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    Home > Blog > Vegetarian Recipes > BEST Mashed Potatoes Recipe

    BEST Mashed Potatoes Recipe

    by Jenny Park · Published: Nov 12, 2022

    Jump to Recipe
    We think this is truly the BEST Mashed Potatoes Recipe EVER! It's rich, creamy and only uses FOUR ingredients, including salt and pepper! We promise you won't want to miss out on these ultra delicious mashed potatoes!
    Mashed potato recipe with butter melted.
    Mashed potatoes mixed together in a pot.
    Mashed potatoes with gravy poured over them.
    Mashed potato recipe with butter melted.
    Mashed potatoes in a bowl with a spoon on the side.
    Mashed potato recipe with butter melted.

    We know calling this the BEST Mashed Potatoes Recipe is taking on a lot, but we’re ready! These mashed potatoes are very easy to make only require TWO ingredients (aside from salt and pepper) and are an absolute DREAM!

    These mashed potatoes are super smooth, creamy, rich, and delicious! We love them so much and they are perfect as a side dish to SO many delicious meals!

    How to Make the BEST Mashed Potatoes

    Mashed potato recipe ingredients in a kitchen.

    Process

    1. Add potato chunks to a pot and fill with water until just 1 inch above potatoes.
    2. Boil potatoes over high heat until barely fork tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, drain into a colander and cool for about 5 minutes.
    Mashed potatoes in boiling water.
    Potatoes in a colander draining.
    1. Using a potato ricer (or a cheese grater), rice the potatoes back into the pot.
    2. Add butter, salt and pepper.
    Potatoes going through a ricer.
    Mashed potatoes in a pot with butter and salt and pepper.
    1. Stir until all the butter has melted and potatoes are smooth and creamy. Add more salt and pepper as needed. Serve mashed potatoes with pats of butter or gravy.
    Mashed potatoes mixed together in a pot.

    Important Tool to Use for Our Mashed Potatoes Recipe

    While it’s not 100% required we do think the secret to the most smooth and creamy mashed potatoes is to use a potato ricer. It is what prevents any lumps from forming, giving the smoothest results. If you’re a huge mashed potato fan, we think it’s totally worth it to have one of these in your kitchen.

    If you want a tool that will do more than rice potatoes, we recommend getting a food mill. Not only do food mills rice potatoes, for luscious mashed potatoes, just as well as a potato ricer, but they do more! They’re great for grinding up soup ingredients and for other things like classic bolognese! They come with different grate sizes for even more versatility.

    Finally, if you don’t want to bother with either or those tools, a box grater will work quite well for making smooth mashed potatoes. You may still end up with small lumps here and there, but it’ll still do a better job than hand mashing or using an electric mixer.

    Mashed potatoes with gravy poured over them.

    Tips and Tricks

    • Don’t overcook your potatoes and don’t cut them into small (bite-sized) pieces!! Yes, both of these things are the main culprit to watery, runny mashed potatoes. When you overcook the potatoes (or cut them down to bite sized pieces before boiling them), they absorb too much water causing them be runny.
    • If you do overcook them, just drain them and allow them to still for about 15 to 20 minutes without ricing or mashing them. This will help the steam release from the potatoes, getting rid of excess moisture.
    • To help prevent your mashed potatoes from getting gummy, give the peeled and cut chunks a rinse under some cool water (before boiling) to rinse away any excess starch that can cause potatoes to get gummy.
    • It’s important to add the butter to the riced potatoes while they’re still hot. This will result in the creamiest mashed potatoes! If you wait until the potatoes are just warm the butter won’t fully melt and your potatoes will be stiff.
    • If you do end up stirring the butter in while the potatoes are warm, just turn the stove to low and stir until the butter has evenly melted. If your potatoes are still stiff, then you can add a small amount of milk or cream to your potatoes to smooth them out.

    Why This is the BEST Mashed Potato Recipe Ever!

    We think our mashed potatoes recipe is the absolute best for a few reasons.

