The BEST Smooth Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes (EASY RECIPE)

Smooth Garlic Mashed Potatoes that are creamy, seasoned to perfection, and cooked with milk, butter, and cheese. These suckaz are the perfect side dish and some of the best mashed potatoes ever.

Let me first start off by saying I’m extremely excited to post this recipe for my followers. Those of you who follow me on social media know I was ranting and complaining the other night about how I always struggle to make the perfect mashed potatoes.

Well, If you’re anything like me, this recipe is definitely for you. In this recipe, you’ll learn all the do’s and don’ts to perfecting mashed potatoes are these aren’t you’re ordinary mashed potatoes, these are TOP TIER baby!

I made a funny post on ig talking about how badly I wanted to purchase a potato ricer to fix the lumpy mashed potato issue I always seem to have every time I make them. Lol! Well, guess what? No more lumpy mashed potatoes for me.

I found a simple and easy way to make the creamiest, smoothest mashed potatoes ever. I even got a little fancy and added some special ingredients that took em up a notch.

Listen, you won’t find too many mashed potato recipes better than this one right here—I can promise you that! These have to be a top 10 best ever mashed potatoes recipe folks. So you got to try them at least once or you’ll be doing yourself a disservice.

I cant get enough of these and they taste great with meatloaf. Try my Easy Classic Meatloaf Recipe for the perfect Sunday dinner.

I hated mashed potatoes as a kid

Believe it or not, I was never a fan of mashed potatoes until my late adolescent years because I thought they were just boring and bland. Maybe because it was one of the few things my mama just didn’t cook that well???

Shhhh, don’t tell her I told yall that. Lol! I just never understood what people loved about what I saw as a big scoop of white mush. But as I got older, I learned to appreciate the natural blandness of mashed potatoes.

I say that because the bland neutral flavor allows you to do so much with mashed potatoes and makes them pretty versatile meaning, you can serve them with anything, which I found to be convenient.

As I got older and got a chance to taste what real good mashed potatoes taste like, I had a sudden change of heart about how pointless I thought they were. This was after trying someone buttery creamy well seasoned mashed potatoes. Lol!

I saw that if you can just make them the right way and get a lil fancy without overpowering the natural flavor, they can be very enjoyable. So after months of experimenting, and trying to create this recipe, I got them just right.

I found the right combination of ingredients that made eating mashed potatoes so enjoyable and not something I detest. One ingredient being butter. I personally like to add a lot of butter to my mashed potatoes.

Feel free to use less, however, because butter is in no way healthy! I like to add shredded Parmesan and Philadelphia cream cheese as well. Now, as I had to learn, there’s a science to making good smooth creamy mashed potatoes.

It’s not as simple as “BOIL & MASH” although it may seem easy when you watch me cook them. But don’t worry because in this article I’ll tell you all the do’s and don’ts and give you the keys to making bangin homemade mashed potatoes.

But before I give you the step-by-step instructions and cooking tips, I’m going to discuss the cookware and utensils you’ll need, the key ingredients, and some alternatives.

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Choosing the right potatoes

High-starch potatoes

Choosing the right potato is very important when making mashed potatoes. You should use potatoes such as Idaho russets, which contain a high level of starch.

It also has a low moisture level. Yukon Golds, an all-purpose potato with a medium level of starch and a low moisture level, are a pretty good option as well. 

Higher starch levels allow you to whip the potatoes longer before they become a gummy mess. They also have a fluffy, lighter texture, which makes them better for mashed potatoes than their low-starch counterparts. 

Waxy Low-starch potatoes are a no no

Waxy potatoes like New potatoes, French fingerling, Red Bliss, baby potatoes, creamers, Red Adirondack, and Russian Banana are not good for mashing.

They are hard to mash because they hold their form due to their firm flesh, resulting in lumpy mashed potatoes.

Therefore, these potatoes can withstand long periods of cooking without becoming mushy, which is perfect when you’re using potatoes for stew or boiling potatoes for potato salad!

They are also low in starch, which doesn’t give them the fluffiness and creaminess we all love in our mashed potatoes. Again, they have firm flesh and won’t break down. 

