How to Make Simple Mashed Potatoes

Co-authored by Helen Rennie

Last Updated: October 24, 2024 Approved

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It's hard to think of a more classic side dish than a bowl of mashed potatoes. Always served at the holidays, mashed potatoes are one of those rare festive foods that also make appearances throughout the entire year. Whether served with fried chicken, roasted turkey, stew, or as part of shepherd's pie, mashed potatoes can be as fluffy and creamy as you like or rustic and slightly chunky. Either way, you'll see why mashed potatoes are anything but a boring side dish.

Ingredients

4 or 5 average-sized potatoes
1/2 to 1 cup of milk, half-and-half, or chicken stock (depending on how creamy you want the potatoes to be)
2 or 3 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making Rustic Mashed Potatoes

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1
Choose your potatoes. There are a few basic options when it comes to buying potatoes: baking, boiling, and all-purpose potatoes. All have different qualities when it comes to flavor and texture.^{[1]
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Research source}
- Baking potatoes, such as Russets, are high in starch which creates light and fluffy mashed potatoes.
- Boiling potatoes, such as red potatoes, are considered waxy which means they hold their shape and may create lumpy mashed potatoes.
- All-purpose potatoes, such as Yukon Golds, fall in between boiling and baking potatoes in terms of texture. They do offer a butterier flavor than Russets.
2
Wash the potatoes. Use cold water and gently scrub the entire potato. Look for dark patches where dirt might have settled. If you wash the potatoes in a bowl of water, be sure to rinse them before cutting.
- You can use a small brush specifically designated for cleaning potatoes or produce. This will help scrub away any dirt that's firmly stuck.
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3
Prepare your potatoes for boiling. You can cook the potatoes with the skins on or you can peel them before cutting them. Simply cut your potato into quarters or cubes.
- Leaving the skins on will give your mashed potatoes more texture. For this reason, you should consider using Yukon Golds, which have a thinner peel than Russets.
4
Cook your potatoes. Place your prepared potatoes in a large saucepot and fill with cold water. The potatoes should be covered by an inch or two of water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a lively simmer and cook for 10 to 20 minutes. The potatoes are done when you stick a fork into them and they start to fall apart.
- You can salt your water for extra flavor, just as though you're cooking pasta. The potatoes will absorb the salt as they cook.^{[2]
  X
  Research source}
- Avoid using hot water and covering your pot with a lid. This will make the potatoes cook unevenly and can lead to gluey potatoes.^{[3]
  X
  Research source}
5
Prepare your liquid. While the potatoes are cooking, heat up chicken stock or milk until warm and get some butter out of the fridge.
- Use chicken stock if you'd like the potato flavor to really shine. Milk, ranging from skim to whole, will make creamier potatoes.
- Heating your liquid will keep the mashed potatoes hotter for longer. Warm liquid is also absorbed better by the potatoes.
6
Drain and prepare the potatoes. Use a strainer or lift the potatoes out with a slotted spoon. Return the cooked potatoes to your pot on the stove. Add your room temperature butter and start mashing the potatoes.
- The best tool for mashing rustic potatoes is a simple potato masher. Avoid mashing too much or you'll be left with more of a puree. You may want to leave small chunks and skin somewhat intact.
7
Add your warm liquid. Gradually add some of your warm stock or milk. Stir gently and add a bit more liquid if your potatoes are still loose. Keep adding liquid gradually until the potatoes bind together.
- Avoid adding all your liquid at once. You could end up with too much liquid which makes mushy mashed potatoes. Your potatoes will need more or less liquid depending on potato type and level of starchiness.
8
Season and serve. Taste the potatoes and add salt, pepper, and/or more butter, as you like. Serve while they're still warm or keep covered until ready to eat.
- Minced chives or paprika make great garnishes for mashed potatoes.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making Smooth and Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Download Article

