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Mashed potatoes are the ultimate comfort food – creamy, buttery, and perfect for any meal. Whether you’re preparing a classic Thanksgiving dinner, a Sunday roast, or a weeknight side, this simple how-to guide will help you achieve perfect mashed potatoes every time.
Mom’s Perfect Mashed Potatoes
I grew up eating these creamy mashed potatoes almost every Sunday. My mom always served them as a side with her famous Sunday dinners of roast turkey or roast beef. This is her homemade mashed potatoes recipe. They are never too thin and watery, or too thick and dry. Her method and add-ins are what make them absolutely perfect!
Ingredients in Mashed Potatoes
- Potatoes: Russet or Yukon Gold (see detailed tips below).
- Sour Cream: For a tangy, rich flavor.
- Butter: Adds creaminess and depth.
- Milk: Helps achieve the perfect consistency.
- Salt & Pepper: Essential seasonings.
- Optional Garnish: Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or chives.
Choosing the Best Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes
The type of potato you use makes a difference!
- Russet Potatoes: High starch, fluffy, and budget friendly. The skin of a Russet potato is thick and dry, so peeling is recommended.
Fun fact: Russet potato and Idaho potatoes are both Russet potatoes, but only Russets grown in Idaho can legally be referred to as “Idaho” potatoes. - Yukon Gold Potatoes: Creamy, buttery flavor with thinner skins. You can choose to peel or not to peel. Leaving the peel on adds nutrients and doesn’t interfere with the creamy texture.
How to Cook Potatoes for Mashing
1. Boiled
The traditional and most common method for softening your potatoes for mashing.
- Peel and dice potatoes into large chunks.
- Boil in salted water for 15-18 minutes or until fork-tender.
- Drain and mash immediately for the best texture.
2. Steamed
Steaming your potatoes can prevent potatoes from getting mushy or waterlogged from over boiling.
- Use a steamer basket in a large pot for lighter, fluffier potatoes.
- Fill the bottom of the pot with 2 inches of salted water making sure the water doesn’t come into the holes of the steamer basket. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a rapid simmer.
- Add potatoes to the steamer basket, cover, and steam for 25 minutes or until tender.
3. Instant Pot (pressure cooker)
I love this method for Thanksgiving mashed potatoes – it saves precious stove top space.
- Quick and convenient.
- Check out our detailed Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe.
4. Crock Pot
Another great method for Thanksgiving dinner because you can start your potatoes and move on with the rest of your Thanksgiving meal prep. Mashed potatoes prepared ahead can also be kept warm in your slow cooker.
- Spray Crock Pot with cooking spray and add peeled and diced potatoes (as many as your Crock Pot can comfortably hold). Add 1 cup milk, ½ cup water, and a generous pinch of salt over the potatoes, gently stir to combine.
- Place the lid on the Crock Pot and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or until potatoes are tender.
- After mashing/whipping the potatoes, return to Crock Pot to keep warm until ready to serve
Our Best Mashed Potatoes Tips
- Use a stand mixer: I don’t know about you, but mashing potatoes by hand is not my favorite thing. I love using my Kitchen Aid with the whisk attachment. If that’s not available, a hand mixer will also give that fluffy, airy texture. Makes them perfectly every time without the hand cramps.
- Heat dairy ingredients: Heat your milk and butter ingredients in a small saucepan or the microwave before adding to the potatoes. This will keep the potatoes warm and help with even distribution.
- Extra creamy mashed potatoes: If you like your potatoes extra creamy and a little more rich, use half and half or heavy cream in place of the milk.
- Add some color: When serving, add a garnish of a parsley or thyme sprig to add fresh color to the potatoes.
Ways to Serve Mashed Potatoes
- Potatoes and Gravy: These potatoes are so good on their own, but they are my favorite with gravy. Here are some of our very favorite homemade gravy recipes to serve with mashed potatoes:
- Turkey gravy
- Beef Gravy
- Crockpot Steak and Gravy
- Country Gravy (included with our Chicken Fried Chicken recipe)
- Fully Loaded: Top your potatoes with cheese, crumbled bacon, and green onion. So good we gave these potatoes their very own post – Loaded Mashed Potatoes.
- Sour Cream and Chives: Stir in a little sour cream and top with chives and fresh ground pepper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mix sour cream, milk, or heavy cream along with melted butter into the mashed potatoes for a fluffy, creamy texture. Use a stand mixer, or spend plenty of time hand mixing, for airy and light potatoes.