Ingredients you’ll need:

• Potatoes: Russet Potatoes or Yukon Gold.
• Chicken broth: I boil the potatoes using a combination of water and broth. The broth adds another layer of flavor to the potatoes while they’re boiling.
• Heavy cream: Heavy cream adds creaminess and a bold, rich flavor to potatoes that regular whole milk doesn’t. It also gives the mashed potatoes a lovely velvety consistency and smoothness. Half and half and whole milk are good substitutes, though.
• Butter: The butter adds flavor. Mashed potatoes aren’t mashed potatoes without butter.
• Cheese: Philadelphia cream cheese and grated parmesan cheese gives the mashed potatoes an amazing flavor and takes them to another level.
• Garlic Paste What are mashed potatoes without garlic? Garlic goes with mashed potatoes like gravy over rice and peanut butter and jelly. It’s probably the most important ingredient in terms of flavor. I use the Gourmet Garden garlic paste in a tube.
• Salt: We need salt to give the mashed potatoes taste, but you can season the mashed potatoes with seasonings that have more depth of flavor. I like using salt, but here are some good alternative seasonings
• Black Pepper: You can use white pepper if you dont want to see black specs in your mashed potatoes.

How to make mashed potatoes

1. Fill a big mixing bowl with cool water and add in 1/8 tsp of salt.
2.  Peel the potatoes with a potato peeler.
   Don’t forget to dig into the sprout holes and remove the potato skin and dark spots.
3. Dice the potatoes into medium size cubes.
   You do this by slicing each potato in half and laying them flat side down, then slice them 3 times lengthwise and 4-5 times widthwise, then cut all the cubes in half.
4.  Place the potatoes in the bowl of water immediately after cutting them so they don’t turn brown.
5.  Once you’re done, drain the water and rinse them well.
6.  Place the potatoes in a medium size pot and cover them with the broth and cool water.
7.  Place the pot over high heat and cover with a lid, leaving a crack on the side.
8. Boil the potatoes for 40 minutes or until they’re very tender. 
9. Once the potatoes are tender, strain the broth or water, and clean the pot.
10. Place the same pot over medium heat.
11. Add in the butter, milk, cheese, and seasonings, and stir well.
12. Lightly whisk until the cheese melts, then add in the potatoes.
    If you decide not to use cheese, add in the potatoes once the butter melts and make sure the potatoes are nice and dry before adding them back to the pot.*
13.  Stir, mash, and whisk the potatoes for about 5 minutes or until they’re thick and smooth!

The BEST Smooth Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes Videos

Tips For Best Results:

• Cut into similar size: The potatoes cook evenly when you cut them into pieces of similar size so make sure they’re relatively even in size or around about the same size.
• Add potatoes to cool water: Add the potatoes to cool water. Dont wait for the water to come to a boil before adding the potatoes. Adding them to cold water will allow them to cook at the same rate.
• Make sure they’re very tender: You also want to make sure you boil them until they are very tender. This will make for less mashing (if you’re using a masher and not a potato ricer), which will help avoid overworking the starch in the potatoes.
• Cover with a lid: Cover them with a lid to help them get tender faster, and leave a crack on the side so the water doesn’t overflow, which tends to happen when boiling potatoes.
• Use a ricer: As stated earlier, using a ricer will guarantee your potatoes are lump-free and make the mashing process easier.
• Room temperature ingredients: Make sure all the ingredients like the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature. So sit them out while the potatoes are boiling.

Main dish Serving suggestions:

• Steak: This is an obvious answer. The combination of steak and potatoes is famous world-wide. So, if you’re looking for a main dish to make with your mashed potatoes, you can never go wrong with a seared or smothered steak.
• Salisbury steak and meatloaf: Both are variations of steak made with beef. Like steak, they are a common and popular pairing with mashed potatoes, making them both a perfect option.
• Fried Chicken: Although not as famous as steak and potatoes, fried chicken is great with mashed potatoes, and this is a popular combo Americans cook for dinner.

Vegtable Sides & Toppings Suggestions

• Asparagus, Spinach: You can pair any vegetable with mashed potatoes, but asparagus is probably one of my favorite green veggies, and spinach is also a good choice.
• Sweet Corn: I make my mashed potatoes with garlic and cheese and aside something savory like steak. So sweet buttery corn just adds that lovely hint of sweetness to your dinner to balance everything out.
• Gravy: As far as toppings go, gravy has to be first on the list. We Americans don’t top our mashed potatoes with anything other than gravy.
• Cheese: We also love to add our favorite cheese to our potatoes and top them with it, so give that a shot. Cheese always takes potatoes up a notch. I don’t even eat them without some sort of cheese mixed in.

Storage and Reheating

• How do you store mashed potatoes? Place them in a container or bowl and store them in the refrigerator. Make sure the container or bowl is tightly sealed with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or a lid.
• Can you freeze mashed potatoes? They freeze perfectly! Just make sure they’re tightly sealed to prevent freezer burn. Storing them in the freezer will keep them fresh for 3-4 months or more.
• How do you reheat mashed potatoes in a pot? You can reheat them in the microwave or in a pot over low to medium heat until warm. If they’re frozen, you should reheat them in a pot on low heat and add a few splashes of milk or broth.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why are there hard lumps in my potatoes? You either didn’t boil them long enough and there are still some uncooked parts, mashed them with cooking utensils that aren’t good for mashing, or you used waxy potatoes.
• Why do my potatoes have a weird gummy texture? When potatoes are mashed, starch is released. The more you work on the potatoes, the more starch gets released. When too much starch gets released, the potatoes become gummy, gluey, and unappetizing.

