Learn a few easy tricks to make the best fluffy mashed potatoes for your dinner table or holiday table. Mashed potatoes are a delicious side dish for any occasion, and we will show you how to make the most perfect and best mashed potatoes ever that everyone will enjoy!
Best fluffy mashed potatoes – learn the art of the perfect mashed potato
How to Make the Best Mashed Potatoes for Dinner – The Art of Fluffy Mashed Potatoes!
A big bowl of mashed potatoes is comfort food extraordinaire and something that brings us great foodie pleasure! Who can pass up that bowl of creamy buttery spuds with its smooth deliciousness? Learn how to make perfect mashed potatoes in just a few easy steps. Whether you prefer gravy or butter on your potatoes, these potatoes make a great foundation for just about any topping or addition.
Always Start with the Right Potato!
The best bowl of mashed potatoes of course starts with the best potatoes! Choose a nice starchy potato like a russet potato. The best potato for making creamy and fluffy mashed potatoes is the Russet potato (also known as Idaho potato). Russet potatoes have a high starch content and low moisture content, which makes them ideal for mashing. Yukon Gold potatoes also have a bit of a natural buttery flavor and make a great choice for mashed potatoes but a little less starch than the russet.
Two quick mashed potato tips – Make sure your cooked potatoes are as dry as possible before mashing and never over-whip your potatoes. Leave the cooked potatoes sit in the pan after draining on the burner that has been turned off but is still warm. This well evaporate any excess water from the potatoes.
What is the Best Potato for Best Mashed Potatoes
Russet potatoes are perfect for mashed potatoes because they are a low moisture potato with a high starch content and will cook up nice and fluffy.
Russet potatoes can also be referred to as Idaho Russets or Idaho potatoes. Idaho potatoes are called “Idaho” because they are … well you guessed it! Grown in Idaho. Any farmer can grow a russet potato, but only Idaho farmers can call their potatoes Idaho Russets. Idaho russet potatoes are grown in nutrient rich soil which is passed on to the potato making it the perfect place to grow a nutritious spud.
How Many Potatoes Per Person For Mashed Potatoes?
- On average, you will need about 1/2 lb. of raw potatoes per person. A serving size is considered to be 1 cup of mashed potatoes per person.
- Always use full fat salted butter and whole milk or cream.
- Cut your potato cubes the same size so they cook evenly.
The small (or new) red potatoes and white potatoes have less starch so save them for your favorite Healthy Redskin Potatoes or Ranch Potatoes or this delicious Baby Potatoes recipe.
Ingredients Needed for the Best Mashed
- Russet Potatoes
- Milk or Heavy Cream
- Butter
- Salt & Pepper
A Few Easy Steps to Delicious Homemade Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
How Many Potatoes Per Person? 1/3 or 1/2 lb. of potatoes per person. One pound of potatoes equals about 2 cups of mashed, so buy accordingly for your family or guests. Many times, it’s the potatoes that many go back for seconds and even thirds. Keep this in mind when planning for mashed potatoes.
1. Fill a large pot with a couple inches of very cold water. Buy a good sturdy potato peeler and peel each potato and then put it in the pot of cold water. This will help to remove some of the starch that could leave your “fluffy” potatoes a little gluey. This will also keep the potatoes from starting to turn brown which they tend to do rather quickly after being peeled.
2. Cut the Potatoes Uniform in Size – Let the potatoes soak for a few minutes and then give them a quick rinse. Place potatoes in a colander in the sink and give a few quick shakes to remove any excess water. Cut each potato into cubes or small uniform pieces. Cutting each piece to the same size will ensure that the potatoes cook at the same amount of time and there are no pieces of hard or uncooked potatoes when you go to mix.
3. Fill your pot with cold water just to cover the potatoes and add salt. Don’t forget to add salt to the water as this is an important step. Salt will dissolve into the water and evenly flavor the potatoes as they cook.
4. Now it’s time to put the pot on the stove and cook the potatoes until just tender. Bring the water to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Potatoes are done when easily pierced with a fork or tip of a paring knife.
5. Drain potatoes into a strainer and let them sit there for a few minutes before returning them back to the same pot. After returning to the same pot, shake potatoes over light heat to remove any extra moisture before you start to mash. Removing extra water or moisture at this point is important to the perfect potato, so be patient.
6. Heat the Butter and Milk. While the potatoes are draining, heat the butter and milk or cream together in a separate pan until the butter is melted and the mixture is warm. This step ensures that the dairy won’t cool down the potatoes when you mix it in.