    • As we mentioned above, we use (and highly recommend using) a potato ricer. You will get the smoothest mashed potatoes with this method.
    • We don’t use any heavy cream! That’s right. We think all you need for the most delicious mashed potatoes is russet potatoes and a generous amount of butter (along with some salt and pepper of course) for the best and creamiest potatoes.
    • Our potatoes stay moist, delicious and fluffy for quite some time, so you don’t have to worry about them bring too runny while preparing other dishes for your meal!

    What to Serve with Our Mashed Potatoes

    Mashed potatoes go well with SO many dishes and a handful of our favorites are:

    • Citrus Dry Brine Turkey
    • Pork Belly Porchetta
    • Vegan Swedish Meatballs
    • Spatchcock Chicken
    • Standing Rib Roast
    • Seared Ribeye Steak
    • Garlic Butter Lamb Chops
    • Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
    • Roasted Rack of Lamb
    Mashed potatoes in a bowl with a spoon on the side.

    More Delicious Potato Recipes You Will Love

    • Cheesy garlic potato gratin in an oval baking dish with a scoop taken out with a spoon.
      Potatoes Au Gratin
    • Mini cheesy hasselback potatoes with one on a spoon.
      Mini Hasselback Potatoes
    • Cheesy potatoes with caramelized onions in a pan with servings and a spoon.
      Cheesy Potato Casserole
    • Close up on smashed potatoes on a platter.
      Smashed Potatoes

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    Mashed potatoes in a bowl with a spoon on the side.

    BEST Mashed Potatoes Recipe

    5 from 1 vote
    PRINT RECIPE Pin Recipe
    We think this is truly the BEST Mashed Potatoes Recipe EVER! It's rich, creamy and only uses FOUR ingredients, including salt and pepper! We promise you won't want to miss out on these ultra delicious mashed potatoes!
    RECIPE BY Teri & Jenny
    Prep Time: 20 mins
    Cook Time: 20 mins
    Total Time: 40 mins
    Servings: 4

      INGREDIENTS  

    • 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks (about 3 large potatoes)
    • 3/4 cups unsalted butter cut into chunks
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • roasted garlic gravy recipe for serving

      INSTRUCTIONS  

    • Add potato chunks to a pot and fill with water until just 1 inch above potatoes.
    • Boil potatoes over high heat until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, drain into a colander and cool for about 5 minutes.
    • Using a potato ricer (or a cheese grater), rice the potatoes back into the pot.
    • Add butter, salt and pepper.
    • Stir until all the butter has melted and potatoes are smooth and creamy. Add more salt and pepper as needed. Serve with more butter or gravy.

      NOTES  

    Tips and Tricks
    • Don’t overcook your potatoes and don’t cut them into small (bite-sized) pieces!! Yes, both of these things are the main culprit to watery, runny mashed potatoes. When you overcook the potatoes (or cut them down to bite sized pieces before boiling them), they absorb too much water causing them be runny.
    • If you do overcook them, just drain them and allow them to still for about 15 to 20 minutes without ricing or mashing them. This will help the steam release from the potatoes, getting rid of excess moisture.
    • To help prevent your mashed potatoes from getting gummy, give the peeled and cut chinks a rinse under some cool water to rinse away any excess starch that can cause potatoes to get gummy.
    Calories: 529kcal Carbohydrates: 51g Protein: 6g Fat: 35g Saturated Fat: 22g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 9g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 92mg Sodium: 891mg Potassium: 1193mg Fiber: 4g Sugar: 2g Vitamin A: 1066IU Vitamin C: 16mg Calcium: 48mg Iron: 2mg
    KEYWORD: creamy mashed potatoes, two ingredient mashed potatoes
    COURSE: dinner, Side Dish
    DIET : Gluten Free

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    November 12, 2022 / Leave a Comment

    About Jenny Park

    Jenny Park is half of Spoon Fork Bacon. She is also a food stylist and recipe developer. One of her favorite foods is donuts. #sfbJENNY

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