These wonderfully velvety, flavorful mashed potatoes can be made ahead of time and stored in your slow cooker for an incredibly easy side worthy of any occasion โ or just your spoon. ย
The Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe
My Garlic Mashed Potatoes obsession started when I was just a young thing and ย I practically lived off of โwhipped potatoesโ as we adoringly called them. ย โWhipped Potatoes with Sauceโ was one of my favorite meals and one of my momโs go-to dinners. ย Sautรฉ some bite-sized chicken, toss it in a creamy sauce with veggies, and serve it over potatoes. ย My fav.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes ingredients
Letโs take a closer look at what you need to make this recipe (measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
What potatoes are best for Mashed Potatoes?
Russet and Yukon potatoes are the best for creamy mashed potatoes, my personal favorite being Russets. They render the fluffiest, smoothest mashed potatoes with less chance of becoming gummy or turning into โpotato pasteโ which can occur from over mashing.
Waxy potatoes such as red potatoes have a low starch content and require more elbow grease to mash which means they are more likely to result in overworked, pasty, potatoes.ย Waxy potatoes also will never become as fluffy or creamy as Russet potatoes because they donโt absorb dairy well.
For this Garlic Mashed Potato Recipe, I highly recommend Russet
potatoes.ย I have NEVER had a problem with them becoming gummy, only fluffy, creamy perfection.
HOW MANY POTATOES SHOULD YOU MAKE PER PERSON FOR MASHED POTATOES?
When mashed potatoes are served as a side dish, you can safely plan on ยฝ pound of potatoes per person.ย That means this recipe for Garlic Mashed Potatoes which calls for 3 pounds will safely serve 6 people.ย You can scale the recipe up from there to meet your serving needs.
How to make Garlic Mashed Potatoes
These breathtakingly delectable, Garlic Mashed Potatoes are super easy to whip up.
Step 1 โ Prep Potatoes:ย ย Start by first peeling your russet potatoes. ย I like to pick the largest potatoes because this means less surface area to peel. ย After you peel your potatoes, chop them into 1 1/2โณ cubes. ย Donโt worry about being exact here, just cut them so they are generally the same size so they will cook evenly. ย Typically, I cut my potatoes in half, then slice each half in thirds lengthwise, then cut 1 1/2โณ ย slices in the opposite direction.
MAKE AHEAD TIP! ย You can do all of your potato peeling a day ahead of time as long as you keep them in a bowl/pot filled with water in the refrigerator to keep them from browning. ย This makes whipping these babies up extra fast!
Step 2 โ Boil Potatoes:ย ย Next,ย you add your potatoes to cold water in a large skillet and add salt (NEVER start with hot water).ย By bringing the potatoes to a boil with the water, they cook more evenly and you arenโt left withย overcooked mushy outsides and under cooked insides, but instead achieve the perfect melt in your mouth consistency.
By adding salt to the boiling water, you are instantly infusing your potatoes with flavor from the inside out that simply isnโt achievable any other way. ย You can also add garlic cloves and any other aromatics to the water, just another way to add flavor. ย Simmer your potatoes for about ย 10-15 ย minutes, being aware that itโs better to overcook the potatoes than undercook them so they will mix easily without hard pockets.
Step 3 โ Drain Potatoes:ย Drain your potatoes thoroughly otherwise you will end up with watery Garlic Mashed Potatoes instead of ideal maximum fluffiness.
Step 4 โ Mash Potatoes:ย ย Next its mashing time!ย ย I am all about mixing my mashed potatoes with a hand held electric mixer. ย It creates fluffier, smoother potatoes that canโt be achieved any other way โ and its effortless.ย Instead of just adding heavy cream or milk to our potatoes, we heat butter, heavy cream and milk together in the microwave for 1 ยฝ minutes. ย Next, slowly stream the butter/cream mixture into potatoes while beating on LOW until combined. ย The hot mixture will keep the potatoes warm and the melted butter will envelop every cranny of the mashed potatoes from the inside out.
Step 5 โ Parmesan:ย Next we beat in Parmesan, sour cream, chives, salt, pepper and garlic powder just until combined. ย Thatโs right, Garlic Mashed Potatoes with butter, heavy cream, sour cream and Parmesan! ย I canโt get tired of saying those ingredients together. ย Because, Homemade Mashed Potato heaven!
The Parmesan is subtle but adds a depth of YUM while the chives, garlic powder, salt and pepper add enough flavor you will be licking the bowl clean but keep the potatoes neutral enough that you can still top with gravy or serve alongside any of your favorite dishes.
If you are feeling extra foodie flirty, feel free to mix up the flavor profile and add more cheese or different cheese to create cheesy mashed potatoes or experiment with with the endless variations of herbs. ย But for classic Company Garlic Mashed Potatoes, this recipe is it. You will beย left with the most addicting, flavorful, indulgent creamy and simply the Best Mashed Potatoes EVER in my humble, whipped potato loving opinion. ย Whereโs my spoon?
