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Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Homemade Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Steven Pennington
There's nothing quite like a big bowl of creamy mashed potatoes. They're the perfect comfort food, no matter what time of year it is. And while they may seem simple enough to make, there are a few tricks of the trade that will help you take your mashed potatoes from good to great.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine French | American
Servings 4 people
Calories 199 kcal

Suggested Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large Russet Potatoes (or Yukon Golds) Use more if you enjoy leftovers. (Serving side is ½ cup per person).
  • ⅓ cup Half and Half Cream Eye it and see if your potatoes need a bit more; some potatoes hydrate more than others)
  • 1 tbps Butter Adding more is a personal touch.
  • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions
 

Home To Make Creamy Mashed Potatoes

  • The recipe starts with peeling the potatoes. Then soak the peeled and cut potatoes in cold water for at least 10 minutes before cooking them. This will help remove some of the excess starch, which can make your potatoes gummy.
    Add the potatoes to a large pot filled with cold water. Always start cooking potatoes with cold water. If you place large potatoes in hot water, the outside will overcook and become grainy/watery.
    Be sure to cook your potatoes until they're nice and tender. You should be able to easily pierce them with a fork. If they're not cooked through, they won't mash as well.
  • Use half milk plus half cream (or all milk) in your mash. This will give them the perfect balance of richness and creaminess. For an extra indulgent treat, swap in some half and half for some heavy cream. Just be sure not to use all heavy cream, or your mash will be too greasy.

Mashing The Potatoes

  • Mash by hand using a potato masher or ricer for light, fluffy results. If you're in a hurry, you can use an electric mixer, but take care not to overmix, or you'll end up with gluey spuds.
    Another option is using a food mill, a large device placed on top of a large bowl and has a handle you turn that passes the potato through, creating a light fluffy texture.

Seasoning The Mashed Potatoes

  • Season generously with salt and pepper (and don't be afraid to get creative with other herbs and spices). Potatoes are bland on their own, so they really need that flavor boost. A little bit of butter never hurts.

Notes

History of Russet Potatoes

Russet potatoes are a type of potato that is most commonly used for making French fries because they have a high starch content and a low moisture content. They are also the type of potato that is used to make mashed potatoes. Russet potatoes are named for their brown skin, which is rough and has a lot of small bumps on it. The flesh of a russet potato is white.
Russet potatoes originated in South America and were brought to Europe by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. They were then brought to North America by British colonists in the 17th century. Russet potatoes became popular in the United States in the 19th century, and they are now the country's most commonly grown type of potato.
There are many varieties of russet potatoes, but the most common ones are the Russet Burbank and the Russet Norkotah. The Russet Burbank is the most popular type of russet potato, and it was developed by Luther Burbank, a famous American horticulturist, in the 1870s. The Russet Norkotah was developed in Colorado in the early 20th century.
Russet potatoes are a good dietary fiber, vitamin C, and potassium source. They are also low in calories and fat.
Keyword Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes Recipe