Creamy mashed potatoes is so soft, creamy, and delicious. This recipe will make a perfect side dish for any holiday, steak, sausage and gravy, grilled veggies, and so many other combinations. You might need to make a double batch of these creamy mashed potatoes because it will disappear very quickly.
Jump to RecipeIngredients
- large russet potatoes
- salt
- pepper
- butter (you could also use vegan butter)
- hot milk (lactose-free or dairy-free)
- sour cream (if you can find dairy-free sour cream that would be wonderful!)
- freshly minced garlic
- freshly chopped chives (optional but it will add a lot of flavor)
- Water
Utensils
- Large pot
- Potato masher
- Large wooden spoon
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- Large sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Potato peeler
- Colander
Should I Peel Potatoes Before Boiling for Mashed Potatoes?
Technically, no. If you do not peel potatoes before boiling, the potato skin will drastically minimize the potatoes’ ability from absorbing water while being boiled.
However, peeling a potato after it has been boiled is kind of a pain. You either have to wait for it to cool on it’s own after draining it, or you have to run it under some cold water to speed up the process.
If you do not wait for the potatoes to cool down before peeling them, you are likely to burn your fingers. To avoid that, and the pain of peeling potatoes, I prefer to peel my potatoes first, and then boil them.
Boiling the potatoes with their skin on, results in dryer potatoes; Hence, When you mash them, they will keep some bigger chunks in the mash, and you will need a whole lot more milk and butter to accommodate for the lack of liquid in them. I guess that would mean a richer flavor!
However, if you cool down your potatoes before you peel them, they will loose most of their ability in absorbing the liquids that are being added to them, and in melting the butter.
The only way to solve this problem is by reheating them. You could do so by placing them in the microwave with a wet paper towel over them.
How Big Should Potato Slices be When You Boil them?
There is no actual size guideline to this. However, do not cut them any smaller than 2 inch cubes, and when you do slice them, make sure they are all approximately the same size. Potato slices that are too small cook very quickly, and easily crumble into nothing.
If your potato slices differ in sizes, they will cook at different times. In this case, you might end up with some that are utterly dissolved, and some that are barely cooked or hard as rock.
Why do people put milk in mashed potatoes?
Milk adds a creamy texture to the mashed potatoes. This is why these mashed potatoes are called creamy mashed potatoes because of all the milk and butter that is in them. It is the secret sauce to what makes mashed potatoes creamy.
If you are lactose intolerant or dairy free, try to choose a type of milk that is rich and creamy to ensure that your mashed potatoes turn out creamy.
Is Milk or Cream Better for Mashed Potatoes?
Milk and cream are both great for mashed potatoes. Cream is basically the whole milk along with the butter content, except in a homogenized form. So if you do use milk, you will need to add more butter, and if you use cream, you might need to add less butter.
Always make sure to use whole milk for extra creamy mashed potatoes. The higher the fat content, the richer the mashed potatoes will be.
In this recipe we use sour cream to add a bit more creaminess to our mashed potatoes, and give them a smooth texture.
What Happens When You Over Mix Mashed Potatoes?
Over mixing mashed potatoes causes the potato cells to break down and release their starch. When potato starch is heated and mixed with a liquid, it acts as a glue. This in return will give you gluey mashed potatoes.
To avoid this problem, do not use high speed food processors and mixers. Mash the potatoes until they are “smooth enough”. Keep in mind that as you add the ingredients, you will have to mash or mix as well.
How Do You Make Mashed Potatoes Creamy Again?
To make mashed potatoes creamy again, simply add a bit of butter, and a splash of whole milk or cream. Do not add too much at once. You can add one to two tablespoons at a time until you are satisfied. Remember to not overwork the potatoes.
What’s the Best Way to Reheat Mashed Potatoes?
The best way to reheat mashed potatoes is in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the potatoes in an oven safe dish with a lid, or cover them with aluminum foil.
The time of reheating will vary depending on how much mashed potatoes you are reheating. As a rule of thumb, you can check on them every 5 minutes. Once they reach the desired temperature, you can then remove them from the oven.
If your oven has a reheat or warm option, you can use that instead. Just keep in mind that this setting takes longer because the oven runs at a lower temperature than 350 while using this setting.
You can also reheat mashed potatoes in a microwave. Reheat them for 2 minutes increment at a time. Stir after each 2 minutes to ensure that the center is being reheated and the edges are not getting overcooked.
How to Reuse Mashed Potatoes
You could use this creamy mashed potatoes recipe for any dish that requires mashed potatoes such as shepherd’s pie.
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Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Large pot
- Potato masher
- Large wooden spoon
- Measuring Spoons
- Measuring cups
- Large sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Potato peeler
- Colander
Ingredients
- 6 large russet potatoes or 2 pounds
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 stick of butter at room temp plus extra for garnish (you could also use vegan butter)
- 1 cup of hot milk lactose-free or dairy-free
- ¼ cup of sour cream if you can find dairy-free sour cream that would be wonderful!
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped chives optional but it will add a lot of flavor
- Water
Instructions
- Peel and wash the potatoes. Chop the potatoes into 2 inch cubes.
- Place the potatoes into a large stockpot. Cover with cold water about 1 to 2 inches over. Bring to a boil on high heat. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. You’ll want to keep an eye on the potatoes at the end so that the potatoes don’t get too soft.
- Drain the potatoes into a large colander. Once drained, immediately place back into the hot pot. Add in the butter, hot milk, salt, pepper, and garlic.
- With a potato masher, mash the potatoes until they reach your desired consistency. I like a few small chunks in my mashed potatoes. Add in the sour cream and chives (if using any) leaving some chives for garnish. Using a large wooden spoon, mix the mashed potatoes with the sour cream and chives until everything is well combined. Do not over mix otherwise, you’ll end up with gluey potatoes.
- Use your favorite dish to serve the mashed potatoes. Top with some butter and chives for garnish.
Notes
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