Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

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These Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes turn an ordinary meal into full on comfort food mode. Smooth, rich, and packed with garlicky goodness, they come together easily but taste like you worked all day. Warning: second servings are basically mandatory.

A blue bowl full of creamy garlic mashed potatoes garnished with chives

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I grew up as the youngest of five children, and we never had a lot of money in our house. My mom was always looking for ways to stretch the food budget and keep our bellies full.

That means mashed potatoes were a staple of our family’s diet. Potatoes are relatively inexpensive, they’re easy to cook, and they’ll fill you up. Plus, my dad was Irish so potatoes practically flow through my veins!

Now that I’m a dad myself, I understand how much it costs to feed a family. So mashed potatoes still make a regular appearance at our table, but that’s not just because they’re budget-friendly. It’s because they’re delicious!

Plus, my creamy garlic mashed potatoes are extremely versatile. They’re fancy enough to serve with a Thanksgiving day turkey, but easy enough to whip up as a weeknight side dish with some Italian breaded chicken cutlets.

What Are The Best Potatoes For Mashed Potatoes?

Russet potatoes are the most budget-friendly option. They’re high in starch and will give your mashed potatoes a light, fluffy, and airy texture.

Yukon Gold potatoes cost a little more than russets. They have a rich, buttery flavor to them, as well as a creamy texture that gives you a silky smooth mash.

You can make great mashed potatoes with either Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, but in my experience you’ll get the best result by using a combination of both. You’ll get the best of both worlds with the flavor and creaminess of Yukon Gold and the extra fluffiness of russets.

Ingredients

Potatoes – Obviously! Three pounds will feed about six people, so you can easily adjust this recipe up or down as needed.
Garlic – Fresh garlic adds an unmistakable depth of flavor.
Heavy Cream – You can use regular milk if that’s all you’ve got, but heavy cream will make your mashed potatoes ultra-creamy and rich.
Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter so I can control the salt content.
Kosher salt – An absolute must have for the best flavor.

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How To Make Garlic Mashed Potatoes Step By Step

Learn how I make super-creamy garlic mashed potatoes with this step by step guide:

Start by peeling the potatoes. If you’re using Yukon golds, the skin is soft and you can leave it on if you want. Just be sure to scrub them well to remove and dirt and bacteria that may be hiding on them. If you’re using russets you’ll definitely want to peel them because their skin is thick and tough which will not give you a nice creamy texture.

Chop the potatoes into chunks and put them in a pot of cold water. Let them sit for a few minutes and you’ll notice the water becoming cloudier. This happens because the water pulls out some of the excess starches. Dump the water out, give the potatoes a quick rinse, and put them back in a pot of cold water.

Add a generous amount of salt to the water and place the pot on a stovetop over high heat and bring to boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer until potatoes are fork tender (about 20 minutes).

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While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a small sauce pan with the cream and garlic. You don’t want it to start boiling, just keep it warm.

Drain the potatoes into a colander. In small batches, run them through a potato ricer and back into the pot. Slowly add in the cream mixture and use a silicon spatula to gently combine until the potatoes are creamy and smooth.

If you don’t have a potato ricer, just put them back into the pot and use a masher or hand mixer instead.

Side by side photos, left shows garlic cream being poured into pot of riced potatoes. Right shows them being gently mixed with a silicon spatula

Season the potatoes to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm, topped with a few extra pats of butter and garnished with chopped chives or parsley.

Tips For The BEST Mashed Potatoes!

Here are some tips I’ve picked up over the years that will take your mashed potatoes to the next level:

Always start with cold water. If you dump raw potatoes into boiling water the outside will get cooked while the inside is still hard. Starting with cold water and then bringing the water to a boil will help the potatoes cook evenly.
Cut the potatoes into equal pieces so they all cook evenly in the pot.
Roasting the garlic ahead of time will give your mash even more depth of flavor.
Don’t overmix! The more you mash and mix your potatoes the more starches will be released and the more likely you are to end up with potatoes that are gummy or gluey in texture. This is why I prefer to use a ricer which is more gentle than a masher or a hand mixer.
Always melt the butter and warm the cream before adding to the potatoes. Cold dairy drops the temperature and can take longer to absorb. When the butter and cream are warm they soak in immediately so you don’t have to overmix. That means your potatoes will be silky smooth instead of gluey like wallpaper paste.

What To Serve With Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are one of my favorite side dishes because they go well with almost anything! Here are a few suggestions:

I highly recommend serving these creamy garlic mashed potatoes with my Creamy Tuscan Chicken! Spoon some of the sauce on the potatoes like a gravy and you’ve got a meal made in heaven.
Cooking for a holiday? These potatoes go great with a double-smoked ham, braised short ribs, or a Thanksgiving turkey. Did someone say smoked turkey?
They’re a key ingredient in my Shepherd’s Pie recipe, which makes an appearance each St. Patrick’s Day.
They go with pretty much any main course including roast beef, slow cooker pot roast, grilled salmon, meatloaf, sous vide pork chops, or Swedish meatballs.

Leftovers and Storage

They’re best served fresh, but these mashed potatoes will keep for a few days in an airtight container in the fridge.
You can reheat them in the microwave or on the stove over low heat, just add a little butter or a splash of cream to bring them back to life. You can also reheat them in a slow cooker.
You can use leftover mashed potatoes to make potato pancakes, a creamy potato soup, or a mashed potato and bacon pizza.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make mashed potatoes in advance?

You can make these mashed potatoes 1 to 3 days ahead of time. Store them in a 9×13 glass baking dish or in a disposable aluminum pan. Top with a few pads of butter and place in the oven to reheat.

How do you make mashed potatoes fluffy and not gluey?

Mashed potatoes get gummy when you overcook or overmix them. For the best results, you should cook until they are fork tender and use a potato ricer instead of an electric hand mixer.

Should you melt butter before adding to mashed potatoes?

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan with the cream so it is warm when added to the potatoes. The potatoes will absorb the warm dairy more easily and you won’t have to overwork the potatoes to get everything smooth and creamy.