Last updated on November 27th, 2019
Wait! Don’t run away! These Creamy Mashed Potatoes ain’t exactly “diet fare,” but they are devilishly delicious to eat. Need a dreamy base for your favorite gravies and stews? Need a sumptuous side dish that you can make ahead of time, and reheat on the stove top? Want some tips and tricks for getting the most flavor from your potatoes? This step-by-step recipe is for you:
First, select some appropriate music. The above is utter perfection.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Next, grab some starchy potatoes! You can’t go wrong with ‘Kennebec’ or the more common ‘Russet.’ The Russets you see pictured above were harvested from my very own garden. Potatoes are ridiculously easy to grow.
Now man up and peel one spud…
And roughly cut it into smallish (1- to 2-inch) pieces.
To keep the cut pieces from turning gray, immediately plunge them into a big (5 quart of larger) pot of cold water. Peel, cut, and submerge the remaining potatoes.
Man, do I hate to peel potatoes. Fortunately it’s the only hard part of this recipe.
Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and simmer until the potatoes are absolutely/positively/unquestionably tender when pierced with a fork — about 30 minutes. If your potatoes aren’t truly tender, you’ll end up with hard lumps in your finished mash. And that’s too bad.
Strain the potatoes through a big colander, and then return them to the dry cooking pot. This way, we can mash them over medium heat. The heat below the pot will force excess water to evaporate from the spuds. Consequently our mashed potatoes will have a fabulously full (not watered-down) flavor.
I know that lots of folks like to whip their potatoes in a standing mixer, but honestly, if you’ve cooked your potatoes properly, and if you’ve mashed them over medium heat, the only equipment they’ll require is a common potato-masher.
Coarsely mash the potatoes, and then remove the pot from the heat.
Add 1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter, and mash it in.
Also add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of heavy cream, and mash and stir with the potato masher until the cream is completely absorbed. You’d be surprise at how much cream the spuds can take.
Finally, mash in some salt and freshly-ground black or white pepper. Don’t use “seasoning salt” — it will mask the fresh flavor of the potatoes.
Oh. For a bit of color, you can stir in some fresh, finely-minced herbs, such as parsley or chives.
In any event, be sure to check the taste and texture of your work. Too thick? Add more cream. Too bland? Add more salt.
Make-Ahead Note: Drizzle enough heavy cream over the potatoes to film them. Then cover the pot, and refrigerate. When you are ready to serve, simply reheat the mash on the stove top, stirring in the top layer of cream, and adding more cream, as necessary, to achieve a soft, thick consistency.
Whether freshly made or reheated, you’ll find these potatoes make a tantalizing base for all kinds of yummy things. Here are just 2 ideas for you:
Beef Stew with Dark Beer and Chocolate (recipe here), and…
Make-Ahead Braised Short Ribs (recipe here).
Well. I hope you enjoyed our time together today. Now let me wish you a Happy Hanukkah, a Merry Christmas, and a (champagne-fueled) Happy New Year!
xKevin
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Here’s the printable:
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 lbs potatoes such as 'Kennebec,' 'Yukon Gold' or 'Russet'
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- salt and freshly ground white or black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and then cut them into roughly equal-size pieces . Immediately plunge the cut pieces into into a large (5 quart) pot of cold water to keep them from coloring. Bring the pot to a full boil over high heat and then lower the heat, partially cover the pot, and let simmer until the potatoes are absolutely tender -- about 30 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and then return them to the dry cooking pot. Set the pot over medium heat, and roughly mash the spuds with a common potato masher. Mash in the melted butter, followed by the cream. Use enough cream to achieve a soft, thick consistency -- usually 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup. Mash in the salt and pepper. Taste carefully to correct seasonings. Serve while hot. (See the note below for make-ahead instructions.)
Notes
Nutrition
Myrtle Miller says
My daughter is coming tomorrow so I’m fixing: pork shoulder roast, creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, stuffing and black forest cake. I seasoned the pork shoulder roast and stuffed it with celery, muskadine jelly, and put lemon juice on it. I’m cooking it at 250 degrees until its cooked than I’m going to increase the temp. to complete the cooking process.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Sounds delicious, Myrtle!