CAN MASHED POTATOES BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes!ย You can prepare your Garlic Mashed Potatoes ahead of time and eitherย cover and place in a warm oven or transfer to your slow cooker on the warm setting until ready to serve. ย Another reason to love mashed potatoes.
WHAT SHOULD I SERVE WITH GARLIC MASHED POTATOES?
How to store the Best Mashed Potatoes
Can I freeze Mashed Potatoes?
Yes and no.ย I personally am a mashed potato critic so I do not like frozen mashed potatoes because the texture changes when thawed.ย The potatoes can be doctored with additional butter, etc., but this doesnโt cut it for me.ย If you are not a texture critic, or the mashed potatoes are going to be blanketed in gravy or sauce, then feel free to freeze them.
If freezing potatoes, make sure you donโt skimp on any of the butter or cream in my Garlic Mashed Potato recipe, because the extra fat willย make them more freezer friendly.ย You can even add additional butter for a better thawed result.
To Freeze Mashed Potatoes:
1. Prepare Garlic Mashed Potatoes according to directions taking care you donโt have any chunks because the chunks will become mealy when frozen.
2. Refrigerate mashed potatoes in a shallow pan in the refrigerator until completely cool.
TO FREEZE INDIVIDUAL MASHED POTATO SERVINGS:
1. Scoop potato onto a parchment lined baking sheet using a cookie scoop so they are not touching (you may use more than one scoop per serving).
2. Freeze until solid, about 1-2 hours.
3. Transfer individual servings to separate plastic bags, press out excess air and seal.
4. Thaw frozen potatoes overnight in the refrigerator, remove from plastic and microwave until warmed through.
5. Thawed, reheated potatoes will likely be watery.ย Stir in some sour cream to make them creamy again.
TO FREEZE BATCH MASHED POTATOES:
1. Add the desired amount of cooled mashed potatoes to a freezer-sized bag.
2. Flatten potatoes in bag and press out excess air.
3. Label and freeze for up to 6 months.
4. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
5. Remove from plastic, place in a baking dish and bake uncovered, at 350ยฐ for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.
6. Thawed, reheated potatoes will likely be watery.ย Stir in some sour cream to make them creamy again.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe FAQs
By following my Garlic Mashed Potato recipe, you shouldnโt run into any problems, but here are some troubleshooting tips.ย ย To prevent gummy mashed potatoes:
โ use Russet potatoes and not waxy potatoes
โ drain potatoes extremely well after cooking
โ always mash the potatoes while theyโre still hot
โ donโt overmix potatoes
Overmixing potatoes is usually the culprit for gummy, gluey or sticky potatoes.ย The science behind this is simple:ย when the potatoes are boiled, they develop swollen starch cells.ย When the potatoes are mixed, the cells are ruptured and release starch. The more cells that are broken, the starchier and more gummy the potatoes will become.ย For the fluffiest potatoes, you are going to want to mix as little as possible, for creamier more dense potatoes, beatย a little longer but be aware not to overbeat.
If you end up with lumpy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, it means your potatoes were undercooked before mashing.ย Next time, make sure you check your potatoes with a fork before removing them from the heat.ย A fork should easily slip into the potatoes AKA the potatoes should be โfork tender.โ
No, donโt let your potatoes cool before mashing. As soon as the potatoes are drained, transfer them with oven mitts to and get mixing! Your potatoes will absorb more liquid and turn out creamier. Alternatively, if you let them cool for too long, youโll end up with gummy potatoes.
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Best Mashed Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 3 lbs. russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons butter, cubed
- ยฝ cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese (2 oz.) (optional)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped chives
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Add potatoes to a 5 quart (or larger) Dutch oven and add water until it reaches about 1-inch past the top of the potatoes. Season with ยฝ teaspoon salt. Cover and bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until very tender when pierced with a fork; drain VERY WELL. Add potatoes to bowl of electric or hand held mixer.
- Heat butter, heavy cream and milk for 1 ยฝ minutes. Slowly stream heated butter/cream mixture into potatoes while beating on LOW until combined. Beat in Parmesan, sour cream, chives, salt, pepper and garlic powder on MEDIUM just until combined. Stop beating at this point for fluffy potatoes. For creamier, more dense potatoes, continue to beat just a little longer but be aware not to overbeat. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
Notes
Prep Ahead
You can prepare the mashed potatoes ahead of time and transfer them to the slow cooker on the warm setting until ready to serve. ย If you only need to keep them warm for an hour or so, you can set your bowl of potatoes over a pot of simmering water, just like a double boiler. Cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap or a dish towel. Give it a stir every 15 minutes or so to keep the potatoes well-heated. ยWant To Make This Recipe?
