• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Meet Kelly
  • Browse All Recipes
  • Contact

The Anthony Kitchen logo

  • Recipe Index
  • Dinner Ideas
  • Dessert
  • Entertaining
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
  • Stay in touch...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home · Recipes · Side Dishes · Best Mashed Potatoes | Recipe

    April 13, 2018

    Best Mashed Potatoes | Recipe

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    The best mashed potatoes are easier than you think! These easy mashed potatoes are made extra smooth and creamy thanks to a couple of simple ingredients, plus, the trick to the lightest, fluffiest potatoes ever!

    An overhead shot of a pot of mashed potaotes with a wood spoon resting in the pot.

    Homemade mashed potatoes have got to be one of my all-time favorite comfort food side dishes. It's the dinnertime side my mother made the most of growing up, and sadly, the side I make the most sparingly as an adult. Not because they're hard, not because I don't still adore them, but mostly because you can only stretch a pair of jeans so far. If only they would grow with me. But alas they won't, and when it comes to mashed potatoes, I want the real deal.

    HOW TO MAKE THE BEST MASHED POTATOES

    How 'bout a little Mashed Potato 101? Start with Russet potatoes.

    HOW TO CUT AND BOIL POTATOES FOR MASHED POTATOES

    Peel them using a vegetable peeler, and cut them into cubes. To easily cut Russet potatoes, quarter the potatoes lengthwise and cut into 1" cubes. Add the cubes to a large saucepan, and cover with water by 2". Then, you'll bring the potatoes and water to a boil, and let 'em go until fork tender.

    HOW TO GET 'EM LIGHT AND FLUFFY

    Here's where the perfect comes in: The trick to super light and fluffy mashed potatoes is to add them back to the saucepan after the water has been drained, and return them to the heat. Then, you stir them (using a sturdy spoon) until you start to notice a film building up on the bottom of the pan. This is an indication that the excess moisture has evaporated, meaning the potatoes are no longer water-logged. Removing that excess water makes for perfectly fluffy potatoes. This is a trick I picked up from my favorite cookbook author, Mr. Rick Rodgers, in his Big Book of Sides. And, let me tell ya -- it works.

    An overhead shot of mashed potatoes in a pot with two slices butter that are melting. Above the pot of potatoes are more slices of butter and a wood spoon that is covered with mashed potatoes.

    WHAT TO PUT IN THE POTATOES

    When it comes to mashed potatoes, I want them decked out, lusciously smooth and creamy. Want to know what goes perfectly with mashed potatoes and also happens to be smooth and creamy? It's good ol' fashioned butter that does the trick. Want to know what else helps to make them creamy? You'll never guess. Just kidding, it's super obvious -- it's cream. And, this my friends, is precisely why I save them for special occasions.

    Real potatoes, real butter, real cream -- real ingredients -- make all the difference in the world.

    ON TO THE MASHING...

    There is more than one way to mash a potato, but the easiest is probably with your handy-dandy potato masher. However, the potato masher won't necessarily ensure a smooth consistency, so if lumps aren't in your wheelhouse than a potato ricer might be the best option for you. You could also enlist the help of an electric handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. However, do not beat the potatoes on a speed higher than medium-low, or they could become somewhat chewy in texture.

    A wood spoon full of mashed potatoes being held over a pot full of mashed potatoes.

    So there you have it: The best mashed potatoes ever. They don't require fussy ingredients, and they certainly don't require a great deal of time. Perfectly rich and decadent, light and fluffy, and absolutely everything a scoop of mashed potatoes should be. Please, enjoy.

    5 MORE POTATO RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE

    • Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole features buttery mashed potatoes with cream cheese, crispy thick-cut, bacon, freshly grated Cheddar, and chopped green onions. The perfect make-ahead side dish casserole!
    • Smashed Potatoes feature baby gold potatoes (or red potatoes) smashed and smeared with a garlic-Parmesan butter, then roasted to crispy perfection.
    • Twice-Baked Potatoes with Cheddar and Bacon are the best way to eat a loaded baked potato! Made with cream cheese, Cheddar, bacon, and chives! 
    • Cheesy Mashed Potatoes feature creamy mashed potatoes with an über cheesy makeover! With three kinds of cheeses, these potatoes are baked until hot and bubbly and served up in casserole form for the ultimate comfort food side dish!
    • Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes require no dressing and no packet! Just a little seasoning and you’ve got a perfect batch of crispy, oven-baked Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes.
    4.24 from 21 votes
    Quick and Easy Mashed Potatoes
    Print
    Best Mashed Potatoes
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    25 mins
    Total Time
    35 mins
     

    Homemade mashed potatoes made with Russet potatoes, butter, and cream.

    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
    Servings: 8 Servings
    Calories: 340 kcal
    Author: Kelly Anthony
    Ingredients
    • 4 Russet potatoes peeled, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1” chunks
    • ¾ cup unsalted, room temperature butter
    • 1 cup heavy whipping cream, warmed (in the microwave is fine)
    • 1 ½ teaspoons  Kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon  black pepper
    Instructions
    1. Add potatoes to a medium-sized saucepan, fill to cover with water by 2 inches and place over medium-high heat. Allow to come to a boil and reduce to a rapid simmer. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
    2. Strain the potatoes and place back into the saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir the potatoes around until a slight film develops on the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes. This is an optional step, however it aids in releasing any excess moisture from the potatoes, making them lighter and fluffier.
    3. Add butter, cream, salt and pepper to the potatoes and mash using a wooden spoon, a whisk or a handheld mixer on low speed until smooth to your liking. Serve and enjoy.

    Nutrition Facts
    Best Mashed Potatoes
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 340 Calories from Fat 252
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 28g43%
    Saturated Fat 18g113%
    Cholesterol 87mg29%
    Sodium 377mg16%
    Potassium 472mg13%
    Carbohydrates 20g7%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 969IU19%
    Vitamin C 6mg7%
    Calcium 40mg4%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Pinterest image of Simple Homemade Mashed Potatoes

    « Breaded and Baked Panko Pork Chops
    Salisbury Steak Recipe »
    1263 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly

    Looking for more recipes?

    Be sure to check out the recipe index where you can browse recipes by meal type and category!

    Check Out the Recipe Index

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

    Comfort food is my specialty, and it is truly my pleasure to share these recipes with you. If you’d like to get to know me a little better, click here.

    Trending recipes

    • Strawberry Cupcakes
    • Shrimp Po Boy
    • Jalapeno Popper Dip
    • Buffalo Chicken Sliders
    • Chile con Queso
    • Pizza Dip

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for weekly recipes
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Contact

    • Work with me
    • Contact