Annie B says
My favorite food. Period.
Beverly, zone 6, eastern PA says
I so seldom make “straight” mashed potatoes, but just last night we enjoyed them with homemade Sauerkraut and Meatballs, grandma’s recipe. I concur with your strategy and also like to return drained potatoes to the warm pot with enough heat below to dry out the pan and remove excess moisture on the potatoes themselves. One day I’ll have enough sunny spaces to grow potatoes myself. I admire your crop!
Jake says
PERFECT background music to read this by 🙂
My heart skipped a beat when I saw the stick of melted butter going in and angelic music played in my head. Divine.
Gads… I never peel potatoes unless they are going through a tami… and who’s got time for that ?
Simply call them Country Style, put them in a kitch 70’s bowl, top with a dollop of butter, voila!
Or if I want fancier… and a mini workout… out comes the food mill.
Whipped potatoes always remind me of the mustachioed lunch lady and her hair net.
And never ever ever put them in a food processor – both methods make them like wallpaper paste.
Susan Iseman says
I boil then with a bit of onion and fresh garlic….Merry Christmas Kevin!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Jake – We had the same lunch lady! She used an ice cream scoop to plop a ball of whipped potatoes (made from dried flakes, no doubt) onto our lunch trays.
Marcia says
Thanks so much for the MUSIC. That really set the tone.
John says
I do mashed potatoes at least twice a month. I don’t peel them, either. I heard, once, that the peel contains most of the nutrients (so I pretend that leaving them on makes them healthy). I also usually add a few chopped and sautéed cloves of garlic, and some fresh chives or scallions.
Growing up, we had mashed potatoes at least twice a week. My mom would make us kids do the peeling.
She died when I was sixteen. I have always been grateful to her for showing me around the kitchen when I was a boy, even though at the time, peeling potatoes seemed more like a punishment, than a learning experience.
Mom loved garlic, but here in the Midwest (where there are only three spices: salt, pepper, and gravy) so she didn’t have the opportunity to use it very often. I bet she would love my version of mashed potatoes, and especially, my shortcut.
magz says
I use a ricer to make the lightest, fluffiest, mashed potatoes. Add butter and warm milk or cream, salt and pepper and, omgoodness, they are good. It’s a super easy way to eliminate all the lumps for the creamiest mashed taters ever.
cindy skarin says
Best part of early Sunday morning is reading your posts with all the great recipes, pictures and your humor!
Thank you Kevin!
Maraya says
It’s rare that I can get very fresh potatoes, but, when I do, I just scrub them and leave the peels on. Best mashed potatoes!
When I want to use a lot of butter and cream, I sometimes use half potatoes, half cauliflower – and even stir in some cooked, chopped spinach. That way, it still tastes good and I don’t feel guilty.
Arden | Real-Food-Real-Life.com says
I think that mashed potatoes are my favorite food in the entire world (and since I *love* food, that’s saying something!!) and these look great. I’ve taken to making mine with sour cream and it’s a tasty alternative. Here in northern Utah, there’s this magical time time in the fall when we get “freshly dug” potatoes from our near neighbors in Idaho. They are truly amazing!
Hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season!
Rose says
Kevin,
I hardly ever make mashed potatoes because they always turn out horrible. Thank you for the great tutorial and the reheating tip. I think I can do this now!!!
Judi says
Kevin,
When I make mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, I put them in the crock pot and leave it on warm. They can be made way ahead of time and stay perfect for hours.
Thanks for all your inspiration!
Happy Holidays!
Nancy says
Just reading the blog today made me want to go in the kitchen and fix mash potatoes!
Thanks for ALL your wonderful recipes and ideas this past year.
Happy Holidays to everyone too!!!
Vickie Cook says
I love your choice in music and foods, Kevin! Anything made with potatoes has to be good!
