This Ina Garten Mashed Potatoes recipe is one of the best. It is incredibly buttery and creamy, it is easy to make, and it is the perfect addition to every meal. A holiday meal simply would not be complete without a large bowl of creamy, dreamy mashed potatoes, and this recipe is one of the best.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The mashed potatoes and stuffing are always my favorite parts of any Thanksgiving or holiday feast since they are so versatile and blend well with everything else. They are particularly delicious when accompanied by gravy, sauce, or meat dishes such as Swiss steak, Salisbury steak, or beef tips.

• Their silky, luscious consistency makes it impossible for anybody to refuse them (and anyone can learn to perfect them)!
• This mashed potato dish is versatile and complements a wide variety of dishes, despite the fact that it is simple to prepare.
• You may eat them on your own or combine them with other meals to make a full meal. Either way, they are delicious.

The Best Potatoes For Mashed Potatoes

Because of the high starch content, Russet potatoes and Idaho potatoes are the ideal varieties of potatoes to use for making mashed potatoes. Another excellent choice is Yukon gold potatoes, which have a texture that is somewhat more buttery and not nearly as starchy as that of red potatoes.

You may leave part of the skin on the potatoes if you are using Yukon gold potatoes to add a little texture. Russet and Idaho potatoes both have skins that are somewhat rough and need to be removed before eating.

Ina Garten Mashed Potatoes Ingredients

The mashed potatoes in this recipe are plain, but if you’d want to add some cheese for taste, feel free to do so.

• Butter. In this particular scenario, a more appropriate solution just is not available. When you are creating these cheesy potatoes, you should not use fake butter for the real thing. You may use unsalted butter instead of salted butter if you don’t have any, and you can add salt to the potatoes to taste after cooking them.
• Cream/Milk. For this recipe, I prefer to use warmed whole milk, but you may certainly use cream in its place if you want. Reheating the dairy will result in the creamiest potatoes.
• Seasonings. Once more, I’m keeping things simple by simply adding salt and pepper to the dish. If you enjoy the flavor, you may enhance it by adding some chopped garlic cloves to the water that the potatoes are cooking in. In addition, you might incorporate chives in this meal (add them with the butter).

How To Make Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes?

Use vegan butter and the potato cooking water you saved in place of milk in this Ina Garten mash potato recipe to make a dairy-free (and vegan) version. If you boil potatoes and plan on using the cooking liquid later, set aside two cups of it before draining. Instead of milk, you may use the water from the frying pot.

How Can I Prevent Lumpy Mashed Potatoes?

The method of mashing plays a crucial role in achieving the desired level of fluffiness in mashed potatoes. A food mill, ricer, or hand masher is ideal for making fluffy mashed potatoes.

Things To Add To Mashed Potatoes

You may enjoy them simply as buttery mashed potatoes or spice them up with the following.

• Use sour cream, Greek yogurt, or cream cheese instead of butter.
• Choose one: Cheddar, Parmesan, or Gouda.
• Caramelized onions, roasted garlic, or garlic powder
• Chicken broth, fresh herbs, and ranch dressing
• Add some chopped chives, fresh herbs, or thinly sliced green onions for garnish.

How To Make Ina Garten Mashed Potatoes

• Place potatoes, peeled and quartered, in a saucepan of cold salted water.
• Bring to a boil with the garlic cloves (if using) and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain thoroughly.
• Warm the milk on the stovetop (or in the microwave).
• Begin mashing the potatoes with the butter. Pour in warm milk a bit at a time, mashing with a potato masher until desired consistency is reached.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

What To Serve With Mashed Potatoes?

There is an almost infinite number of ways in which mashed potatoes can be served and enjoyed. Here are some choices that you might find appealing to consider.

• Serve in conjunction with a Sunday roast, as well as roasted turkey or chicken.
• Alongside other dishes such as creamed spinach, candied yams, and green beans.
• To make bangers and mash, serve the mashed potatoes with sausages.
• Serve alongside hearty stews. Casseroles and stews with a higher concentration of liquid, such as this Green Bean Stew (braised green beans).
• You can make a quick and easy weeknight supper out of this by serving it as a bed for meatballs and gravy.
• Make a quick pan-fried dish of bubble and squeak using any leftover meat and vegetables.

How To Store Mashed Potatoes?

• In The Fridge. When kept in an airtight container, mashed potatoes can keep for three to five days in the fridge.
• In The Freezer. Leftover mashed potatoes may be stored in a plastic freezer bag for up to two months if they are pressed flat. Put them in the oven with roughly a tablespoon of milk per cup of potatoes to warm them (or microwave, stirring occasionally).
• To Make Ahead. Prepare the mashed potatoes according to the recipe below and let them cool fully before serving. When it has cooled, put it in an airtight container and put it in the fridge.
• To Reheat. To reheat mashed potatoes, place them in a covered microwave and cook them on 50% power for 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until hot.

What Is The Best Way To Keep Mashed Potatoes Warm And Creamy?

If you want to keep the warmth in this recipe for mashed potatoes, serve it right away. When reheating leftovers, a splash of milk will soften the potato and help maintain the sauce’s creamy consistency.

Should You Soak Chopped Potatoes Before Boiling Them?

Only if you use a potato that’s heavy in starch, excess starch can be washed away by cutting and soaking overnight. No pre-soaking is required before cooking low-starch potatoes.

Are Mashed Potatoes Better With Milk Or Cream?

Because the cream is denser and higher in fat content than milk, it tends to weigh down the potatoes when combined with butter. As a result, milk is the superior option when making mashed potatoes due to these characteristics.

Recipe Tips

• Drain Well. Before putting them back into the saucepan to be heated, I gave them about five minutes of rest time to allow all of the liquid to drain, or at the very least, drain well so that I could be confident that all of the liquid was removed.
• Mash The Potatoes By Hand. Use either a hand masher or a potato ricer to get the smoothest potatoes possible. When potatoes are overmixed with an electric mixer, stand mixer, or food processor, the starches in the potatoes might break down and become sticky. This can cause the potatoes to be difficult to mash.
• Melt Some Butter In There. This is not a situation in which you should try to cut costs by using less butter. When I’m in the kitchen, my go-to ingredient is plenty of salted butter (but you can use unsalted season yourself). This is due to the fact that butter makes the consistency smooth and buttery in flavor.
• Warm The Cream. Heat the milk or cream separately in a microwave-safe bowl or a small saucepan before adding it to the dish. The potatoes retain their heat for a longer period of time and take in more flavor in this manner. Incorporate the cream or milk in a slow and steady manner until the required consistency is obtained.

Try More Recipes:

• Ina Garten Dill Pickles
• Ina Garten Zucchini Bread

Ina Garten Mashed Potatoes Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving

• Calories 374.07
• Total Fat 21.05g
• Cholesterol 58.53mg
• Sodium 796.02mg
• Potassium 608.57mg
• Total Carbohydrate 43.49g
• Dietary Fiber 6.85g
• Sugars 13.61g
• Protein 4.15g
• Vitamin A 82%
• Vitamin C 50%
• Calcium 13%
• Iron 13%