1
Choose your potatoes. There are a few basic options when it comes to buying potatoes: baking, boiling, and all-purpose potatoes. All have different qualities when it comes to flavor and texture.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- Baking potatoes, such as Russets, are high in starch which creates light and fluffy mashed potatoes.
- Boiling potatoes, such as red potatoes, are considered waxy which means they hold their shape and may create lumpy mashed potatoes.
- All-purpose potatoes, such as Yukon Golds, fall in between boiling and baking potatoes in terms of texture. They do offer a butterier flavor than Russets.
Use cold water and gently scrub the entire potato. Look for dark patches where dirt might have settled. If you wash the potatoes in a bowl of water, be sure to rinse them before cutting.
Peel and then simply cut your potato into quarters or cubes. Very large chunks or halves will take a long time to cook. Try cutting your potatoes into cubes around a few inches in size.
4
Cook your potatoes. Place your prepared potatoes in a large saucepan and fill with cold water. The potatoes should be covered by an inch or two of water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a lively simmer and cook for 10 to 20 minutes. The potatoes are done when you stick a fork into them and they start to fall apart.
- You can salt your water for extra flavor, just as though you're cooking pasta. The potatoes will absorb the salt as they cook.^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
- Avoid using hot water and covering your pot with a lid. This will make the potatoes cook unevenly and can lead to gluey potatoes.^{[6]
  X
  Research source}
5
Prepare your liquid. While the potatoes are cooking, heat up chicken stock or milk until warm and get some butter out of the fridge.
- Use milk or cream for the creamiest mashed potatoes. Half-and-half is a great way to add buttery richness to your mashed potatoes.
- Heating your liquid will keep the mashed potatoes hotter for longer. Warm liquid is also absorbed better by the potatoes.
6
Drain and mash the potatoes. Use a strainer or lift the potatoes out with a slotted spoon. Return the cooked potatoes to your pot on the stove. Add your room temperature butter and start mashing the potatoes.
- The best tool for creating creamy and fluffy mashed potatoes is a potato ricer. To use, simply fill the hopper, or bowl of the ricer, with your cooked potatoes and press down. The potatoes will be pushed through the small holes of the ricer.
7
Add your warm liquid. Gradually add some of your milk. Stir gently and add a bit more liquid if your potatoes are still loose. Keep adding liquid gradually until the potatoes bind together.
- Avoid adding all your liquid at once. You could end up with too much liquid which makes mushy mashed potatoes. Your potatoes will need more or less liquid depending on potato type and level of starchiness.
8
Season and serve. Taste the potatoes and add salt, pepper, and/or more butter, as you like. Serve while they're still warm or keep covered until ready to eat.
- Minced chives or paprika make great garnishes for mashed potatoes.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do I make a simple garlic mashed potatoes?

Helen Rennie
Chef
Helen Rennie is a chef based in Natick, Massachusetts. She is both the owner of a cooking school and the creator of Helen’s Kitchen, a YouTube channel where she teaches cooking techniques and food science to over 560K subscribers. Helen’s classes and videos focus on many topics, including knife skills, fish, meat, poultry, sauces, vegetables, beans, grains, pies, tarts, pastry, pizza, pasta, grilling, and more. She started her cooking career with an internship in Casablanca Restaurant, and eventually earned a teaching position at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. In 2005, she founded Helen's Kitchen, her culinary education business where she teaches people to cook. Since its founding, Helen’s Kitchen has taught 1,000+ students. Helen's cooking philosophy centers on finding creative ways to prepare local ingredients. She teaches cooking classes in her house in Natick with a strong focus on culinary techniques and food science. She received a BS in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University.

Helen Rennie

Chef

Expert Answer

First, start by making your garlic flavoring by roasting it low and slow. Cut whole garlic heads in half, drizzle them with olive oil, sprinkle a little salt, and pop them into a pan. Roast for about 275-300°F for a couple of hours until the cloves turn soft, sweet, and golden—no sharp, spicy garlic here, just smooth, mellow flavor. You can do this step days in advance and store the roasted garlic in the fridge. For the mashed potatoes, I recommend yukon gold because they’re buttery and perfect for mashing. Simmer them in salted water until fork-tender. Once drained, dry them out by spreading them on a baking sheet and putting them in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes. Popping them in the oven helps evaporate any leftover steam, this gives a smoother texture instead of something gummy or grainy. Finally, when you mash, add your butter first! This coats the starches and keeps the texture creamy when you add your liquids—whether that’s milk, sour cream, cream cheese, or whatever you're feeling. Finally, add in that roasted garlic for a rich, deep flavor.

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Question

What can you use for mashing it if you don't have a potato masher?

Community Answer

A wooden spoon or two forks work.

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Are there any herbs that I can use for mashed potatoes?

Community Answer

You can add a little bit of parsley and chives to your mashed potatoes.

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Warnings

Don't boil or mash potatoes in a non-stick coated pot, you can easily damage the coating.

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Boiling water and steam can scald, so be careful when handling the pot.

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Take caution to avoid cutting yourself when peeling and chopping the potatoes.

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