Addie in Florida says
Hi, Kevin, and Merry Christmas to you, your Silver Fox and of course, the darling Lily 🙂
I like the sound of your potato recipe, but I might add some cream cheese to it; a friend told me about this and I thought I’d add that step to your recipe.
Also, I wondered if you ever tried that English Christmas pudding recipe I sent you last year – I made one for this year a couple of months ago – they have to sit for a while – and I’m hoping it will be as good as the ones I made in England. And in case my American friends don’t like it I’m also making an eggnog cheesecake and a crustless cranberry pie. Whew! Then there’s the housework…..
Have a lovely holiday season – how could it be anything less at your beautiful home?
Sheri says
Just made your Braised Short Ribs (make ahead) and they were a huge hit. I had four guys all give it 5 stars. I had doubled the recipe and heard “kitchen noise” at 2:30 AM. Yeah, it was two of the guys finishing off the ribs:)
Cheryl says
When I make mashed potatoes I save the water for soup or to make sourdough. It drives me nuts when someone pours it out but that’s just me.
Rose says
My hips and butt are screaming-Don’t do it!!!!
Carol says
What fun to read this with the musical selection. Just loved it!
Linda says
I did the mashed potatoes (made them last night and did the dance in the 60s).
The way they’re doing it in the video looks a little like The Pony.
We had some goofy dances.
Your posts are too funny, Kevin!
Try peeling your potatoes under running water – works a little easier.
I totally agree with the masher vs the mixer. The mixer turns it into a gooey mess.
Linda Krahenbuhl says
My husband ( a farmer) lives for potatoes and I always plant them, tho the crop has gotten smaller through the years. Fresh is best. He makes the potatoes for the thanksgiving dinner at the resort where we camp in the summer and they feed the hunters that don’t have family with them. He boils his potatoes in chicken broth. Mashes and dots with butter. Uses the broth as his liquid to mash. They love them. Your recipe sounds yummy and am going to do it tonight with swedish meatballs and gravy. Thanks for your recipes and time you put into it. The best in 2017.
Linda Krahenbuhl says
Love your site.
Linda K. says
Love your site.
Linda K. says
Well I have tried to post. Don’t know what more I have to do.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Linda – Welcome aboard! Enjoy your Swedish meatballs…and these creamy mashed potatoes!
Deborah Goodman says
I make my potatoes the same way only I don’t melt the butter. I’ll try that the next time. One thing that you didn’t mention is that with an electric mixer you have to be VERY careful not to mix the potatoes too much because if you do they end up gummy NOT creamy and fluffy. Gummy spuds are bad. Like really bad. There is something to be said for doing some things the “old fashioned” way. With a potato masher you can be assured that your spuds will always be creamy and yummy and not gummy.
Mike says
I wish I was your next door neighbor,
Catherine Caskey says
Kevin these sound delicious.
If made ahead of time ok to reheat in the oven?
If so, what temperature and for how Long?
I hope you answer soon, because this wonderful recipe
will be center stage for Thanksgiving dinner!!!!
Looking forward to your reply.
Catherine
Sharon says
My grandmother always whipped the potatoes outside the door. Said it made them fluffier. We all use this method & they do become fluffy & great taste.
Mina says
I love your blog, Kevin, and want to live in your gorgeous home! One little thing I did was gently warm the cream so that the potatoes stayed hot as I mashed them. Thanks for all you do for your fans!
Debbie - MountainMama says
I love mashed potatoes but detest peeling….so I follow Nigella’s lead and use a potato ricer for the most amazing mashed potatoes NO PEELING REQUIRED! The one from Oxo is great, I’ve had mine for about 15 years and it’s still like new.
My tummy is rumbling now looking at this….
Merry Belated Christmas!
Pat Johnston says
Way too much butter and cream. Great results can be had using much less of both….. Sorry Kevin!
Gladys Rellinger says
I was wondering if anyone has made the mashed potatoes ahead and put them in a crockpot to heat up the next day? How did this work?