Basic Mashed Potatoes

Basic mashed potatoes are a must with a Thanksgiving dinner and roast beef or just about anything with gravy. These are light, fluffy, creamy mashed potatoes.

No peeling necessary. No potato ricer, stand mixer or food mill needed. No cream cheese, No heavy cream. No sour cream. But I promise they are foolproof and absolutely delicious. 

Mashed potatoes are the ultimate comfort food. Is there a “perfect” homemade mashed potatoes recipe online? All I know is that these are excellent. They should be. I’ve made them over 200 times I figure!  

This recipe is just your basic mashed potatoes. You can be confident of great results. And, they take less than 30 minutes to make which you can even break up into a couple of steps if needed. I don’t even bother to peel the potatoes if I’m using thin-skinned Yukon golds – my potato of choice. 

If you are looking for one of the easiest and best mashed potato recipes, this is it. Some cooks will tell you that the only way to make perfect mashed potatoes is to use a ricer, but I find that mine come out fine – better than fine – with just a handheld electric mixer.  In fact, you can even use a potato masher if you don’t mind a slightly less creamy texture and are willing to put some muscle behind the mashing. 

If you’re looking to add extra nutrients and a hint of sweetness, try our root vegetable mash. I make it with white and sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips and/or celery root. Delish. And a great way to hide some veggies for kids. 

Tips to make perfect mashed potatoes

Here are my best tips based on lots of experience and research. 

Best potatoes to use

Everyone says Russet (Idaho) or Yukon Gold potatoes (also called yellow potatoes) are best. Or a combination of the two. My favorite, hands down, are Yukon Gold.  Apparently they have a richer taste. Who knew? I guess when you put gravy on the potatoes, it’s hard to tell 🙂 I sometimes use red potatoes instead. These are waxy potatoes that should not be over beaten or they will become pasty.

Serving portions 

• You will need about 1 pound (0.45kg) of potatoes to make 2 cups mashed or 3-4 servings.
• Raw potatoes needed: Figure about 1/4-1/3 pound (113-151 grams) of raw potatoes per person, so one pound (454 grams) of potatoes will serve 3-4 people. (Not counting my husband who eats double).
• Mashed potatoes needed: Figure about 1/2 – 3/4 cup (125-250g) mashed potatoes per person. 

How-to Tips

• The best way is to start with salted cold water, then add the potatoes and bring to a boil. Don’t start with boiling water.
• Don’t over beat the potatoes or they can turn to glue (trust me!). The mashing takes less than a minute with an electric hand mixer. Oh, and don’t use a food processor or immersion blender. You can skip the hand mixer and just use a potato masher if you like. The mashed potatoes will not have the same creamy texture, but they will still taste great. Sort of like smashed potatoes.
• Some cooks say you have to add hot milk to the potatoes. I don’t agree. With our method, the milk turns hot when you add it to the hot pot. 
• Check recipe notes for how to keep mashed potatoes warm before serving. 

Seasoning and add-ins

• Since you salt the water before boiling, watch not to over salt at the end, especially if you are using salted butter. Taste and add as needed.
• Many cooks use half and half (10%), heavy cream (35%), sour cream or cream cheese in the potatoes. I use 2% milk (or sometimes whole milk) combined with a bit of half and half cream to keep the calories down. And definitely butter. Obviously, the more cream and butter you use, the richer they’ll be so it’s up to you. 
• You can also add fresh herbs or a little bit of Parmesan cheese if you like when mashing the potatoes.

How to make basic mashed potatoes

Tailor To Your Taste

• Try adding a 1/4-1/2 cup of chopped, fried or caramelized onions to your mashed potatoes. Delish!
• If preferred, used olive oil instead of butter.
• Use milk or cream 0%-35% depending on how rich you want the dish. I use 2% milk and maybe a splash of 10% cream.
• Milk can be substituted with broth or sour cream or Greek yogurt (fat free is fine).  

Make ahead

• See 3 ways on how to keep mashed potatoes warm in the recipe notes.  
• For a dinner party, I cut the potatoes early in the day and keep them in a pot of salted cold water on the stove. An hour or more ahead of serving time, I boil and mash them. They are easy to keep warm and still maintain their deliciousness.
• If you have to make them a day ahead, you can heat them in the microwave. Just add a little bit of milk or cream to loosen them up. 
• I freeze mashed potatoes for months and reheat them in the microwave. Usually I defrost them first. Some say the texture is altered, but if you have  mixed in butter and cream, I never have a problem.

Love potatoes? Here are a few of our best potato recipes

• crispy oven roasted potatoes
• fried potatoes and onion recipe 
• hasselback sweet potatoes
• mashed potato pancakes (latkes)
• herb potato salad (no mayo)
• Indian potatoes
• Super easy potato knishes
• Vegetarian sweet potato hash
• Best instant pot potatoes and carrots
• Parsley potatoes with zest

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This basic mashed potato recipe, originally published in 2017, has been updated with new information, tips and images.