How to Make Homemade Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes make a fantastic side dish, and they’re fairly easy to make from scratch in your own home! A basic mashed potato recipe only calls for potatoes, butter, cream, and salt and pepper. You can make them even more decadent by adding in sour cream, fresh herbs, cheeses, or even cloves of garlic.

Ingredients

Classic Mashed Potatoes

5 medium russet or yukon potatoes
1/4 cup (55 grams) of butter at room temperature
¹⁄₂ to ³⁄₄ cup (120 to 180 mL) of cream or half and half
Salt and pepper to taste

Makes 6 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Cooking a Classic Recipe

1
Peel and rinse the potatoes under cool water to prepare them for boiling. Use a potato peeler or a paring knife to remove all the skin from 5 potatoes. After they’ve all been peeled, rinse them underneath cool water to remove any dirt.^{[1]XResearch source}
- If you like your mashed potatoes with the skins in it, you don’t have to peel them. Simply give them a good rinse to dislodge any dirt.
- For the fluffiest mashed potatoes, use russet or yukon gold. Red potatoes and fingerling potatoes will produce thicker mashed potatoes and require a lot more prep time because they’re so much smaller than the russet or yukon varieties.
2
Cut the potatoes into 1 inch (2.5 cm) squares to help them cook evenly. Place the potatoes on a clean cutting board and cut them into small, equally sized pieces. Start by cutting them into quarters, and from there cut each quarter into 4-6 equal pieces. Set them aside in the pot you plan on using to cook them.^{[2]XResearch source}
- If you’re in a hurry, you could just cut each potato in half once—but it may take you a little longer to mash them all together later, or it may take them longer to boil through.
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3
Boil the potatoes for 15-20 minutes, or until they’re fork tender. Place the potatoes into a large pot and add enough water so they’re just covered. Put the lid on the potatoes, and let them simmer until you can easily pierce a potato with a fork. Be careful when testing the potatoes—use oven mitts if you’re grabbing the handles and watch out for steam.^{[3]XResearch source}
- If you notice any foam collecting at the top of the water, use a large spoon to skim it off periodically.
- If you can’t boil your potatoes, you could also microwave them. Place your peeled and cut potatoes into a microwave-safe bowl, cover the dish, and microwave them for 3-4 minutes. Test them with a fork to see if they’re soft enough or if they need more time. If they need more time, put them back in for an additional 3 minutes.
4
Drain the potatoes and combine them with the butter. Leave the potatoes in the pot after you drain off the water, and add the 1/4 cup (55 grams) of butter. Room temperature butter will incorporate better than cold ingredients, but the heat of the potatoes will soften the butter quickly if you forgot to let it come to room temperature.^{[4]XResearch source}
- If you can, let the potatoes sit in the drained pot for another 10 minutes with a lid on before adding the sour cream and butter—this lets them get a little dry, which actually makes them fluffier.
5
Mash the potatoes until they have a smooth consistency. Use a potato masher to start mashing up the potatoes and incorporating them with the sour cream and butter. Stop mashing once the potatoes are mostly in one lump and there are no discernible individual pieces left.^{[5]XResearch source}
- You can also use an electric mixer to incorporate your ingredients, or even a large, slotted spoon.
6
Add cream until it’s the right consistency, and add salt and pepper. Use ¹⁄₂ to ³⁄₄ cup (120 to 180 mL) of cream or half and half, and add ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) at a time. Mash or use a mixer on the potatoes, and test the consistency periodically until they right for you. Also, add about 1 teaspoon (4 grams) of salt and a few shakes of pepper, adding more to taste if needed.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Don’t over-mix the potatoes—they will get really thick and gummy and won’t have the right consistency. About 30 seconds on an electric mixer should do the trick.
7
Serve the potatoes while they’re still warm and refrigerate leftovers. Put leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours of preparing them. Keep them for 3-5 days in the fridge—add a label to the container with the “date prepared” so you’ll remember how long they’ll be good for.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Reheat leftovers in the oven at 350 °F (177 °C) for 20-30 minutes, or put them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 44 mL) of extra cream to the dish so it retains its creamy texture.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Experimenting with Seasonings and Alternative Ingredients

1
Boil the potatoes in milk instead of water to make them creamier. Just cover the potatoes in milk (choose whole milk for the best results). Use low heat rather than high, and simmer the potatoes for 20-25 minutes, or until they can be pierced through easily with a fork. Save the milk when you drain the potatoes—you can use it again when you add liquid during the mashing phase.^{[8]XResearch source}
- The fat from the milk prevents the potatoes from getting too starchy or gluey.
2
Incorporate sour cream for a slightly tart flavor and extra creaminess. When making a batch of mashed potatoes, add in ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of sour cream when you add the butter. You can add the sour cream in addition to the rest of the ingredients, or you could sub out the milk and just use the sour cream instead.^{[9]XResearch source}
- If subbing out the milk for sour cream, you may need to add a little but more than the ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) to get the right consistency. Add in additional sour cream in ¹⁄₈ cup (30 mL) increments until the potatoes are where you want them to be.
3
Chop up fresh herbs to add an aromatic flavor to your mashed potatoes. A combination of sage, thyme, and rosemary is delicious, or try a chive, oregano, and tarragon combo. Add the prepared herbs to the potatoes at the same time you add the butter and sour cream.^{[10]XResearch source}
- Even if you don’t have many fresh herbs, just adding a sprinkling of chives or parsley to a dish can add a special element to the flavor profile.
4
Shred cheese into your mashed potatoes for a decadent alteration. Goat cheese, blue cheese, gruyere, white cheddar, or even brie all make great additions to a classic mashed potato recipe. Use 1 cup (125 grams) of your favorite cheese or cheeses of choice, and add them to the potatoes after they’ve been mashed up.^{[11]XResearch source}
- The heat of the potatoes will melt the cheese for you, so you don’t have to dirty another dish.
- When reheating mashed potatoes, add a small sprinkling of cheese overtop of the dish for a toasty, tasty addition.
5
Add whole, peeled cloves of garlic to the potatoes if you love garlic. Peel and crush 6 cloves of garlic, and simmer them in a pot with the cream before adding the liquid to the boiled potatoes. Mash everything together as normal, and enjoy the aroma and taste of decadent garlic mashed potatoes.^{[12]XResearch source}
- Simmering the garlic with the cream infuses the liquid with the garlic flavor, and it also softens the garlic which makes it easier to mash up with the potatoes.
6
Make delicious dairy-free potatoes with chicken broth or nut milks. Sub out the butter, cream, and sour cream for equal amounts of chicken broth or a nut milk, like almond, cashew, flax, hazelnut, or even hemp or soy milk.^{[13]XResearch source}
- Avoid nut milks that have added sugar or flavors, like vanilla almond milk.
- You could also sub out butter for ghee, which is lactose-free. You can find ghee at most grocery stores near the cooking oils.
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Community Q&A

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Question
How long can I keep peeled potatoes in the water before cooking them?
CHRIS C
Community Answer
You can keep the potatoes in the pot of water overnight, or for 48 hours if they are refrigerated.
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How many potatoes are for seven servings?
Community Answer
Generally go by the rule of two largish potatoes per person, which is allowing for a little extra if anyone wants seconds. So for seven servings you will need approximately 14 potatoes.
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What is the cream for?
Community Answer
The cream is used for making the mash really creamy and soft.
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Tips

Always use the freshest potatoes you can find. Avoid green potatoes or ones that have sprouts or soft spots.^{[14]XResearch source}
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