Yes! For Yukon Gold or red potatoes, leaving the skins on add nutrients and texture. I don’t recommend leaving skins on Russet potatoes because the skins are thicker and result in a less creamy mashed potato dish.
The first step is to heat the milk and butter before adding them to the mashed potatoes. Once the dairy is blended in, keep mashed potatoes in a covered ceramic dish in the oven on warm or in a crockpot on warm until ready to serve.
Storing and Reheating Mashed Potatoes
Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheating: You can reheat mashed potatoes in the microwave, oven, Crockpot, or on the stovetop. No matter how you re-heat your potatoes, the most important thing to remember is to add liquid. Milk or broth work best.
Creative Ways to Use Leftover Mashed Potatoes
When I have leftover mashed potatoes, I like to incorporate them into a completely different meal. It’s easy to make two meals out of one big batch of potatoes! You don’t even need to make them the very next day. Your mashed potatoes will stay good in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- Shepherd’s Pie: A hearty way to repurpose leftovers with ground beef and vegetables.
- Cheesy Potato Cakes: Crispy, golden appetizers with creamy centers.
- Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole: Combine all your favorite Thanksgiving leftovers into one dish.
How to Make Mashed Potatoes
Homemade Mashed Potatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds Russet potatoes
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and cut into quarters.
- Place potatoes in a large stockpot and cover with cold water, add salt (about 1-2 teaspoons) and bring to a boil.
- Allow to boil for about 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork.
- Combine milk and butter in a microwave safe bowl and place in the microwave for about 40 seconds or until butter is melted. This makes it so the milk doesn't cool off your potatoes when you add it.
- Drain potatoes and mash with a potato masher or mix in a stand mixer with whisk attachment. If you do a stand mixer, make sure to keep it on low to medium speed.
- Slowly add milk/butter mixture until you reach your desired consistency, adding more milk if you want the potatoes to be thinner.
- Mash in sour cream and salt & pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
To keep mashed potatoes warm after cooking:
- Heat oven to 300 degrees. Put mashed potatoes in an oven safe dish with a lid, or cover with foil. Keep in the oven for up to an hour, stirring occasionally.
- Place mashed potatoes in a slow cooker/crockpot set on low or keep warm. Stir occasionally to prevent sides from burning.
To reheat mashed potatoes:
- Oven: Stir in the liquid and butter into the mashed potatoes and spread in an even layer in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake at 350-degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through (165-degrees).
- Stovetop: In a large pot over medium heat, add potatoes, liquid, and butter. Stir often until heated through.
- Crockpot: Place potatoes, liquid and butter in a Crock Pot on low heat for two hours, stirring occasionally until heated through.
- Microwave: Though this is the fastest way of re-heating mashed potatoes, it is the least desirable. The consistency won’t be the same as when you first made the potatoes, but sometimes you just need to get them heated quickly. In this case, place potatoes, liquid, and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat for one minute at a time, stirring well each time until heated through.
Wow, these are soo good. I have been making mashed potatoes my whole life (I’m 60) and I decided to see how other people make them. I decided to try your version and boy am I glad I did. They were fluffy, creamy, and absolutely delicious. I had been making mine like my mom did and while they were good, they are not as delicious as this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing your family recipe. It will now be the recipe I use!!
I also tried Yukon Gold potatoes and they are great with this recipe too.
Much Gratitude
Hi Celeste- Thank you so much for this kind comment. It is comments like this one that really make us love what we do! I am so happy that you liked these potatoes so much and we are flattered that you would take the time to come back and comment on them! Thanks again!
I have made mashed potatoes for years now. I make them exactly as you do except I also add crumbled bacon and grated cheese from the can into the mash potatoes. Everyone that has these that I have served love them. My Sun request that I make them like this all the time. There is something about the bacon that makes them really yummy. Give them a try sometime I really think you would enjoy them this way. ????
If I want to do less potatoes do I still go my the same portions will the measurements still be the same or would they be less ?
You will definitely want to decrease the other measurements by the percentage you decrease the potatoes. For example, if you only use 2 lbs potatoes, you will cut the rest of the ingredients in half and use 1/4 cup milk, 1/8 cup butter, and 1/4 cup sour cream. If the potatoes seem to thick, add a little more milk. Thanks for asking!
Has anyone tried leaving the skins on? I like them that way but dont want to mess these up. thanks!
You can definitely leave the skins on if you prefer it that way. It won’t mess anything up. Thank you for asking!
All of these sound so great!!!!
I use the potato water to make tbe gravy.