Equipment:

• Potato peeler: Use a potato peeler, not a knife like our grandparents used to. Lol! You’ll lessen the risk of cutting yourself, and with a potato peeler, you’ll save more potatoes. You wont lose so much potato flesh to the peelings which is what tends to happen when you peel the skin with a knife.
• Knife: You need a knife, preferably a large knife, to make slicing and dicing the potatoes easier. A knife is also useful for removing the dark holes and sprouts you sometimes find on potatoes.
• Medium-sized pot: You’ll need a medium-sized pot to boil and mash the potatoes in. We’re making mashed potatoes using 2 lbs of potatoes, so a medium-sized pot will be big enough.
• Potato ricer: This utensil was a lifesaver for me! When you squeeze the mashed potatoes through the ricer, it will leave you with potatoes that are smooth and lump-free, which is why I like it. You can purchase one at stores like Walmart or online on Amazon, just click the link above.

• Cheese Grater: If you decide to shred some block Parmesan cheese, you’ll need a cheese grater. You can buy pre-shredded Parmesan cheese in the bag or omit it altogether because it’s an optional ingredient. Some people prefer classic mashed potatoes, but if you decide to add cheese, shredded block Parmesan cheese with a grater is the way to go.
• Potato masher: If you don’t have a potato ricer, you’ll need a potato masher to mash the potatoes. You still might want to use one just to smooth out the potatoes after pushing them through the ricer so they don’t look like spaghetti! Lol!
• Big spoon: Last but not least, you’ll need a big dipping spoon to scoop out and plate the potatoes.

Alright enough yapping listen…. those of you who have trouble making mashed potatoes correctly, as I once did, I feel this recipe is very informative and will help you immensely avoid struggling to make mashed potatoes ever again.

I also think y’all are gonna love em because I put a lot of work into making these smooth creamy garlic mashed potatoes that can rival the very best. So I hope yall give em a shot because I know you’ll enjoy them!!

If you do, leave a review in the comment section, share the recipe, rate it, and dont forget to subscribe so you’ll recieve notifications everytime I post a new recipe. And follow me on social media: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Enjoy, later.
PBJ~

The BEST Smooth Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes (EASY RECIPE)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 9 reviews

• Author: PhillyboyJay
• Prep Time: 20 Mins
• Cook Time: 50 Mins
• Total Time: 1 Hr 10 Mins
• Yield: 8
• Category: Starch & Other Side Dishes
• Method: Soul Food
• Cuisine: Soul Food

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Description

Smooth, creamy, mashed potatoes seasoned to perfection and cooked with milk, butter, and cheese. The perfect dinner side dish.

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Ingredients

• 2 Lbs Russet Potatoes
• 2 Cups Water
• 1 Qt Chicken Broth
• 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream or Half & Half
• 1/2 Cup Butter
• 2 Tbs Philadelphia Cream Cheese (optional)
• 2 Tbs Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)
• 1 Tsp Salt + 1/8 Tsp Salt
• 1–1/2 Tsp Minced Garlic
• 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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Instructions

1.  Fill a big mixing bowl with cool water and add in 1/8 tsp of salt.
2.  Peel the potatoes with a potato peeler.
   Don’t forget to dig into the sprout holes and remove the potato skin and dark spots.
3. Dice the potatoes into medium size cubes.
   You do this by slicing each potato in half and laying them flat side down, then slice them 3 times lengthwise and 4-5 times widthwise, then cut all the cubes in half.
4.  Place the potatoes in the bowl of water immediately after cutting them so they don’t turn brown.
5.  Once you’re done, drain the water and rinse them well.
6.  Place the potatoes in a medium size pot and cover them with the broth and cool water.
7.  Place the pot over high heat and cover with a lid, leaving a crack on the side.
8. Boil the potatoes for 40 minutes or until they’re very tender. 
9. Once the potatoes are tender, strain the broth or water, and clean the pot.
10. Place the same pot over medium heat.
11. Add in the butter, milk, cheese, and seasonings, and stir well.
12. Lightly whisk until the cheese melts, then add in the potatoes.
    If you decide not to use cheese, add in the potatoes once the butter melts and make sure the potatoes are dry before adding them back to the pot.*
13.  Stir, mash, and whisk the potatoes for about 5 minutes or until they’re thick and smooth!

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8