Homemade creamy mashed potatoes perfect for a weekend dinner or a holiday table.
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There’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of warm, creamy mashed potatoes. Whether you’re making mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, a weeknight dinner, or a holiday gathering, this easy homemade recipe will satisfy all your creamy, buttery cravings. It’s easy to make with simple ingredients and you can control how many calories you want to add. Of course there may be leftovers and these Italian Style Potato Pancakes will be the perfect recipe so that no mashed potatoes go to waste.
Ingredients
Potatoes – Use russet or yukon gold potatoes
Water – For boiling the potatoes
Salt – For salting the water and also adding flavor to the potatoes
Heavy Cream – For rich flavor, you can substitute half & half or whole milk for less calories
Butter – Find a good quality salted butter (French butter is amazing). Unsalted will work as well if that’s all you have or you need to watch your salt intake.
Black Pepper – For flavor
Cream Cheese (Optional) – For a bit of tang and extra creaminess to the mashed potatoes
Chives (Optional) – For added flavor
Instructions
Peel and cut the potatoes into large even chunks and place them into a large dutch oven or stockpot.
Add 8 cups of water and 1 tsp of salt to the water. Make sure the water covers the potatoes and they have room to move as they boil.
Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are fork tender about 30 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and return them to the same stockpot you used to cook them in. Turn on the heat and give them a couple quick stirs to dry them out a bit. Then turn off the heat but leave it on the burner and continue to assemble. This way it stays warm.
Using a potato masher or potato ricer, mash the potatoes until they are starting to come together.
Add 1/2 cup of warmed heavy cream, 3 tbsp of room temperature salted butter, and 1-2 tbsp of room temperature cream cheese(optional), and the black pepper. Mix until the potatoes are creamy, smooth and everything is combined.
Taste for flavor and add extra salt or a bit more cream if needed.
Top with extra pats of butter and chives if desired.
Recipe Notes
- If using a potato masher you may still have small chunks of potato, a potato ricer will give it a more creamy texture.
- Cream cheese gives a bit of tang to the dish
- A good salted butter may be all you need for the mashed potatoes, with no additional salt required.
- If you want the mashed potatoes less thick add more cream or milk.
Serving Suggestion
I like to keep the potatoes in the big pot on the stovetop once they are ready. Then right before serving turn the burner on for a few minutes to warm the mashed potatoes back up if needed. (I tend to do this on holidays). Then place into a bowl to serve.
Substitutions
- You can use half and half, whole milk, 2% milk for a lighter version
- If you are dairy-free you can sub in non-dairy milk and butter
Creamy Mashed Potatoes: Simple, Classic, Delicious
Equipment
- 1 Potato Masher or Ricer
Ingredients
- 3 lb Potatoes, Russet, peeled and cut into large chunks make sure they are even in size
- 8 cups Water
- 2 tsp Salt, divided
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream, warmed can sub in 1/2 & 1/2 or whole milk
- 3 tbsp Butter, Salted, room temp can sub in unsalted
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1-2 tbsp Cream Cheese, softened Optional
- 1 tbsp Chives, diced Optional
Instructions
- Peel and cut the potatoes into large even chunks and place them into a large dutch oven or stockpot.
- Add 8 cups of water and 1 tsp of salt to the water. Make sure the water covers the potatoes and they have room to move as they boil.
- Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are fork tender about 30 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the same stockpot you used to cook them in. Turn on the heat and give them a couple quick stirs to dry them out a bit. Then turn off the heat but leave it on the burner and continue to assemble. This way it stays warm.
- Using a potato masher or potato ricer, mash the potatoes until they are starting to come together.
- Add 1/2 cup of warmed heavy cream, 3 tbsp of room temperature salted butter, and 1-2 tbsp of room temperature cream cheese(optional), and the black pepper. Mix until the potatoes are creamy, smooth and everything is combined.
- Taste for flavor and add extra salt or a bit more cream if needed.
- Top with extra pats of butter and chives if desired.
