Mashed Potatoes

 

Indulge in the ultimate comfort food: creamy, fluffy homemade mashed potatoes! This easy recipe creates a classic side dish that pairs beautifully with roast turkey, beef, or pork chops.

Perfect for any occasion—from Thanksgiving to weeknight dinners—these mashed potatoes strike the ideal balance of thickness and fluffiness. Try my foolproof recipe for irresistible results every time!

Ingredients in Mashed Potatoes

3-4 pounds Russet potatoes

1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Peel potatoes and cut into quarters. Place potatoes in a large stockpot and cover with cold water, add salt (about 1-2 teaspoons) and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for about 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork.

Combine milk or heavy cream with butter in a microwave-safe bowl and place in the microwave for about 40 seconds or until the butter is melted. This makes it so the milk doesn't cool off your potatoes when you add it.

Drain potatoes and mash with a potato masher or mix in a stand mixer with whisk attachment. If you do a stand mixer, make sure to keep it on low to medium speed. Slowly add milk/butter mixture until you reach your desired consistency, adding more milk if you want the potatoes to be thinner. 

Mash in sour cream and salt & pepper. Serve immediately.

You want to use a nice, starchy potato such as Russet, Idaho, or Yukon Gold potatoes when making mashed potatoes. Russet is the cheapest and easiest to find, which is why most people prefer to use them. They are perfectly high in starch and mash. Idaho potatoes are very similar to Russet potatoes and will mash up the same. If you like a more creamy, buttery taste, go with Yukon Gold. You really can’t go wrong with either. Yukon golds are nice because the skin isn’t as thick and dry as a Russet, so you don’t have to peel them perfectly. In fact, leaving a little bit of the peel on adds nutrients and gives it a nice texture. If you want the best of both worlds, use half of each.

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts from Phoenix University in Business Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Phoenix University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, Gouche, and pastels. As a political operative having worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 6 blogs that range from art to life coaching, to food, to writing, and opinion or history pieces each week.