My Favorite Mashed Potato Recipe

Oval shaped serving dish filled with mashed potatoes topped with melting butter.

My Favorite Mashed Potato Recipe

My mashed potato recipe uses just 5 ingredients and is perfectly balanced to be both fluffy and sturdy. Top yours with gravy, or stir in my favorite add-ins for a super flavorful side dish!

Course Dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 327kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

Ingredients

3 lbs (1.3 kg) potatoes russet or gold
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
⅔ cup (157 ml) milk
½ teaspoon table salt + additional to taste
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper + additional to taste

Optional add-ins (add one or all of them!)

¼ cup (60 g) full-fat sour cream
2 cloves garlic pressed
½ cup (50 g) freshly shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions

Peel potatoes (if desired) and cut into 1 ½” (4cm) pieces. Place in a colander or large mesh sieve and rinse under cold water for one minute.
3 lbs potatoes
Place potatoes in a large pot of cool water (make sure the potatoes are covered by at least ½” of water and that the pot is not more than ⅔ of the way full or it could overflow). Generously salt the water and turn stovetop heat to high. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
While potatoes are cooking, combine butter and milk in a small saucepan over medium/low heat, cooking until butter is melted.
½ cup unsalted butter, ⅔ cup milk
Boil potatoes until tender when pierced with a fork (about 10 minutes but time can vary).
Drain potatoes well and return to pot. Let them sit in the pot for about 2 minutes, this allows the steam to cook off excess water.
Drizzle butter/milk mixture over the potatoes and add salt and pepper use a potato masher to mash until mostly smooth and well-combined.
½ teaspoon table salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
If using any add-ins, stir them in now until combined.
¼ cup full-fat sour cream, 2 cloves garlic, ½ cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
Serve warm.

Notes

Milk

Whole milk is my preference, but use whatever you have on hand (almond milk works, too).

Smooth potatoes

A potato ricer will give you smoother mashed potatoes, but avoid the urge to mix your way to completely smooth potatoes, or they’ll end up gluey. After boiling/draining your potatoes, run them through the ricer back into the pot, then stir in your butter/milk and remaining ingredients.

Gluey potatoes are typically a result of over-mixing.

Add-ins

Add one or all of these add-ins for super flavorful, next-level mashed potatoes. You could also try substituting cheddar cheese for the parmesan.

Storing

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If reheating on the stovetop, you may wish to add another splash of milk to loosen the potatoes as they’ll often stiffen in the fridge.

Freezing

Allow potatoes to cool, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 5 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or transfer to a saucepan and thaw over low heat.

Nutrition