The Easiest Recipe For Making Basic Mashed Potatoes
This recipe for making basic mashed potatoes will give you a delicious, classic side dish. You can make it in less than 40 minutes with just a handful of ingredients.
I love making this recipe for any holiday like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. But I also make it a few times a week for a quick dinner since it goes with everything!
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You will only need a few ingredients to make home-cooked mashed potatoes. I only use a potato masher to get that wonderful creamy texture that melts in your mouth.
Basic Mashed Potatoes Video Tutorial
Ingredients for Making Mashed Potatoes:
- Potatoes: I love making basic mashed potatoes with russet potatoes. They are starchy potatoes that will easily melt as soon as you start mashing them with the rest of the ingredients.
- Butter: Lots of it! This ingredient will add lots of flavor. You can also use margarine if that is all you have on hand, but nothing beats the creamy flavor of real butter.
- Milk: Always use whole milk because the fat content enhances the flavor of the potatoes. You can also use heavy cream or half and half.
- Salt and Pepper: Use salt to taste but you will find that you’ll end up using more than you think you need. As for pepper, you can use either white or regular pepper.
How to Make the Best Mashed Potatoes:
- Peel the potatoes and remove any small knots with a sharp knife or the tip of a potato peeler. Cut the potatoes into small cubes, about 1-inch.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with plenty of water. You can season the water with some salt if you want. Boil them until you can easily pierce them with a knife. This can take about 20-25 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Drain the potatoes and place them again in the same pot and burner until the remaining liquid evaporates.
- At this point, you can mash them with a potato masher.
- Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time while you continue to mash the potatoes. Slowly add the hot milk and season with salt and pepper. You can fluff them with a large spatula. It works great!
What Do I Need to Make Mashed Potatoes?
Not much, which is a great reason to make this recipe.
- The first thing you need is a pot large enough to cook your potatoes. I love stainless steel because I can mash the potatoes in it without worrying about scratching the pot. This 5 qt. Cuisinart Dutch Oven is a great option.
- The second tool is a potato masher. There are all kinds of mashers that you can choose from, like this KitchenAid stainless steel wire masher. If you prefer a masher with a shorter handle, this one by OXO is super easy to use. And, if you are looking for a silicone masher to avoid scratching your non-stick pots or pans, this Urbanstrive silicone masher is outstanding. The best thing about owning a masher is that you can also use it to mash other ingredients like bananas, cooked apples, boiled eggs, or cooked pumpkin.
- The third tool would be a spatula. I use a regular silicone spatula to fluff the mashed potatoes right after I season them with salt and pepper. It’s a great tool to have on hand and it works great.
Tips for Making Great Mashed Potatoes:
- Use starchy potatoes like russets. They are fluffy and easily absorb any ingredient that you add to them.
- Cut the potatoes into small cubes. This will make them easier to cook and mash.
- Place your drained potatoes back into the pot and on the same burner you used, turned off. This will evaporate any extra liquid.
- Use real butter. The more, the better! Also, make sure it’s softened so that it can melt easily with the potatoes.
- Use hot milk. If you use cold milk, it’ll turn your potatoes cold in just a few minutes.
- Don’t skimp on the salt. Add it to taste and keep tasting your potatoes as you mash along.
How To Store and Reheat Mashed Potatoes:
- Refrigerate. The best way to store mashed potatoes is to refrigerate them in an airtight container. This way they will last for about 3-4 days.
- Reheat. Reheat any leftovers for a few minutes in the microwave. I like to add a small amount of milk to make them creamy once again.
- Keep warm. If you need to keep them warm until serving, you can place them in the oven set to its lowest setting. You can also keep them warm in a slow cooker set to warm.
Serving Suggestions For Mashed Potatoes:
Mashed potatoes go well with almost anything! That’s why everybody loves them. Here are a few suggestions:
- Fried Chicken
- BBQ Ribs
- BBQ Chicken
- Maple Glazed Salmon
- Grilled Flank Steak (Carne Asada)
- Colombian Sobrebarriga en Salsa (Flank Steak With a Tomato Sauce)
¡Buen Provecho!
Basic Mashed Potatoes
This recipe for making basic mashed potatoes will give you a delicious, classic side dish. You can make it in less than 40 minutes with just a handful of ingredients.
Ingredients
- 3-4 large russet potatoes (about 2 lbs)
- Water (enough to cover the potatoes)
- ½ stick of butter (4 tbsp or 56.5 g softened or at room temperature)
- ½ cup 120 ml hot whole milk, heavy cream, or half and half
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch (2.54 cm) cubes and place them in a pot large enough to cook them. Cover them with water, season with salt to taste, cover the pot, and bring them to a boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat and cook at a low simmer (low to medium-low) for about 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and you can easily pierce them with a knife. Turn off the heat.
- Drain the cooked potatoes well and put them back in the pot. Place the pot back on the hot burner (turned off) so the remaining heat evaporates any leftover liquid.
- Once they are dry, you can start mashing them with a potato masher. Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, while you continue to mash. Now, add the hot milk and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste and finally fluff them with a spatula or a whisk before serving.
Notes
- You can keep the mashed potatoes warm in the oven set to its lowest setting or in a slow cooker set to warm.
- Store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
