For as long as I can remember, my mom has made the absolute best homemade Mashed Potatoes. There’s not a lot of extra ingredients, just a simple combination of potatoes, milk, butter and salt. That's it! And I always add a little black pepper to mine. But the key is really in the execution. If done right you end up with these soft, fluffy, and perfectly made mashed potatoes!
Just 5 Simple Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make the creamiest, fluffiest, and best homemade mashed potatoes:
- Russet Potatoes: Although I’m a huge fan of gold potatoes, russet potatoes provide a fluffy and light texture for these mashed potatoes.
- Milk: Milk adds the moisture you need to help mash the potatoes and gives the potatoes a creamy texture.
- Butter: Butter adds a buttery, rich flavor to the mashed potatoes. It’s definitely a must have! I prefer salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter and add a little more salt to taste once the potatoes are done.
- Salt and Black Pepper: You’ll need some salt for the boiling water and a little salt to taste once the potatoes are done. Since I use salted butter, I don’t have to add a lot of salt at the end. Freshly cracked black pepper is optional, but I like to add just a little bit to my potatoes.
How To Make Mashed Potatoes
Here's a quick overview with step-by-step photos. The full measurements are included in the recipe card below.
Step One: Start by washing and peeling the potatoes. Once the potatoes are peeled, I like to place them in a colander and rinse them again with cold water. Next, chop the potatoes into large chunks.
Step Two: Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt. Heat the pot over medium-high heat and bring it up to a boil. Boil the potatoes for 12-14 minutes or until they can be easily pierced with a fork. Now drain the potatoes and place them in a large bowl.
Step Three: Add the milk and butter to a small pot (or the same pot the potatoes were cooked in) and heat the pot over medium-low heat for just a couple minutes. As soon as the butter melts and the milk is warm, remove the pot from the heat. Do not boil the milk.
Step Four: Pour the warm milk and butter over the potatoes, then using a hand mixer blend the potatoes on low speed until you reach a smooth consistency. Be careful not to overmix. You can also use a potato masher. Taste the potatoes at this point and add any additional salt or pepper. Enjoy!
Tips For Making Perfect Mashed Potatoes
These are my top tips for making the BEST mashed potatoes:
- Use the right potatoes. My mom has always used russet or idaho potatoes to make mashed potatoes. Russet potatoes have a fluffy texture whereas Yukon gold or red potatoes tend to be a little more dense. Trust me, I’ve tried several times to replicate this recipe using Yukon gold potatoes and it just doesn’t turn out the same. With that said, you can certainly use gold potatoes if that’s what you have or you can save those potatoes for your next sheet pan recipe!😊
- Heat your milk and butter. Always heat up the milk and butter before adding them to the potatoes for the perfect consistency and to keep the potatoes nice and hot. Just be sure to take the milk off the heat as soon as the butter is melted to keep the milk from boiling.
- Don’t overmix. Be careful not to overmix the potatoes when mixing with a hand mixer. Overmixing can cause the potatoes to become gummy instead of fluffy and creamy.
- Do you love garlic? Use a garlic press and crush 1 clove of garlic into the same pot as the milk and butter. Let the garlic heat up with the milk and butter, then add it all to the bowl of potatoes and mix to combine. This will add a subtle yet delicious garlic flavor to the potatoes. This is how I make my Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
Serving Suggestions
Mashed potatoes are a classic side dish that are perfect with so many dinner recipes. Easily whip these potatoes up and serve with some juicy chicken legs, pan-fried chicken or baked chicken breasts . And they’re perfect alongside sautéed green beans or roasted broccoli for a complete meal. And you’ll definitely want them on your dinner table for your next potluck, special occasion or holiday gathering.
Homemade Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2.5 lb. russet potatoes
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt (for boiling water)
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- â…› teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Start by washing and peeling the potatoes. Once the potatoes are peeled, place them in a colander and rinse them again with cold water. Next, chop the potatoes into large chunks.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Stir in 1 ½ teaspoon of salt. Heat the pot over medium-high heat and bring it up to a boil. Boil the potatoes for 12-14 minutes or until they can easily be pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes in a colander and place them in a large bowl.
- Next, add the milk and butter to a small pot or in the same pot that the potatoes were cooked in. Heat the pot over medium-low heat for a couple minutes. As soon as the butter melts and the milk is warm, remove the pot from the heat. Do not boil the milk.
- Now pour the warm milk and butter over the potatoes half at a time. Using a hand mixer blend the potatoes on low speed until you reach a smooth consistency. Be careful not to overmix at this point. Taste the potatoes and add any additional salt or pepper. I added ¼ teaspoon of salt and ⅛ teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy!
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