When you think about it, there are so many side dishes that you can serve with your lunch and dinner. My personally, I’m crazy about french fries, and I can eat french fries with virtually anything (heck, I’ll even enjoy fries as an entire meal by themselves!). And then, of course, there’s the ever popular Macaroni & Cheese with the never ending debate on whether it should be wet or a brick (for the record, I like mine to be in-between!). That being said, perhaps the most versatile side dish of them all is the incomparable and classic mashed potatoes. In this post, I’m going to share my receipe for the creamiest and fluffiest mashed potatoes you’ve ever had!
Key Ingredients for Creamy Mashed Potatoes
This recipe for creamy Mashed Potatoes is made using some of your standard ingredients: Potatoes, Spices/Herbs, Salt and Pepper. That said, what makes this recipe stand out from the rest is the use of Yukon Gold Potatoes, Heavy Cream and Sour Cream.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: There are different types of potatoes that are commonly used for potato-based dishes. Perhaps the most well-known potato of them all is the Russet potato, known known for being quite starchy. For this reason, Russet potatoes are often the preferred choice when it comes to french fries. The problem with Mashed Potatoes is, all of that excess starch can cause them to become gummy/gluey. Meanwhile, there’s Red Potatoes, which are great for making roasted potato dishes because of their waxiness and their firmness. They’re also not ideal for mashed potatoes though because they’re harder to mash. Yukon Gold Potatoes offer a safe middle ground between both, and feature a naturally buttery flavor as well.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: There are many recipes for Mashed Potatoes that will call for the use of milk or even half and half. The reason I prefer not to use either of them is because they both contains a much higher water content, which dilutes the overlal richness of the final dish while adding more moisture. For this same reason, the biggest problem with milk is it may also end up making the mashed potatoes too watery, and it can be difficult to remove that excess liquid once it’s been added. The higher fat content is also what helps creates a smoother and creamier with the potato starch, giving the mashed potatoes a velvety texture .
- Sour Cream: You will get mixed opinions from people on the addition of sour cream for Mashed Potatoes (some will opt for the additional of cream cheese or mayo instead). This is mainly because some may not care for the tangy flair it gives them. However, I think those who are fans of baked potatoes will really love sour cream in mashed potatoes as well, as they will taste somewhat similar to the inside of a baked potato. What the sour cream also does, when combined with the heavy whipping cream, is reduce the need for butter with its fat content. Its acidity also provide a nice contrast to the richness that is associated with the heavy whipping cream.
And that’s all there is to it! While Mashed Potatoes is typically served as a side dish, it is just as good by itself as a snack or even an entree for lunch/dinner. By the time you finish reading this post, you will also be a pro at making this dish yourself and you’ll have your family & friends begging to make these all the time!
Tips for Making this Recipe
Don’t cook on too high heat. A common mistake that a lot of noivce cooks make is they assume if you turn up the heat for whatever you’re cooking, that will make the food cook faster. The truth is, either you’ll end up burning your food (to the point that it’s no longer appetizing) or, if you’re boiling something, you’ll end up having all of the liquid evaporate before the food is done cooking. The other risk with Mashed Potatoes in particular is that they will cook on the outside before the inside is done cooking, which will make it harder to mash them properly. For the best results, you should cook the potatoes as instructed in this recipe.
Use a sharp knife. I often see a lot of folks peeling their cutting their potatoes with steak knives. While they can get the job done in a pinch if it’s all you have on hand, you will have a much easier (and safer) time cutting the potatoes with a knife that has much sharper edges. With potatoes being so thick & dense, there’s not only the risk that the chunks of potatoes won’t cut as evenly (which would become a problem with trying to cook them for a set amount of time), but there’s also the heightened risk of you cutting yourself. For the best results, I recommend a Santoku Knife (which is what I use) or a Chef’s Knife.
Do not undercook. Similar to the tip above about overcooking your potatoes, you should also avoid undercooking your potatoes. If anything, if you had to pick one poison between the two, it’s better to overcook the potatoes than undercook the potatoes. Undercooked potatoes will simply make the dish unpleasant to enjoy. For one, the texture of the potatoes themselves won’t be very appetizing as they will tend to be crunchy (the potatoes should be tender). But also, the potatoes will be much more difficult to mash and thus you’re liable to end up with Mashed Potatoes that are extremely lumpy. While somewhat overcooked potatoes are also not ideal, they can be rescued (sort of) with proper seasoning and added fat.
