Creamy Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

These fail-proof Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes turn out smooth, buttery, fluffy, and packed with all the buttery goodness you crave. It's a forkful of mashed potato heaven, ready to serve in less than 30 minutes.

I grew up watching my mom make mashed potatoes from scratch. It was one of the very first things I ever learned to cook, and over the last 25 years, I've refined every step to eliminate lumps and maximize creaminess without adding any extra effort at all.

No lumps, no gummy mash, and no watery mess. Oh, and did I mention you can make them 2 days in advance? Score.

You'll find all my best tips and tricks for making the absolute best mashed potatoes below. The ultimate comfort food side dish!

If you love classic comfort sides, don't miss my classic mashed potatoes and potato patties. Both recipes are family favorites for holidays and weeknights alike.

Why You'll Love These Buttery Yukon Golds

While the mashed potatoes I grew up making was a traditional Russet potato recipe, I've come to love, and rather respect, other potato variations. Red mashed potatoes with skin are particularly easy and have great texture thanks to the peel, but there's just something about the Yukon gold that makes the most delicious mashed potato recipe.

Buttery Perfection | Listen, we aren't holding out on the butter here. Mashed potatoes are meant to be decadent, pure comfort food delight. So don't skip on the best part: the butter. And, as far as that buttery, rich flavor goes, Yukon Golds are your best friend. They have a natural creaminess and mild sweetness that plays perfectly with butter, and gives them an extra smooth, creamy mouthfeel.

The Perfect Mash | Our potato mashing method looks a little bit different, and trust me, it works. Rather than add all the ingredients to the pot and going to town with a masher, this recipe calls for adding the potatoes, butter, and salt first. This method gives you smoother mash because the butter coats the starch granules before too much liquid can dilute them. In layman's terms, watery mashed potatoes are a thing of the past.

That Just-Right Consistency | Once your potatoes are perfectly mashed, then it's time to add the cream. However, everyone has their own mashed potato preferences and rightfully so. In this recipe, we advise adding the cream in small increments, stirring gently after each addition until you've reached your desired consistency. This gives you total and complete control over the outcome of your potatoes.

With just a few smart tricks, you'll nail restaurant-quality mashed potatoes in your very own kitchen.

What You'll Need (and Why It Matters)

Tools That Make the Creamiest Mash

As far as equipment goes, you've got options for mashing. You can use either a potato masher, a handheld mixer, or a potato ricer. Below are the pros and cons of each:

• Handheld Mixer | The easiest of but riskiest of the three. With a motorized mixer, you're more likely to overbeat your potatoes, leaving you with a stiff, gummy mash. If you do go this route, make sure you only mix on low speed.
• Potato Ricer | For the smoothest possible mash, this is the tool you want. However, it's a fairly large tool to store for working with potatoes alone, and cleaning out those tiny little holes on the ricer takes quite a bit of patience. This tool is best reserved for holidays and special occasions.
• Potato Masher (My Pick) | This is my number one choice for mashing potatoes for everyday use. It's quick, efficient, and near impossible to overmash using this tool, meaning no gummy potatoes. The only downside is it requires a little elbow grease on your part, but not too much.

In addition to a masher, you'll also need a large saucepan or pot and a wooden spoon for mixing.

Ingredients + Smart Swaps

• Yukon Gold Potatoes | Look for medium-sized Yukon gold potatoes that feel heavy for their size with yellow-gold, smooth skin. If needed, you can sub in Russet or red potatoes for Yukon Golds in this recipe. If you end up with extra Yukons, add our garlic-parmesan smashed potatoes to your must-make list!
• Butter | Be sure to use unsalted butter for this recipe so you have complete control over the sodium levels of your mashed Yukon Gold potatoes. If you only have salted butter on hand, leave out the salt in this recipe altogether and rather season to taste at the end.
• Heavy Cream | Warm cream creates that fluffy, velvety, best-mashed-potatoes-you've-ever-had mouthfeel, and adds quite a bit of flavor too. If you don't have cream on hand, you can sub in other forms of dairy. Whole milk or half-and-half lend a lighter texture, though the end result won't be quite as luxurious.
• Sour Cream | Adds a subtle tag and even more creaminess. You can use Greek yogurt in it's place for a lighter, healthier touch.
• Kosher Salt | You will use salt both at the start and end of this Yukon Gold mashed potato recipe, and make sure it's Kosher salt. This is the best salt for seasoning water, and the large granules will help penetrate and break into the potatoes during the mash. If you only have regular table salt, but the quantity back by half.
• Pepper | You can use black or white ground pepper for this recipe.
• Chives | Optional, but wow. Major difference maker.

