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We’ll break down the ingredients you need and the process to follow to achieve the very best mashed potatoes. Your family and friends will be requesting these again and again!
These tips apply whether you prefer your mashed potatoes light and fluffy or rich and creamy. We’ve included the recipe for The Ultimate Light and Fluffy Mashed Potatoes in this post. For rich and creamy mashed potatoes, the process is the same; the difference comes down to the types of potatoes, liquid, and fats you use.
Get the recipe for The Ultimate Rich and Creamy Mashed Potatoes
The first consideration is the type of potatoes you use—each potato variety has its own characteristics, and the starch and water content will determine the final texture of your mashed potatoes.
Yes! Before you add cut potatoes to your pot, place them in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes to remove excess starch. Then give them an extra rinse before transferring them to a pot.
Note: potatoes can be peeled, cut, and held in water for up to 2 days before boiling for mash.
For mashed potatoes, we recommend both peeling and cutting them. You can leave the peels on if you like having texture in your mash but removing them is essential to get velvety smooth mashed potatoes. And cutting the potatoes into uniform chunks is important for even cooking. Whole potatoes will take longer, and you may end up with undercooked or overcooked portions of the potato.
The type of dairy and fat you choose for your potatoes will determine their final flavor and texture. It all comes down to your taste preferences.
Heavy cream and butter will produce those velvety, rich mashed potatoes you dream about; whole milk, half and half, or oil will make your potatoes soft and airy. Other great options are coconut milk and avocado oil.
A key tip: Bring your diary and fat to room temperature before you add them. If they go into your potatoes cold, they can cause the starch to retract, resulting in gluey potatoes.
It can take between 20-45 minutes for your potatoes to cook depending on their size, type, etc. The best way to test if they’re done is to give them a poke and see if they break apart easily. Even better, you can taste them to see if they’re soft. Err on the side of overcooking rather than undercooking if you’re not sure.
Variables that can impact the cooking time include:
The last important consideration is the tool you used to mash. The mechanical process of smashing up your potatoes after they’re cooked helps break open the starchy bonds and introduces air, which is essential for that perfect mashed potato texture. You want a tool that will break up your potatoes well, but not too much.
Here is how to prepare the best mashed potatoes—light, fluffy, and delicious!
Want them rich and creamy? Follow this Ultimate Rich and Creamy Mashed Potato recipe.
Prep Time
Cook Time
Servings
4 lbs Russet Potatoes
2 cups Whole Milk
12 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
As Needed Kosher Salt
As Needed Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Large Bowl
Dutch Oven or Large Stock Pot
Colander
Potato Ricer or Masher
Rubber Spatula
Peel your potatoes and cut them into uniform pieces—we recommend 2-inch pieces. Uniformity will ensure they cook evenly.
Note: Making your chunks larger or smaller will also affect cooking time. And if you opt to leave the skins on, we recommend smaller pieces, so you’re not left with overly large chunks of skin in your final mashed potatoes.
Add diced potatoes to a bowl of cold water and let them sit for a few minutes—you should see starch sink to the bottom of the bowl. Then rinse them 2-3 times until the water runs clear.
Transfer your potatoes to a large stockpot and add enough cold water to cover them by about 1-2 inches. Too much water creates extra convection when the potatoes cook, leaving your final product watery; too little water doesn’t allow them to cook evenly.
Over high heat, bring your pot to boil and then reduce to a simmer to cook the potatoes until they’re completely tender. It’s important to bring the water and potatoes to a boil together to ensure even cooking. If you add the potatoes to boiling water, the outsides will cook first. Cook the potatoes until they are fork-tender and offer no resistance when pierced with a knife.
Once cooked, drain the potatoes in a colander and allow them to sit for 1-2 minutes to release steam.
If you’re using a ricer or food mill, place it over another pot to catch the potatoes as you pass them through. You can also use a masher or whisk to mash them directly in the pot you used to boil them.
Warm your milk and butter (or other dairy and fat) in a separate pot. If you’d like to flavor your potatoes, add herbs and seasonings to your milk before incorporating it. Gradually add your warmed milk and butter to the potatoes, gently folding them in with a rubber spatula. Going slow gives your dairy and butter time to work into the starch, achieving the ideal texture. If you add dairy in too quickly, you may wind up with watery potatoes. This also allows you to monitor the consistency of your potatoes and adjust as you go.
Finally, give your mashed potatoes a taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed. Keep them warm until it’s time to serve to preserve their texture.
We don’t recommend it. While we have some tips below about reheating mashed potatoes, they will never achieve the same texture after being chilled because the starch in them will retract and firm up again (this is why we recommend keeping them warm until you serve them). However, you can prep your potatoes up to two days in advance. Store your peeled and diced potatoes in water until you’re ready to boil them.
Reheated mashed potatoes aren’t going to have the same taste and texture as freshly made ones, but you can still enjoy your leftovers with these reheating techniques. First, store your mashed potatoes flattened in resealable bags with the air removed. This creates as much surface area as possible so your potatoes will reheat more evenly.
Start the reheating process by thawing a bag of potatoes in a bowl or pot of warm water. Then transfer the potatoes from the bag to a double boiler (you can create one with a metal bowl over a pot of water). The gentle heat will warm the potatoes slowly.
You can also use a microwave for this step but remember that you’ll get better results by reducing the power slightly. Putting the potatoes directly into a pot on the stove will also work, but you’ll need to add a bit of water, so they don’t dry out while heating up.
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