Avoid using a mixer. I’ve seen many blogs and videos all over the internet and social media with people suggesting that you whip your mashed potatoes with a hand mixer. Honestly, I’m not sure where this idea came from, but I don’t recommend it at all for a couple reasons. For one, if you boil your potatoes properly, they should mash easily with a hand masher, alleviating the need for having to use a mixer. But more importantly, the bigger risk with using a mixer is that stirring the potatoes at such a high speed will cause them to become gluey and gummy, thus no longer appetizing. There is never a need to ever overwork mashed potatoes to that extent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add Cheese or Bacon to this recipe?
Absolutely! These are all very common add-ins that you find will only further elevate the dish.
Can I substitute the Sour Cream for Greek Yogurt?
The answer to this question gets tricky.
You *COULD* replace the Sour Cream with Greek Yogurt, but with a couple of important caveats. While there are many similarities to both of them and they are often used interchangeably in many dishes, their composition is not entirely equal. For starters, as the name suggests, Sour Cream is made from cream and tends to contain a lot more fat (whereas Greek Yogurt is made from fermented milk), thus you would be losing the richness it infuses into the Mashed Potatoes. In addition, Greek Yogurt will tend to have a more pronounced tangy flavor than Sour Cream, which may not be appealing to everyone.
All of that said, the short and sweet answer I can give you is I don’t recommend it. For a more detailed answer to this question, see above.
Can I use instant potatoes in place of the whole potatoes?
Absolutely not! Point blank and period!
Can I use a potato ricer or food mill to mash the potatoes?
You certainly can! While using a hand masher is best, the ultimate objective with mashing potatoes is ensuring that you’re not overworking them and that they don’t turn out gummy/gluey. Both a potato ricer and a food mill, if you have one readily available to use, don’t have hte heightened risk of overworking that you would get with a hand mixer.
Can I freeze these Mashed Potatoes? And if so, for how long?
You certainly can! Just be aware, there is the possibility that the ingredients could separate somewhat. To fix this, you should just stir them together (as well as add splashes of milk or cream if too thick) until they’re well-combined again. These Mashed Potatoes should maintain its freshness in the freezer for up to 2 months. Then once you’re ready to eat it, slowly thaw the out in the refrigerator overnight before attempting to heat it. Just be sure to place it in an airtight container.
How long can I store these Mashed Potatoes in the refrigerator?
As long as the Mashed Potatoes are stored in an airtight container or bowl, it should be safe to eat for at least 3 days. After 3 days, I would advise that you dispose of the Mashed Potatoes as they may no longer be edible.
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Rich & Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Equipment
- 1 3qt Saucepan
- 1 Colander
- 1 3qt Mixing Bowl
- 1 Knife
- Butcher Block *OR* Cutting Mat
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
Ingredients
- 2 LB Yukon Gold Potatoes (roughly 5-6 medium-sized potatoes)
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream (room temperature)
- 2 TBSP Sour Cream (room temperature)
- 1 TSP Iodized Salt
- 1 TSP Garlic Powder
- 1 TSP Onion Powder
- 1 TSP Dried Parsley
- 1/2 TSP Dried Rosemary
- 1/2 TSP Dried Thyme
- 1/4 TSP Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter (optional)
- Chives (for garnish; optional)
Instructions
- Peel & cut potatoes into bite size chunks
- Place cut potatoes in bowl and fill bowl with water until they're covered, allowing to soak for 30 minutes
- Drain & thoroughly rinse potatoes under cold water (repeat approx. 3-5 times).
- Place clean potatoes in 3qt saucepan with 8 cups of water and warm on medium to medium-high heat until boiling
- Once boiling, continue cooking potatoes on medium to medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes***
- Remove potatoes from heat and drain water using colander
- Immediately transfer hot potatoes to mixing bowl and mash using hand masher
- Add heavy whipping cream, sour cream + seasonings and optional butter then fold together with mashed potatoes until well-incorporated.
- Transfer mashed potatoes to serving bowl or dish and top with chives for garnish (optional)