Homemade Mashed Potatoes Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Light, fluffy Homemade Mashed Potatoes made from 5 simple ingredients in about half an hour. Rich, buttery and good next to almost anything. I’ll show you how to make them 2 days ahead, how to reheat them so they come back creamy, and how to freeze them for the holidays.
How These Homemade Mashed Potatoes Get So Fluffy
My mom used, and still uses, a hand mixer, which is what most recipes tell you never to do, and hers were the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had. So I kept doing it her way.
The problem isn’t the mixer, it’s beating them too long. Work potatoes too hard and they go sticky and pasty instead of fluffy. A food processor or a blender does it in about 8 seconds. A whisk attachment on medium is different, because it folds air in instead of pounding them, and that’s how you end up with a mash that’s properly whipped.
Two other things keep it from going wrong. Yukon Golds are right in the middle for starch, so they’re much harder to ruin than Russets. And you stop the moment they’re smooth, because every extra 30 seconds past that is working against you.
Beyond that there’s no technique to speak of. The rest of the recipe is boiling potatoes, which I trust you to manage.
Ingredients In Homemade Mashed Potatoes
- Potatoes (4 pounds, peeled and cubed): Yukon Gold is what I always use. Peel them and cut them into even pieces, because uneven pieces mean some turn to mush while others are still hard.
- Salt (1 teaspoon, for the water): This goes in the cooking water, not at the end. Potatoes soak up salted water as they boil, so they’re seasoned all the way through instead of just on the outside.
- Unsalted butter (4 tablespoons, room temperature): Leave it on the counter while the potatoes boil. Cold butter from the fridge cools the potatoes down and takes longer to work in evenly.
- Half and half (1 cup): Milk works and makes a lighter mash. Half and half makes them richer, and heavy cream makes them richer still. I’d keep whatever you use somewhere warm, since cold dairy hitting hot potatoes is another way to end up with a cold side dish.
- White pepper (½ teaspoon): Black pepper is fine if that’s what you have, you’ll just see the specks. White pepper disappears into them completely and has a slightly earthier taste, which is the main reason I like it here.
What Are The Best Potatoes For Mashed Potatoes?
Yukon Gold, and it all comes down to how much starch a potato has. They are right in the middle for starch, which means they mash up creamy without falling apart, and they’ve got a naturally buttery flavor and a faint golden color. They’re also the most forgiving if you mix them a bit too long.
Russets have the most starch of the three, so they mash the fluffiest and soak up butter and cream like nothing else. The catch is they fall apart more easily in the water and they’ll turn gluey faster if you overwork them. Wonderful potato, slightly less room for error.
Red potatoes, new potatoes and anything described as waxy are the ones I’d avoid. They’re low in starch and high in moisture, so instead of going fluffy they go gummy and a little slippery. Save those for potato salad, where staying firm is exactly what you want.
And if you can’t decide, half Yukon Gold and half Russet is a real thing people do, and it gets you the fluff of the Russet with the body of the Yukon. Worth doing if that’s what you already have in your pantry.
How Long To Boil Potatoes For Mashed Potatoes
For 1 inch cubes, 15 to 20 minutes from the moment the water comes to a boil.
Size changes it quite a bit, so here’s the range:
- 1 inch cubes: 15 to 20 minutes
- 2 inch chunks: 20 to 25 minutes
- Small whole potatoes: 30 to 40 minutes
Start them in cold water, which is what people usually skip. If you drop raw potatoes into water that’s already boiling, the outsides cook through long before the middles do, and you end up mashing a mix of mush and little hard bits. Cold water that heats up with the potatoes in it cooks them evenly from edge to center.
Go by a fork, not a clock. Slide a fork into a piece and it should go in with no resistance at all, and the piece should slide back off on its own. If you have to shake it off, give them 3 more minutes.
If you leave them in long past done they take on water, and then your mash comes out loose no matter how little dairy you add. Drain them properly too, and give the colander a good shake.
How To Make Homemade Mashed Potatoes
Get them in the pot: Peel the potatoes and cut them into even pieces, roughly 1 inch. Put them in a large pot, cover with cold water so the water sits an inch above them, and add about 1 teaspoon of salt.
Boil them: Bring the pot up to a boil over high heat, then turn it down to medium and let it cook for about 15 minutes. Test with a fork, and when it slides in without any fight they’re ready.
Drain well: Into the colander and give it a shake. Any water left clinging to them ends up in your mash.
Mash them: Put the potatoes into your mixer bowl and start on medium with the whisk attachment. Then in go the butter, the half and half, the white pepper and a pinch more salt.
Mix until they’re smooth and fluffy and then stop. You’ll see them go from chunky to creamy fairly quickly, and that’s your cue. Past that point you’re just making glue.
