatoes are boiling, add a few sprigs of rosemary to heavy whipping cream and butter and allow all of that to simmer while your potatoes boil, then once your potatoes are ready for the goods, remove the springs, and add in your herb-infused cream. (Slowly!)
Our Favorite Mashed Potato Recipes
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Everything is better with roasted garlic. (What can we say? We’re garlic girls.) This recipe is simple, make-ahead, and doesn’t require anything out of the typical pantry staples. Get the full recipe here!
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
Parmesan, white cheddar, fresh chives, and sour cream really work together here to create something beautiful. These are technically a side dish, but the main character in our hearts. Get the full recipe here!
Carmelized Onion Mashed Potatoes
Last, but certainly not least, if you love French onion soup, then you’ll be drooling over these caramelized onion mashed potatoes. These make for a great holiday side or a whole dinner because we would never judge someone for curling up with a piping hot bowl of mashed potatoes and Netflix. Get the full recipe here!