7. Using a hand mixer or an electric mixer, mix the potatoes for a minute before adding your liquids. Add the butter, cream, additional salt, and pepper, then whip or mash until light and fluffy, carefully not to over mix.
• Electric mixers work very well to make fluffy potatoes but try the hand mixer too. Decide which is your preferred method of mashing. Over mixing can lead to gluey like potatoes.
• Let butter and cream (or milk) sit at room temperature until ready to use. Heat milk slightly before using if it’s chilled.
• Use fat-free chicken or vegetable broth in place of milk to reduce fat.
• Gently fold in fresh herbs such as chives to add flavor. Add plain Greek Yogurt with the chives instead of sour cream.
ROASTED GARLIC MASHED POTATOES –
Make delicious garlic mashed potatoes by roasting 5-6 (peeled) cloves of garlic in the oven. Simply place the garlic cloves on a small sheet of foil and drizzle olive oil on top. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Fold up foil until it makes a packet. Seal the edges tightly. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until garlic is soft and tender. Add garlic to potatoes with the milk and cream.
How to Easily Make Garlic Cheddar Mashed Potatoes – Do the same as above but add an additional 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese with the roasted garlic.
Add Fresh or Dried Herbs to Mashed Potatoes – herbs add flavor to mashed potatoes.
Learn some tips and tricks to making the best mashed potatoes
- 3 lbs. Russet Potatoes
- 2-3 teaspoons salt for the water
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon butter
- 4 tablespoons of butter
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Rinse potatoes under cold water. Peel potatoes and then rinse again.
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Cut potatoes into cubes.
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Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water.
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Make sure to salt the cold water before cooking.
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Start with about 2-3 teaspoons of salt. Taste the water to see if it's salty enough.
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Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
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Test potatoes by piercing with a fork or sharp knife.
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Drain well. Place pot back on the stove to remove any excess moisture.
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Add the butter, cream, remaining salt, and pepper.
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Mix until creamy.
How to Mix Potatoes for a Crowd
Delicious mashed potatoes are definitely a crowd pleaser, but how to mash a larger quantity of potatoes for that crowd? If you are making mashed potatoes for a lot of people, then using a stand mixture is a good idea.
Can you Peel Potatoes Ahead of Time?
Yes! Potatoes can easily be peeled in advance. Want to peel and cube your potatoes ahead of time? No one wants to be peeling potatoes on Thanksgiving Day! Peel and cube your potatoes the night before and leave potatoes to soak in water in your refrigerator. Rinse well a few times to remove as much starch as possible. Rinse well again the next day before cooking.
What to Do with any Leftover Fluffy Mashed Potatoes?
Make potato pancakes!
Making potato pancakes (also known as potato latkes) with leftover mashed potatoes is a great way to repurpose those extra mashed potatoes into a delicious dish. Here’s how to do it:
Ingredients Needed:
- Leftover mashed potatoes
- Egg (1 or 2, depending on the amount of mashed potatoes)
- All-purpose flour or breadcrumbs
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional add-ins: chopped onions, garlic, herbs, cheese, etc.
Cooking oil (vegetable, canola, or another neutral oil)
How to Make Potato Pancakes using Leftover Mashed Potatoes
Prepare the Leftover Mashed Potatoes – Make sure your leftover mashed potatoes are cold and firm. If they are too soft, they can be difficult to work with. If needed, you can refrigerate the mashed potatoes for a while to firm them up.
In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed potatoes with one or two beaten eggs (depending on the amount of potatoes) to act as a binder. The eggs will help hold the pancakes together.
Add salt, pepper, and any optional add-ins you prefer. Chopped onions, garlic, herbs, or cheese can add extra flavor and texture to your potato pancakes.
To help bind the mixture further and give the pancakes a crispy texture, add a small amount of all-purpose flour or breadcrumbs. Start with a tablespoon or two and adjust as needed. Mix everything together until well combined.
Take a portion of the mixture and shape it into a patty using your hands. The size and thickness of the patties are up to you, but a common size is around 3-4 inches in diameter and about ½ inch thick.
In a skillet, heat cooking oil over medium-high heat. You’ll want enough oil to cover the bottom of the skillet with a thin layer.
Carefully place the formed patties into the hot oil. Cook them for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and crispy. You can adjust the heat as needed to prevent burning.
Drain and Serve: Once the potato pancakes are cooked, remove them from the skillet and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
You will love some of our other Potato Recipes:
Garlic Redskin Mashed Potatoes
Ranch Potatoes
Oven Roasted RedSkin Potatoes with Herbs
Velveeta Cheese Scalloped Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes with Cheese and Bacon
You will also love our article on the health benefits of potatoes – Potatoes are Good for you!