Taste them: Taste before it goes to the table, every single time. Potatoes absorb a lot of salt and they almost always want more than you think. This is also where I usually add another pat of butter, because I have never once regretted it.
How To Thicken Mashed Potatoes
This is for when you’ve already mashed them and they look soupy in the bowl, which usually means a little too much water came along with the potatoes or a little too much milk.
- Put them back in the pot over low heat. Scrape the mashed potatoes out of the mixer bowl and back into the pot you boiled them in, then stir for 3 or 4 minutes with the lid off. The extra water steams away and they tighten up on their own. This is the first thing I’d try.
- Stir in instant potato flakes. I know. But a tablespoon at a time works beautifully and nobody can tell, and the flakes are just dried potato anyway. Wait a minute between spoonfuls, because they keep thickening after they go in.
- Or just let them sit. Lid on, off the heat, 10 minutes. They firm up a little as they rest and sometimes that’s all it takes.
Adding more butter won’t help, it just loosens them further. And I’d skip cornstarch here, because it leaves a slightly slick feel in something this simple.
If they come out loose every time you make them, it’s probably because they boiled past fork tender and took on water, or they weren’t drained well enough.
What Can I Add To Mashed Potatoes?
I usually make this basic version but these are all good options.
- Garlic. Peel 4 or 5 cloves and boil them right along with the potatoes, then mash them in. They go soft and sweet and mellow, which is so much better than raw garlic, and it takes no extra work at all.
- Cream cheese or sour cream, about ¼ cup in place of some of the half and half. Both add tang and both make them a bit denser.
- Cheese. Sharp cheddar, Parmesan or Gruyere, stirred in at the end while the potatoes are still hot enough to melt it.
- Chives, green onion or parsley, stirred through right at the end so they stay bright and green. If you want them loaded, there’s my Cheesy Mashed Potatoes With Bacon And Chives.
- Roasted garlic if you’ve got a head of it already roasted, which is sweeter and deeper than the boiled kind.
- Brown butter. Melt the butter and keep going until it smells nutty and turns golden, then pour it in. It takes 4 minutes and the flavor is nuttier and deeper all the way through.
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
These mashed potatoes hold up really well made ahead, and if you’re planning your Thanksgiving menu, I’d plan it this way. It’s one less thing to cook on the day and it frees up a burner.
Up to 2 days ahead: Make them as written, cool them, and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. Make them a little looser than you’d want to serve, with an extra splash of half and half, because they thicken up as they sit cold.
Reheating a make ahead batch: Low heat on the stove with another splash of half and half, stirring until they’re hot and creamy again. Or covered in a 350°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes with a few pats of butter on top.
Holding them warm on the day: A slow cooker on the warm setting will keep them good for 2 to 4 hours. Butter them, add a splash of cream, give them a stir every half hour or so, and keep the lid on.
What I wouldn’t do is make them more than 2 days ahead and hope. They’re better fresh or frozen than they are sitting in the fridge for 4 days.
How To Reheat Mashed Potatoes
Whichever way you choose, add a splash of liquid. Mashed potatoes dry out in the fridge, and reheating without more cream or milk gets you something stiff and pasty.
- Stove: Low heat, splash of half and half, stir until hot. The best result and it takes about 10 minutes.
- Oven: Into a buttered dish, splash of cream, a few pats of butter on top, cover with foil, and 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes. I’d do this if I had a big batch.
- Microwave: Fine for a bowl. Add liquid, cover, and go in 1 minute bursts, stirring between each one so the edges don’t get hot while the middle stays cold.
- Slow cooker: On low with cream and butter, stirring now and then. Slow but very hands off.
Can You Freeze Mashed Potatoes?
Yes, and they freeze far better than you’d expect, because all that butter and cream protects the texture. Plain mashed potatoes with no fat in them freeze badly.
Let them cool completely, then portion them into freezer bags and press them flat so they stack and thaw quickly. Mine keep up to 10 months in the freezer.
Thaw them overnight in the fridge, then reheat with a splash of half and half and a bit more butter. They’ll look a little separated when they first thaw and come back together as soon as they’re warm and stirred.
If you’re storing them in the fridge, keep them in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days.
What To Do With Leftover Mashed Potatoes
Leftover mashed potatoes are great for a lot of things.
- Potato Croquettes are the best use for them. Rolled, breaded, fried, crisp outside and soft in the middle.
- Irish Potato Cakes need barely anything besides the potatoes themselves and go straight into a pan.
- Skillet Shepherd’s Pie if you’ve got enough left over to cover the top.
- Potato soup. Stir leftover mashed potatoes into broth with some sauteed onion and it thickens right up into something close to my Creamy Loaded Potato Soup, with about a tenth of the work.