Great idea! I’ve done that before too. The starch in the potato water helps thicken the gravy. Thank you for sharing!
These were so yummy and super creamy! Thanks for the recipe.
So glad you liked them! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Another point is to use the right potato. Russet are good for baking not so much for mashed potatoes. I find them too sandy and grainy. I use golden or yellow potatoes which have a creamy texture. I’ve also had success with red potatoes.
Golden or yellow potatoes is what I thought of using, but do you still add butter?
I agree, mashed potatoes made with sour cream are good. Even better is cream cheese. Pioneer woman gave me the very very best of recipes and I haven’t gone back. 🙂 5 lbs potatoes, 1/2 c butter, 8 oz cream cheese, 1/2 c half and half or more for desired consistency (more for fluffier potatoes) and kosher salt to taste. PW says seasoned salt, I say kosher. 😉
what if i dont have sour cream? what does
it do? i have yogut….lol thanks
You could do plain yogurt. It will taste a little different. Or you can just leave it out.
My mom used Hellman’s mayonnaise in hers, where they call for sour cream here.
My mom always used Hellman’s mayo as well and I still swear by it. I like to put some garlic in there while the potatoes boil too.
I never thought of adding mayo to mashed potatoes. I am going to try it next time I make these potatoes which will be in a couple of days for Thanksgiving. I have added garlic and I love it!
You can also use 1/2 the milk and then use chicken stock tastes great ! But the source cream is a must
I agree! Good idea to use chicken stock. Thank you!
This recipe is amazing! I used peeled red potatoes, boiled the potatoes in chicken broth, drained and followed the rest of it. It was a huge hit!
Can i use heavy cream instead of milk?
Sure! I bet it would make them extra rich and yummy!
I reserve some of the salted potato- water and use with heavy cream and of course, real butter. What makes them so special is the potato-peeling contest we have with our kids and grandkids. Our little tradition with those we are most Thankful for. They laugh and are helping all at the same time
how do you think they would fare if I made them a day ahead?
Yes.. you can. Just put them in a 9×13 baking dish and bake at 350-degrees until heated through and whip them up with a fork again before serving.
thanks! I made them and there are delicious!!!
Thanks so much for this great recipe, I have featured it in my Thanksgiving Recipe Round-up over at Krafty Cards etc.
Thanks! And you’re welcome! 🙂
You can also make these ahead and freeze them….or make a double batch and freeze half. They are just as good thawed. My mom made these all the time for my youngest niece and nephew and called them Lollypop Potatoes…the kids would fill up their spoon and lick the potatoes off the spoon like they were licking a lollypop! For extra decadence, add 8 oz of cream cheese!
do you think I can make these a day ahead? if so how long do you think I need to heat them up ?
How much does this make?
About 6-8 servings
My mom taught me a few tricks just on Sunday. I could never get my potatoes like hers. First…like you said, quarter the potatoes. If you cut them up to small for some reason they just don’t turn out as well….too mushy or something. Also…drain well. My mom puts them in a strainer and lets them sit while getting the other ingredients ready. This ensures all the water is off of them. They whip up so nicely and are not gluey like some I’ve made in the past. Sounds like your mom and my mom were taught the same way.
Good point about draining well.
My mom does that too.. I just didn’t think it made a difference! Guess it does!
I should say, if you drain it and let it stay for a while on a heated place potatoes will dry faster. And try to add a raw egg to warm mash instead of sour cream. It’s really great. But don’t ever use blender. Better mix it fast with a fork.
Great tips! Thank you!!!
No eggs in my mashed potatoes. 👎
No eggs in my mashed potatoes either! I feel like putting raw egg into it is asking for trouble. Meaning not safe. Sour cream, yes, or cream cheese, but not raw eggs!
I usually don’t cut small potatoes or just cut at halfs. It makes them thicker. And I also add an egg to make it fluffy.
The best way I know to get the excess water off the cooked potatoes is to set them back on the burner after they are drained, and turn on the heat to high. Continue to cook the potatoes for like 15 seconds. The steam that will come off the potatoes is the excess moisture that would make your potatoes soggy! Works every time and super fast:) I learned this from Chef John.
My kids and grandchildren always ask “maw “maw will you bring mashed potataes when we get together for dinner and my grand daughter in laws ask for the receipe every time I tell them but they say theirs doesn’t turn out right but this one sounds just like mine only I add a little mayonnaise to mine. If any leftover which I always make enough to be sure the next day or 2 I put a Little flour in them and fry potatoe patties just don’t skimp on the potatoes make them full. These are great!