How to Make the Creamiest Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

Prep + Boil the Potatoes

Prep | Scrub the skin of the potatoes and cut them in half. If your Yukon Golds are on the larger side, cut them into quarters.

Boil | Add them to a large saucepan or pot and cover with cold water by one inch. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and season the water with Kosher salt. Adding salt to the water at the start will help to season the potatoes. Bring to a boil.

Simmer | Reduce the heat until you've reached a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Test a larger piece for doneness; it should pierce easily with a fork.

Pro Tip: Your potatoes will cook evenly and have less of a gummy texture if you begin with cold water in the pot. It keeps the exterior of the potatoes from becoming waterlogged during the boil, and the interior from undercooking. Cold water at the start keeps your potatoes fluffy and smooth.

Mash to Perfection

Strain | Place a colander in the sink and strain your mashed potatoes well.

Peel | Leaving the skin on adds texture and nutrition to the dish, but if you're going for a silky smooth consistency, use a set of tongs to peel the skins away from your potatoes. It should slide right off!

Mash | Add the potatoes back to the pot and add the butter and salt. Seasoning with the salt at this point helps to penetrate the potatoes with flavor from within. Use a potato masher or handheld mixer on low to mash in the pot until smooth to your liking. Stop mashing as soon as the lumps are gone to avoid over-mashing your potatoes and gluey results. Never mix with beaters on high speed.

Note: If you are using a potato ricer, transfer your potatoes directly from the colander to the ricer. Press them over the pot, working in batches until all of the potatoes are riced. Then, add your remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Add Cream, Butter, and Seasoning

Warm the Cream | Warm the cream before adding. Do not use cold dairy, as it can cool the mixture too soon and change the texture.

Add Dairy | Add in the warmed cream about a ¼ cup at a time, stirring gently after each addition. Continue on until the potatoes reach your desired consistency. You may need need all the cream, but note, mashed potatoes will thicken as they sit and cool.

Pro Tip: Warming your dairy prevents the mash from cooling too fast and keeps things smooth while stirring and incorporating ingredients.

Add Seasoning | Add the black pepper and chives and additional salt to taste, if needed. Stir once more, serve warm with beef gravy on top, and enjoy!

Make-Ahead Tips & Storage

I make mashed potatoes in advance quite literally all the time. It's one of the reasons I love serving them so much!

Make-Ahead | You can make Yukon Gold mashed potatoes up to 2 days in advance. Make as directed and transfer to an 8x8-inch casserole dish. Allow to cool, then cover tightly with 2 layers of aluminum foil, and keep in the refrigerator.

Reheating | Thirty minutes prior to serving, transfer to a preheated 300°F oven and place on the center rack. Stir the potatoes at the 20 minute-mark. If still cool, cover and return to the oven to bake for 10 minutes more. If needed, add a warm splash of cream to add moisture back into the potatoes before serving.

Store | Mashed potatoes will keep in an airtight container for up 4 days in the refrigerator. Freezing isn't recommend due to the high amount of fat content. Separate will occur once thawed.

If you're hosting, make them a day or two ahead. Then, all you have to do is reheat, fluff with a splash of cream, and you're good to go!

Mashed Potato FAQ & Fixes

What to Serve with Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

From weeknight meatloaf to Thanksgiving roasted turkey to an elegant Christmas dinner starring beef tenderloin, this mashed potato recipe works with any and every dinnertime protein, regardless of the occasion. Whether you're making these potatoes for a quick family meal or Thanksgiving dinner, this rendition is delicious and easy enough fit the occasion.

Easy Weeknight Dinners | Keep things quick and satisfying with comforting sides like steak fingers, crockpot chicken legs, or pork chops with mushroom gravy. Simple veggie sides like buttered corn or a fresh house salad round out the meal nicely!

Southern Thanksgiving | No Thanksgiving is complete without a mountain of creamy mashed potatoes alongside juicy turkey and a generous pour of gravy. Add in cornbread dressing, green bean and sweet potato casserole, and a spoonful of cranberry sauce for an unforgettable feast.

Christmas Dinner | When you want to elevate Yukon Gold mashed potatoes for an extra special night like Christmas dinner, pair it with prime rib or pork loin and an au jus sauce on the side. Prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, roasted carrots, or homemade rolls make this the perfect foundation for an elegant holiday meal.