How to Make Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Name: How to Make Perfect Mashed Potatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 4 pounds Yukon Gold or russet potatoes; 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter; 2 ounces (1/4 liquid cup) milk (any variety); 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (more or less (if desired)); 1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper (more or less (if desired))

Nov 5, 2014 · 41 Comments

Perfect mashed potatoes are, in my opinion, an important part of every holiday meal. Nobody likes lumpy, pasty potatoes, so I’m going to show you how to make perfect mashed potatoes!

In the great big world of side dish recipes, mashed potatoes are king. At least they are if you ask the good folks at the potato association. They say that the average American eats approximately 142 pounds of potatoes a year, and especially on Thanksgiving!

Next to making the perfect turkey or herb roasted chicken, I think carb-loaded side dishes make or break the meal. Seriously. Have you ever lifted a spoon full of mashed potatoes at Aunt Betty’s Thanksgiving table and felt like you were lifting wet concrete? Or as you slide the spoon into your mouth and suddenly feel like you’re eating wallpaper paste. Ew!

Happy Thanksgiving meal memories are not made this way, people! I’m protesting nasty tasting side dishes! I’m going to give you my tips on how to make perfect mashed potatoes. With a few simple tips and my special technique, nobody will be able to associate Thanksgiving horror stories around your food!

Perfect Mashed Potatoes, By the Numbers

According to statistics, 30 billion pounds of potatoes are grown commercially in the United States every year. That’s a lot of spuds, kids!

To determine how much mashed potatoes you’ll need to make for dinner, calculate 1/3 to 1/2 pound of potatoes for every adult person at your dinner table. When I make mashed potatoes, I always make a double batch. Why? Well, Brian eats enough for 2-3 people, PLUS I have loads of uses for leftover mashed potatoes.

A few of my favorite uses for leftovers: Loaded mashed potato soup, Duchesse potatoes, and to top casseroles like shepherd’s pie.

What Type of Potato to Use?

The type of potato to use in your recipe depends on the type of mashed potatoes that you’re looking to eat.

Here’s a little guide to help you decide. (Ooo, did ya catch that rhyme?)

Light and fluffy = russet potatoes
Smashed or chunky = thin skinned potatoes, like baby reds
Smoother, but a little bit heavier = yellow potatoes, like Yukon Gold

I normally use russet potatoes,but I got a nice selection of organic baby reds in my weekly organic produce delivery from Brewer’s Organics, so I took full advantage of having them. I love thin skinned potatoes as it is, and the taste difference with organic potatoes is something not to be missed! Sure, organic vegetables are more expensive, but I’m willing to pay a little more, because vegetables that grow under the ground, like potatoes, carrots, and beets are more susceptible to pesticide infiltration. The nature of the beast, as it were. I’d rather know that I’m getting a healthier dose of nutrients than I am of chemicals.

The perfect mashed potatoes recipe

As you’ll see below, one very important tip to keeping your potatoes light and creamy is to make sure that the butter and milk are warm. If you add cold milk to hot potatoes, it’ll cause them to seize up, turning to the consistency of paste. Over mixing potatoes gives that same, pasty result. Be gentle with those spuds, stirring as little as necessary! The more you work them, the heavier they’ll become.

My very best advice is to use a Stand Mixer ,fitted with a paddle attachment, for the initial mashing. After you’ve added the butter and milk, then switch to the whip attachment. That way you won’t have to work them for more than 20 seconds, leaving you with perfect mashed potatoes, every time.