The restaurant-quality Perfect Mashed Potatoes recipe is here! This is the most delicious side dish that will be on your table in 30 minutes.
If time doesn't allow to make the potatoes on the stove , have a look at Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes. They are ready in 10 minutes.
PERFECT MASHED POTATOES
What can be easier than making perfect mashed potatoes? A simple dish with just a few ingredients. Boil potatoes, mash them with milk - and here it is! Fair enough if you’re ok with lumpy mass without any special taste just to fill your stomach. But if you want something special, like for a Thanksgiving dinner which is not complete without a bowl of creamy fluffy mashed potatoes, don’t be lazy and consider several significant tips.
There’re numerous ways of cooking mashed potatoes and of course, everybody has their favorite one. Here is some priceless advice for you, no matter what way you prefer.
HOW TO MAKE MASHED POTATOES ( TIPS)
First of all, chose your potatoes thoroughly. Sounds obvious, but it’s the crucial thing most people forget about. The type of potatoes you use makes the greatest difference for cooking perfect mashed potatoes. The perfect match should be high starch and low water type, which is good not only for mashing but for baking and French fries as well. Waxy and low-starch types like Red Bliss or fingerling don’t absorb dairy and don’t break down which can result in gummy or gluey texture, and red potatoes are good only for a thick and rustic mash. The 2 types that meet the criteria the best are Russets and Yukon Gold, or a combination of both. The second is a little bit more expensive but definitely worth it. Apart from being starchy, they’re never mealy and have their own buttery flavor which makes them naturally creamy.
Still, if you’ve chosen the wrong type and need some extra starch you can fix it by adding a little cooking water to the mashed potatoes.
Secondly, don’t make your potatoes waterlogged. To avoid this, you can boil it with their skins, which will also preserve the texture of the dish and keep the nutrients from being lost in the water. Steaming small cubes will keep the texture and nutrients as well.
If you don’t want an insipid tasteless mash, start seasoning it while cooking. Remember that potatoes absorb the water they’re cooked in, just like pasta. Add some salt to the water while boiling. You won’t have to add much salt later and the dish will not be bland.
CREAMIEST MASHED POTATOES
The second key ingredients for perfect mashed potatoes are butter or cream and milk. Never add it to the mash right from the fridge. It will not only cool down the dish, but it won’t get absorbed very well. Bring your dairy at least to the room temperature or a little bit warmer. It will mix in the potatoes easily resulting in creamy, less gluey mash.
You might want to check out other mashed potatoes recipes!
HOW TO MAKE PERFECT MASHED POTATOES
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PERFECT MASHED POTATOES
- Total Time: 25 mins
Ingredients
- Yukon potatoes( diced)- 1 kg / 2.2 lb
- Onion ( peeled)- 2
- Unsalted butter ( at room temperature)- 1 tbsp
- Heavy cream ( hot)- ½ cup
- Freshly ground pepper- 1 tsp
- Salt- to taste
- For serving
- Brown butter- 2- tbsp ( optional)
Instructions
- Peel and dice the potatoes into 0.5 cm ( ¼ inch ) thick. Bring to boil a large saucepan filled with water of 1 inch depth only.
- Put the diced potatoes & 2 whole onions into a colander/ steamer basket & set the basket over the saucepan with the boiling water.The water should not touch the bottom of the colander/ steamer . Cover and allow the potatoes to be steamed until soft, about 15-20 minutes ( depends on the quality of your potatoes). Remove the cooked onions & throw ( we needed them just for additional flavor).
- Transfer the potatoes to a bowl of the food mill* and process to get the smooth perfect mashed potatoes.
- Add the hot heavy cream, the butter, the freshly ground pepper & salt. Mix well .
- Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately with some brown butter.
BROWN BUTTER RECIPE
- In a small pan heat 3 tbsp of unsalted butter over medium-heat. Stir continuously until the butter begins to change its color and turn brown. Remove immediately from heat & pour it over the mashed potatoes.
- Enjoy the perfect mashed potatoes with nutty brown butter!
Notes
Equipment:
a large saucepan, a colander/ steamer basket, a food mill
TIPS
Can I use a food processor or masher to mash the potatoes?
Using a food processor will make the potatoes gluey. So it is the last resort. I don't advice to do it.
Using a masher will make the potatoes slightly lumpy. If you don't have a food mill, better use a masher than a food processor.
Why not just to boil the peeled potatoes in water?
Steaming keeps the potatoes from becoming waterlogged and preserves the flavor , nutrients & texture.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Vegetarian
- Cuisine: International
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