Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Rich, creamy mashed potatoes made with Yukon Golds, butter and warm half-and-half. Never gluey, and easy to make ahead for Thanksgiving.
38% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 15 min
- Cooking
- 25 min
- Serves
- 8
- Calories
- 270
- Protein
- 5 g
- Per serving
- $0.87
Why this recipe works
Mashed potatoes are the side nobody skips at Thanksgiving, and the most common problem is a gluey, wallpaper-paste texture from overworking them. A masher or ricer, warm dairy and a gentle hand fix that.
- Yukon Golds are naturally buttery and mash smooth; starting them in cold, salted water cooks them evenly to the center.
- Drying the drained potatoes over low heat for a minute drives off water so they soak up butter and cream instead.
- Stirring in the butter before the dairy coats the starch, which keeps the potatoes fluffy rather than gluey.
Ingredients
To serve
You will need
- Large pot
- Colander
- Potato masher or ricer
- Small saucepan
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Start in cold water
Put the potatoes in the pot, cover with cold water by 1 inch and add the tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer until a knife slides through with no resistance, 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain and dry
Drain well, return the potatoes to the empty pot and set over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking the pot, until they look dry and floury.
Mash with butter
Off the heat, add the butter and mash or rice the potatoes until smooth and the butter melts.
Add the warm dairy
Stir in the warm half-and-half a little at a time with a spoon until creamy. Season with the salt and pepper, taste and adjust. Top with chives.
Cook's notes
- Never use a blender, food processor or hand mixer on high: they burst the starch cells and make the potatoes gluey.
- Cold dairy cools the potatoes and won't absorb evenly. Warm it in a small pan or the microwave first.
- To make ahead, mash, spread in a buttered dish, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat covered at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes with a splash of half-and-half, or keep warm in a slow cooker on low for up to 4 hours.
Nutrition per serving
270 calories
$0.87 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 7% of calories | 5 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 44% of calories | 31 g |
| Fat | 48% of calories | 15 g |
| Fiber | 4 g | |
| Sodium | 310 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
Why are my mashed potatoes gluey?
They were overworked. Blenders, food processors and long beating release too much starch. Mash by hand or with a ricer and stir the dairy in gently.
Which potatoes are best for mashed potatoes?
Yukon Golds give a dense, creamy, buttery mash. Russets give a lighter, fluffier one. A mix of both works well too.
How do you make mashed potatoes without milk?
Use warm chicken or vegetable broth in place of the half-and-half, plus the butter. They'll be lighter but still creamy.
