How to Make Mashed Potatoes Recipe (With Video)

Servings:

6

Mashed potatoes are an easy side dish, a classic comfort food, and a real crowd-pleaser. Whether you’re making them to serve at a holiday feast or weeknight dinner, they are usually the first dish to go. (Count yourself lucky if you end up with leftovers!)

Homemade mashed potatoes are simple to make with our foolproof recipe and we have a few tips and tricks to help you make the fluffiest, most buttery mashed potatoes you’ll ever taste. We’ll also share how to upgrade this classic side dish and how to make them ahead and reheat them.

Perfect Mashed Potatoes — Credit:
Carson Downing

The Best Potatoes to Use for Mashing

Russet potatoes are our first choice for making mashed potatoes. Russets have a high starch content that makes for fluffy mashed potatoes. Yukon gold potatoes are also a good option—they are less starchy, so use these if you want the mashed potatoes extra rich and creamy.

5 Tips for Making Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Keep this advice in mind when making mashed potatoes, and your spuds will always be fluffy, light, and delicious.

Cook the potatoes properly: The spuds are done when you can slide a paring knife in and out with little to no resistance. If the potatoes are overcooked, you run the risk of them being gummy once mashed. Undercooked and your mashed potatoes will have unpleasant clumps.
Dry out the mashed potatoes: Once they have boiled, we like to cook the potatoes for another minute until they begin to dry out and leave a film behind on the bottom of the pan. This helps some of the moisture evaporate so that the flavors of the butter and milk can really come through.
Add hot liquid to the potatoes: We warm the milk and butter before incorporating them into the potatoes. When they are warmed they mix in better because they’re at a similar temperature to the potatoes. Your mashed potatoes will be super smooth this way.
Don't overmix: Mix the potatoes only just until mashed to your desired consistency. Overmixing can make them gummy or tough.
Season well: This starts with the water used to cook the potatoes. A generous amount of salt and a touch of nutmeg can make a huge difference.

3 Methods for Mashing Potatoes

There are several ways to mash potatoes. You can use a low-tech tool, like a good old-fashioned potato masher, or break out the mixer or potato ricer.

Electric mixer: One of the techniques used in this mashed potato recipe, the potatoes are transferred to an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment before slowly adding the milk and butter. You can also use a bowl and handheld mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer.
Ricer: The other technique we give step-by-step instructions for in this recipe. A potato ricer is a specialized tool and if you have one, this is the method you'll use. It produces a finely textured mashed potato.
Potato masher: The simplest technique, skip the machinery and extra bowls and mash the potatoes directly in the same pot you cooked them in. From there, you can use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to incorporate the remaining ingredients.

For stiffer mashed potatoes: Use only 3/4 cup of milk or cream

For richer mashed potatoes: Add another 2 tablespoons of butter.

Directions

Ingredients Perfect Mashed Potatoes — Credit:
Carson Downing

Peel potatoes:

Peel and cut potatoes into 1 1/2-inch-thick pieces.

Credit:
Carson Downing
Cook potatoes:

Place in a medium saucepan. Cover with cold water; add 1 tablespoon salt; bring to a simmer. If using a potato ricer, fill another saucepan with water; place over low heat. Keep potatoes at a low simmer until a knife slips in and out easily.

Credit:
Carson Downing
Drain:

Drain potatoes in a colander.

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Carson Downing
Warm milk:

Place milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.

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Carson Downing

Option 1: Using a Ricer to Mash the Potatoes

Press potatoes through ricer:

If using a potato ricer, place a heat-proof bowl or top of a double boiler over a pan of simmering water. Press hot, drained potatoes through ricer into bowl.

Credit:
Carson Downing
Stir potatoes:

Stir potatoes with a wooden spoon until smooth, about 1 minute.

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Carson Downing
Add butter:

Using a whisk, incorporate butter.

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Carson Downing
Add milk:

Drizzle in hot milk, whisking continuously.

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Carson Downing
Season and serve:

Add pepper, nutmeg, and salt to taste; whisk to combine. Serve.

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Carson Downing

Option 2: Using an Electric Mixer to Mash the Potatoes

Mix until most lumps have disappeared:

Transfer hot, drained potatoes to bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed, until most lumps have disappeared, about 1 minute.

Credit:
Carson Downing
Add butter:

Add butter; mix until blended.

Credit:
Carson Downing

Credit:
Carson Downing
Add milk and seasoning:

On low speed, add hot milk in a slow stream, then add pepper, nutmeg, and salt to taste. Mix to combine.

Credit:
Carson Downing

Making Mashed Potatoes Ahead

Mashed potatoes can be made ahead, cooled to room temperature, and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days before being reheated.

Freezing

You can also freeze the cooled mashed potatoes in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating.

How to Reheat Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are easy to reheat; feel free to make them ahead of time and warm them up before dinner. Let them sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes and reheat one of the following two ways:

Water bath: Bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a simmer in a saucepan. Place the mashed potatoes in a heatproof bowl and set it over the pan of simmering water. Cook over medium heat, stirring the potatoes a few times, until they are warmed through. If needed, add a few more splashes of milk or cream to loosen.

Microwave: Heat the potatoes in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring well in between, until warmed through. Add more milk or cream to thin the potatoes as needed.

Mashed Potato Upgrades

Substitute some or all of the milk for sour cream, cream cheese, or buttermilk. Any of these dairy options will add a bit of tang to the dish.
Add a handful of grated Gruyère, Manchego, or Parmesan cheese at the end, stirring just until melted.
Brown the butter before stirring it in. This will add an extra nutty flavor; it's a perfect touch for special occasions.
Top with fresh herbs like chives, scallions, or parsley, or sprinkle with crispy onions or shallots.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you salt the cooking water for mashed potatoes?

We always salt the cooking water for mashed potatoes. It’s important to season the mashed potatoes at each step of their preparation. Cooking the potatoes in salted water will help give them lots of flavor from the get-go.
Is it better to use milk or cream in mashed potatoes?

You can use milk or cream in mashed potatoes, we don't have a preference—we like both. Using either dairy product will add body and richness to mashed potatoes, but there is a difference. Adding heavy cream will make the side dish extra decadent, so you might want to save that option for a special dinner.
Do you rinse potatoes after boiling for mashed potatoes?

No, we don’t rinse potatoes after boiling them when making mashed potatoes. This is because rinsing removes much of the starch from the potatoes. You don't want to get rid of the starch as it is useful for thickening the mashed potatoes.
Why are my mashed potatoes grainy?

There are a few reasons why your mashed potatoes are grainy or gritty. The most likely cause is that the potatoes were undercooked when you mashed them. To avoid this, test the potatoes with a paring knife when you think they are done; if the knife slips in and out of the potatoes easily, they are cooked.