Perfect Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Perfect Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Creamy, buttery, and fluffy mashed potatoes that melt in your mouth without any lumps or weird textures. This foolproof recipe creates restaurant-quality results that make everyone ask for seconds and wonder why their potatoes never turn out this good. Simple ingredients meet proper technique for the ultimate comfort food side dish.

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Course: Comfort Food, Holiday Dish, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, comfort food, traditional

Keyword: buttery mashed potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes, fluffy mashed potatoes, homemade mashed potatoes, mashed potatoes recipe, perfect mashed potatoes

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Steam Drying Time: 2

Total Time: 37

Servings: servings

Calories: 180kcal

Cost: $3.50

Equipment

1 Large pot (6-8 quart) For boiling potatoes with enough room
1 Potato masher or ricer Ricer gives ultra-smooth texture
1 Large mixing bowl For mashing if not using pot directly
1 Colander Essential for draining and steam-drying
1 Small Saucepan To warm cream/milk before adding
1 Wooden Spoon For gentle mixing and final touches

Ingredients

▢ 3 lbs Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
▢ 1 teaspoon salt for boiling water
▢ 6 tablespoon butter room temperature
▢ ½ cup heavy cream or whole milk warmed
▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
▢ 3 cloves garlic roasted (optional)
▢ ¼ cup sour cream optional
▢ 2 oz cream cheese softened (optional)
▢ 2 tablespoon fresh chives or parsley chopped for garnish

Instructions

Peel and cut potatoes into chunks. Toss them in cold water with salt, bring to boil. Cook until fork-tender. Don't overcook or you'll get soup.
Dump them in a colander. Let them sit there for a minute. Gets rid of the extra water. Trust me on this step.
Mash them while hot. Butter goes in first, then cream slowly. Keep going until they look right. Stop when they're smooth.
Salt and pepper to taste. Add garlic if you're into that. Serve hot. Reheat in slow cooker if making ahead. Should be creamy but not runny when done.

Notes

The secret to perfect mashed potatoes lies in choosing starchy Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes and never adding cold dairy straight from the fridge. Warm your cream first and use room temperature butter this prevents the dreaded lumpy texture that ruins so many batches. The steam-drying step after boiling removes excess moisture that would make your potatoes watery instead of fluffy and rich.

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