Mashed Potatoes - These Delicious and Creamy Mashed Potatoes are a tasty side dish everyone will love. Prep in 30 min, ready in an hour. So Delish.
Serve this side dish with one of our tasty main dish recipes, like our Simple Oven Roasted Turkey Breast and gravy for your next family dinner.
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Why This Recipe Works
This tasty recipe can be made a 2-4 days ahead of time and are still just as delicious reheated. We will show you how.
Here's What You Need
You'll need just a few simple ingredients to make this tasty recipe:
- 3 pounds russet or Yukon gold potatoes
- 5 quarts cold water
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt (Added to boiling water)
- ½ cup of salted butter (1 Stick) + 3 tablespoons to top
- 4 ounces sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Notes on Ingredients
- russet (Idaho) - Russet, the common choice for fluffy mashed potatoes due to their high starch content.
- yukon gold - Yukon gold, a thin skinned variety with a balanced starch to water content which makes them a great all-purpose potato, good for mashing.
- salted butter - I use salted butter in everything for its pleasing taste. Room temperature.
- sour cream - Full fat, room temperature sour cream.
- kosher salt - Add salt to the boiling water and most of it will be poured out when they are drained. If you salt the water properly as indicated in this recipe, you will not need to season with additional salt.
- ground black pepper - Add fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Substitutions
Cream Cheese - Substitute 8 ounces of cream cheese for sour cream and this recipe will be just as delicious.
How to Make It
This tasty side dish recipe can be ready in about an hour by following simple 6 steps.
- Peel and dice.
- Boil.
- Drain in a Colander.
- Add butter and sour cream.
- Mash and adjust seasonings.
- Top with butter and serve.
Recipe FAQ's
Set to the side, covered with aluminum foil and reheated in the microwave, if necessary. They can also be refrigerated for 2-4 days, taken out and set on the counter for an hour and brought up to room temperature, then and reheated in microwave or in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes.
The easiest way to mash is to use a masher to press down into the potatoes repeatedly until smooth, leaving some lumps.
Another option is to use a potato ricer, or food mill to express the potatoes through a sieve-like device. producing the smoothest, creamiest result.
Do not use a hand mixer, as this will overwork the potatoes, releasing too much starch, and cause the them to be of a gummy consistency.
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Tasty Toppers
Variations - Try any of these tasty toppers:
- Bacon bits
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Diced green onion
- Chives
- Chili - Try our tasty Ground Bison Chili Recipe.
How to Reheat Mashed Potatoes
Day They Are Made - When they are ready, cover with aluminum foil and set them aside until ready to serve. Reheat in the microwave, if necessary, when dinner is ready to serve.
Make-Ahead - Refrigerate for 2-4 days. On the day you are ready to serve them, take them out of the refrigerator and bring them up to room temperature. This will take about an hour. Then reheat in either the microwave or oven.
- Microwave - Reheat in microwave
- Oven - Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Cover with aluminum foil and reheat in the oven for 30 minutes or until they reach 140°F, as measured with a fast and accurate thermometer like this Thermapen® ONE (affiliate link).
There you have it. Mashed Potatoes in 6 easy steps. It's as easy as that. We hope you enjoy our super simple, super tasty recipe for the very best mashed potatoes every time. Try it and let us know how you like it. We'd love to hear from you!
xo ~ Seanna
Watch How to Make It
What To Serve With Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Pot Roast - Fork tender slow cooked beef, with a rich, garlicky au-jus. Super easy dinner recipe full of savory flavor.
- Oven-Baked Ribs - Make these fall off the bone ribs and you'll have everyone coming back for more!
- Simple Oven Roasted Turkey Breast - Tender & juicy with a savory garlic & lemon-infused herb butter that is easy to make and so delicious.
- Simple Gravy Recipe Without Milk - Elevate your meal with this dairy-free gravy recipe made from pan drippings. This flavorful pan gravy is made with simple ingredients and can be ready in 5 minutes.
More Tasty Potato Recipes
- The Best Potato Soup - Loaded with Queso Chihuahua Cheese and bacon. So Delish.
- Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes - Salty and tasty with the perfect combination of crispy outside and pillowy soft potato inside. You won't be able to stop eating these.
- Easy Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole - Aka funeral potatoes, are a family favorite and the perfect side dish for everyday family dinners or for holiday meals.
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📖 Recipe
Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet or yukon gold potatoes
- 5 quarts water cold
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- ½ cup salted butter 1 stick + 3 tablespoons to top
- 4 ounces sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Peel and Dice Potatoes. Dice into equally sized ½ inch pieces and put them into 5 quarts of cold water.3 pounds russet or yukon gold potatoes, 5 quarts water, 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- Boil Potatoes. Boil until fork tender.
- Drain Potatoes. Drain into a colander and put them back into the empty pot.
- Add Butter and Sour Cream. Add Butter and Sour Cream.½ cup salted butter, 4 ounces sour cream
- Mash and Adjust Seasonings. Mash until they are smooth and creamy. Do a taste test and then adjust seasonings. Do not add salt without tasting first. They will have absorbed enough salt from the water during the cooking process and no more salt will need to be added. Add fresh ground pepper to taste.¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Top with Butter and Serve. Transfer to a serving dish and top with 3 Tablespoons of Butter. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Bacon Bits, Sour Cream, Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Diced Green Onion, Chives, or Chili - Try our tasty Ground Bison Chili Recipe. Reheating Instructions: Set finished recipe to the side, covered with aluminum foil and reheated in the microwave, if necessary. They can also be refrigerated for 2-4 days, taken out and set on the counter for an hour and brought up to room temperature, then and reheated in microwave or in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until the potatoes reach 140°F, as measured with a fast and accurate thermometer.
Nutrition
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Laura says
Such a great recipe! You make it look so easy.
Seanna says
Thanks so much Laura!
Russ B says
Perfect Thanksgiving side!
Seanna says
Thank you!