The Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Here come’s the crowd pleasing favorite- mashed potatoes! They are rich, creamy, easy to make, and will be everyone’s favorite side dish!

The best garlic mashed potatoes

These mashed potatoes would go fabulous with sweet tea pork chops, crispy chicken with white wine pan sauce, or one pan bacon dijon mustard chicken.

I know this an odd flex, but I really do make the very best mashed potatoes. I know this because it’s always my family and friends favorite side dish. After they run back for seconds and thirds of my mashed potatoes, they tell me these are the best ever!

I have a secret ingredient that I add to make them super flavorful and delicious. Don’t worry, I’m willing to give up my secrets so you’re able to make the best mashed potatoes for your Thanksgiving table. Or any table that calls for this delicious side dish.

These mashed potatoes are the very best because they are creamy, buttery, garlicky, and rich! This recipe makes a large batch, enough for all your holiday company! If you are just making these for the family, no worries- they reheat perfectly!

I must add, these were so delicious with my bacon wrapped turkey. Thanksgiving has never been the same since I started wrapping my turkey with smoked bacon, and these mashed potatoes just kick our holiday plates up a notch!

Ingredients

• Russet potatoes– Russet potatoes are cheap, always available, and an all around good potato to use for just about anything. I have more suggestions down below on other kinds of potatoes you can use.
• Butter– Salted butter makes these mashed potatoes rich and creamy!
• Heavy cream– The mashed potatoes are rich and creamy because the heavy cream adds the perfect flavor and texture!
• Chicken bouillon– Okay, the cat is out of the bag. Chicken bouillon is my secret ingredient for the best mashed potatoes ever. I like to use Better Than Bouillon chicken flavor because it’s super flavorful.
• Seasoning– Garlic and onion powder and a pinch of salt bring all the delicious flavors together.

Chef’s tips

What kind of potatoes to use

The biggest debate of the century- what kind of potatoes should you use for mashed potatoes? Each person will have their preference because each kind of potato has their own flavor and texture. Here are a few of my favorites!

• Russet
• Yukon Golds
• Red potatoes
• A mixture of russet and Yukon gold
• Sweet potatoes

Do not over boil

First, you want to peel the potatoes (unless you are using red potatoes, then you can leave the skin on if you’d like).

Next, chop the potatoes into small, uniform, bite sized pieces no larger than 1 inch.

Bring a large pot to a roaring boil, then add the potatoes. Do not over cook the potatoes because they will become water logged and hold too much liquid. They can also start to disintegrate since they are smaller pieces. The point of chopping the potatoes into smaller pieces is to reduce the cooking time.

Keep your eye on the potatoes, once your fork can easily pierce the potato pieces with little resistance, they are ready to be drained.

Do not over mix

Here’s the key to making the best mashed potatoes of your life (strong statement, I know)- do not over mix them. Over mixed potatoes are kind of like cake batter, if you mix the batter too much, it becomes dense, and almost gluey. It’s no bueno.

Once you drain the cooked potatoes, place them back in the pot. Use a potto masher to mash them about 75%. Add the butter, heavy cream, seasoning, and chicken bouillon, then continue mashing until everything is just combined. That’s it, it’s really that easy, folks!

Make it your own

You can easily make these mashed potatoes your own by adding a few additional ingredients. This is a terrific base mashed potatoes, but with a few tweaks, you can really kick it up a knotch.

Here are a few additional ingredients you can add to make these mashed potatoes your own creation!

• Bacon, jalapeño, cheddar cheese– My favorite combo! Crispy bacon bits with fresh diced jalapeño and a generous sprinkle of cheddar cheese is fabulous!
• Garlic– When I am really feeling lazy and don’t feel like chopping garlic, I just add a dash of garlic powder and a pinch of salt. Easy, peasy!
• Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs– Nutty parmesan and fresh herbs like parsley, oregano, thyme, or rosemary is a fresh Italian twist.
• Loaded mashed potatoes– All the best ingredients are combined to make these loaded mashed potatoes! Bacon bits, fresh chives, cracked pepper, and sour cream are a heavenly combination.
• Buttery herb– Fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary are perfect additions to mashed potatoes, add the butter and you’ve got yourself something delicious!
  

How to make the best mashed potatoes

1. Prepare the potatoes. Peel the potatoes, then dice them into bite sized pieces.
2. Boil the potatoes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes to the pot and cook until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork (about 10 min.).
3. Mash and stir. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes to the desired consistency. Add the butter, heavy cream, chicken bullion, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is just combined.

How to store and reheat

You can store the mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To reheat, place them in the microwave for 3-5 minutes, or warm them in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram to stay in touch! I love to see your creations! Tag me at #SeaSaltSavorings to show me what you’ve made!