- Potato bread or rolls. Mashed potatoes in a dough make the crumb really soft, and that’s why they go into my No Knead Potato Bread.
Can I Make Mashed Potatoes In The Instant Pot?
You can, and it saves you watching a pot. Everything goes in together, so there’s no draining and no guessing about doneness.
I’ve got the full version written up as Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes with the times and the pressure settings. It’s the same end result, and on a day when all 4 burners are already busy, that counts for a lot.
What To Serve With Mashed Potatoes
Pretty much anything with gravy.
- Roast Beef or Prime Rib Roast for the big holiday version.
- Salisbury Steak and Meatballs With Mushroom Sauce, both of which come with enough sauce that you’ll want something underneath to catch it.
- Beef Stew or Guinness Braised Short Ribs spooned right over the top.
- Smothered Pork Chops and Oven Baked Chicken Thighs for an ordinary weeknight.
- And Bangers And Mash With Onion Gravy over on Craving Home Cooked.
More Great Recipes To Try
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Homemade Mashed Potatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 4 pounds potatoes (peeled and cubed, Yukon Gold or Russet)
- 1 teaspoon salt (for the cooking water)
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 1 cup half and half cream (or milk)
- ½ teaspoon white pepper ((or black pepper))
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Make sure all the potatoes are cut into equal size pieces so that they all cook at the same time. Place the 4 pounds of cubed potatoes into a large pot and fill it with cold water, enough to fully cover the potatoes. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water and stir.
- Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a medium and cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes and add them to the bowl of your mixer. Mix the potatoes using the whisk attachment on medium until mashed. Add the 4 tablespoons of butter, 1 cup of half and half, ½ teaspoon white pepper and a pinch of salt.
- Mix the potatoes until smooth and fluffy. Taste for salt and adjust to taste.
Equipment
Notes
- Use Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes and cut them to equal size so they cook evenly.
- Salt the cooking water. The potatoes absorb it as they cook and come out seasoned all the way through.
- Drain them well. Water left on the potatoes makes for a loose, mushy mash.
- Bring the butter to room temperature, or add it while the potatoes are still hot so it melts in quickly.
- A mixer gives you a fluffier, more whipped texture than a hand masher. Use the whisk attachment on medium and stop as soon as they’re smooth.
- Always taste and adjust the seasoning before serving. Potatoes take more salt than you expect.
- These freeze well for up to 10 months. Cool completely, portion into freezer bags and press flat, then thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat with a splash of half and half.
- Leftovers keep 3 to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Start the potatoes in cold water, not boiling. Cold water that heats with them in it cooks them evenly from edge to center.
- To make them ahead, make them slightly looser than you want to serve them and keep up to 2 days in the fridge, then reheat with more half and half.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Why did my mashed potatoes turn gluey?
They were beaten too long. Past a certain point potatoes stop getting fluffier and start going sticky, and food processors and blenders get there almost instantly, so keep those well away. Stop the mixer the second they look smooth, and if yours go gluey often, switch from Russets to Yukon Golds.
Do I have to peel the potatoes?
Not at all. Skins on gives you a rustic mash with little flecks through it, which plenty of people prefer. Use thin skinned potatoes if you’re going that way, scrub them well, and expect a slightly chunkier result since the skins don’t break down.
Milk or half and half?
Both work. Milk makes a lighter mash, half and half makes a richer one, and heavy cream goes richest of all. Warm whatever you use, because cold dairy poured into hot potatoes brings the whole bowl down in temperature.
Can I use a potato masher instead of a mixer?
Yes. A hand masher gives you a slightly denser, more textured mash and it’s almost impossible to overdo. A potato ricer or a food mill is the gentlest tool of all and makes the smoothest mash of any of them, if you happen to own one.
Can dogs eat mashed potatoes?
Plain cooked potato is fine for dogs in small amounts. Mashed potatoes made like these aren’t really, because of the butter, cream and salt, and absolutely not if you’ve added garlic or onion, which dogs shouldn’t have at all. So a little plain potato for the hopeful face at your knee, and that’s where I’d leave it. Mine have heard this speech before.
Are mashed potatoes healthy?
The potato itself isn’t the problem. It brings potassium, vitamin C and a decent bit of fiber if you leave the skins on. The butter and cream are what people mean, and a serving of these comes in around 265 calories. Use milk instead of half and half if you want to bring that down, and keep the salted water, which seasons them without needing extra salt later.
My potatoes are watery. What happened?
Either they boiled past done and took on water, or they weren’t drained well enough. Give the colander a proper shake next time, and look at the thickening section above for how to rescue the batch you’ve already got.