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Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
Forget the spoon! Just hand me the super-sized ladle! Wow! I can see how creamy they are and the flavors you put into the potatoes โ you canโt go wrong.
Jen says
hahahaha! I like the way you think! and eat ๐ With a ladle, the serving bowl is proportional for a serving of 1 ๐ Hope you are having a great week Marisa!
Cathy says
How can I hold these in a crock pot w/o them becoming watery? Is there any trick to it? Iโve tried to keep mashed potatoes in a crockpot before and it ruined them. Thanks for any advice!
Jen says
hmmmmm, I have never personally had this problem Cathy, so I am not exactly sure what to tell you. Were your potatoes possibly not drained thoroughly before being mashed? This can cause watery potatoes. One thing you could try is not adding the milk to the potatoes to start and then mixing in hot milk when ready to serve until you reach the desired consistency. Sorry I canโt be more helpful!
Cathy says
Thank you for trying ๐ I think my crockpot got too hot even on warm, as the potatoes browned along the sides & lost their creaminess. Your recipe sounds & looks delicious! I canโt wait to try them.
Jen says
Thanks Cathy ๐ Best of luck!
Kathy says
I just made these for an easter brunch with friends. They are AMAZING.
Jen says
YAY! So happy you loved them Kathy! Happy late Easter!
Alishia says
These were absolutely amazing! I made them for Thanksgiving last week and I will never go back to my old way of making mashed potatoes. Thank you!
Jen says
You are so welcome! Iโm thrilled you loved them! Happy belated Thanksgiving!
Rick J Riemer says
Do I measure the 3lbs of potatoes before or after I peel them? If a take a 5lb bag of potatoes and peel them, I get a little more than 3 lbs of peeled potatoes, is that the correct way? Or, do I weigh out 3 lbs of unpeeled potaotes and then peel them and donโt worry about how much they weigh afterward? Thanks for the great recipe.
Jen says
Great question Rick! I weigh the potatoes before I peel them.
Rick J Riemer says
Thatโs what my son said I should do (he cooks a lot). So, I just got done peeling 3lbs of potatoes and ended up with 43 oz, so I think thatโs close enough. Thanks.
Jen says
Absolutely, enjoy!
Sarah says
I have NEVER been able to get mashed potatoes rightโฆuntil today! So delicious!!
Jen says
Yesss! Iโm so happy you loved them!
Stephanie says
Made these mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving and they were absolutely delicious. LOVED the Parmesan cheese!
Jen says
Thanks so much Stephanie! Happy Thanksgiving!
Christine @ myblissfulmess.com says
These mashed potatoes are definitely company worthy! They are easy to make and reheat quite nicely. In fact, I made these ahead of time and just put them in the refrigerator, covered, until I was ready for them. Then I just reheated them in the microwave until they were hot. Delicious mashed potatoes, and they look so pretty with the freshly chopped chives sprinkled on top.
Jen says
Thank you so much for the glowing review Christine! I love hearing they are equally delicious reheated too!
Lisa says
These turned out so so good!! I added herb & garlic cream cheese and they were a huge hit.
Jen says
Mmmmm I love the use of garlic herb cream cheese, sounds perfect Lisa!
Alesky says
Hi Jenn,
When you say โadd water until it reaches 1 inch up the sideโ. Do you mean 1 inch past the top of potatoes or do you mean 1 inch from the bottom of the pot? Thank you!
Jen says
Great question, I will clarify in the recipe. I mean 1-inch past the top of the potatoes.
Michelle says
We make these every year on Thanksgiving. For the last two years, we doubled the recipe to make sure we had leftovers to go with the leftover turkey! It really is a superb recipe for rich, creamy mashed potatoes and they reheat very well. For a little extra flavor, we add about 4 cloves of roasted garlic. Our whole family is thankful to you for helping make Thanksgiving delicious.
Jen says
Thank you for making this part of your Thanksgiving tradition! Iโm so glad you love it!
Stephanie says
Do you think I could make these the day before and then reheat them in the crockpot? Also, thank you for sharing your recipes. I have tried many of them and they have all been hits with my family! Now that I am retired I am relearning how to cook with more whole ingredients which was sacrificed in the name of convenience. My daughter says she likes โretired momโas I have been sharing my meals with her and her busy family. Happy Thanksgiving! ๐
Jen says
Hi Stephanie! Yes you can! Just mix in a splash of milk or a bit of butter to help them not dry out and then turn the heat to medium-low heat setting and put the lid on. Give them a quick stir every 15 minutes until hot. I hope that helps! Thank you so much for your kind words! Iโm so glad that youโve been able to learn how to make many dishes on my site!