Today, I’m sharing the best creamy mashed potatoes recipe made with just 5 ingredients and 10 minutes of prep time.
Whether it’s for the holidays or a weeknight dinner at home, mashed potatoes are one of my favorite comfort food side dishes. I’ll show you how to make them extra creamy!
There’s nothing better than a simple bed of mashed potatoes to pair with your favorite comfort classics.
Mashed potatoes are one of the most versatile and popular side dishes that go well with almost anything. I adore everything from loaded mashed potatoes and spinach mashed potatoes, to the more classic fluffy mashed potatoes or…even better, today’s recipe for creamy mashed potatoes!
The key to making creamy mashed potatoes is using yukon gold potatoes! Unlike russets, yukon golds are naturally creamier and have a more velvety texture. More on this below!
Another key ingredient for creaminess is sour cream! Even if you’re not usually a fan of sour cream, I think you’ll really enjoy it. Its flavor is very subtle, but it adds a wonderful richness and smooth texture you won’t want to miss.
This recipe is simple and easy, but also incredibly creamy, buttery, and smooth. It’s also garlicky and delicious!
Serve it with your favorite main dishes, such as this Red Wine Braised Beef or this incredible Apple Cider Pork Roast. And if you have leftovers, definitely make my shepherd’s pie!
Why I love making this creamy mashed potatoes recipe:
- Pairs well with anything, from beef and poultry to pork and seafood, but especially my favorite Dutch Oven Pot Roast!
- Creamy, smooth, rich, and buttery with garlicky flavors. You’ll definitely want to make an extra batch because everyone will be coming back for seconds!
- Low effort recipe, made with just 5 simple ingredients.
Jump to:
How to Make Extra Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Below I share all the tips and tricks to make them extra creamy and smooth!
Use Yukon gold potatoes: Yukon golds are my preference because they don’t have a high starch content like russet potatoes do, and because they are on the waxier side, they end up creamier and less fluffy.
Use a potato ricer: Second, is to use the right tools. My favorite one for ensuring creamy potatoes has always been a potato ricer. Passing tender potatoes through it first allows you to get rid of any lumps.
Add a touch of sour cream: It adds a very slight tang, and also extra smoothness and creaminess. Plain Greek yogurt can be used as an alternative.
Use heavy cream. The higher the fat content, the better. You can certainly use half and half or even milk, but they won’t give you the same results.
Ingredient Notes
You need just a handful of pantry staples and a few pounds of potatoes to make these creamy mashed potatoes. Below are a few notes from recipe testing, but to find ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card down below.
- Yukon gold potatoes: Peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces. Yukon golds have a naturally creamy, buttery texture thanks to their medium starch content and higher moisture level.
- Heavy cream: Adding cream (rather than half-and-half or milk) will give the potatoes an extra creamy consistency.
- Sour cream: This lightens up the potatoes while making them extra creamy and smooth, and adds a very slight tangy element. Use full-fat sour cream for best results.
- Unsalted butter: This is how you give your potatoes that delicious, rich, buttery flavor. I use unsalted so I can control the amount of salt I’m adding.
- Garlic powder: For that incredibly garlicky flavor. Without garlic powder, it can taste a bit bland.
- Salt and pepper to taste
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Prepping takes just 10 minutes, and it’s ready to serve in 30 minutes. Let me show you how I make it!
Step 1 | Boil and press potatoes
Bring water to a boil in a large pot, enough to cover the potatoes. Add the potatoes, peeled and cubed. and cook for about 20 minutes. Once they are easily pierced with a fork (aka fork-tender), drain them.
Then press them through a potato ricer, which yields the smoothest texture. I’d highly recommend using one.
Step 2 | Combine with butter and cream
In a microwave safe bowl or in the same pot, melt the butter and heavy cream until warm. Place the riced potatoes back into the pot and stir until evenly and well incorporated. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
Step 3 | Add sour cream
Add the sour cream, and continue combining (without overmixing) until they’ve reached a smooth, creamy consistency. If needed, add more heavy cream.
Make Ahead and Freezing
While it’s definitely doable, I personally don’t love freezing mashed potatoes. I find the texture a bit grainy once they’re thawed. But that’s just me! If you like freezing mashed potatoes, here’s how.
Freeze them for up to a month, making sure they’re kept in a sealed, airtight freezer-safe container or Souper Cubes to avoid freezer burn.
Thaw them in the fridge overnight and then reheat them on the stove. Add a splash of heavy cream and a bit of melted butter to help smooth it out again.
Leftovers can be stored for up to 3 to 4 days in the fridge, in a sealed container.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
Creamy mashed potatoes are an easy side to whip up, and they do a great job of absorbing sauces and gravy. My Dutch oven beef stew has the best gravy for a comforting meal!
On the weekends I’ll usually pair them with red wine braised beef, and if I don’t make my roasted garlic mashed potatoes, I’ll serve these with apple cider braised pork roast. They’re also amazing with my classic pot roast recipe.
For the holidays, I serve it with my brined turkey breast, a side of cornbread stuffing, and roasted delicata squash.
More potato side dish recipes:
Recipe FAQs
Preferably not. A mixer overworks the potatoes, which can release too much starch and make them gluey.
If you can’t find it or prefer not to use it, plain Greek yogurt is a great alternative.
You can. Just add more heavy cream until it reaches the right consistency.
Yukon gold potatoes are best for a creamy texture. If you’d rather use red potatoes, try my red skin mashed potatoes instead. For russets, try my fluffy mashed potatoes.
Tips for Success
- Yukon gold potatoes are best for a creamy texture. They have a naturally creamy, buttery texture thanks to their medium starch content and higher moisture level.
- Use a potato ricer instead of a potato masher to press the potatoes. This tool does a great job making the creamiest mashed potatoes ever without lumps.
- Sour cream is the secret ingredient to making extra creamy, velvety mashed potatoes. It adds a very slight delicious tang, but if you prefer not to use it, you can opt for adding more heavy cream instead.
- Garlic powder is great for adding flavors, but you can also use a roasted head of garlic (cloves squeezed out).
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Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes - peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- ¾ to 1 cup heavy cream - plus more to taste
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Garlic powder - to taste
- Salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil, enough to cover the potatoes. Cook the cubed potatoes in the boiling water for about 20 minutes until fork tender.
- Once ready, drain the potatoes and press them through a potato ricer. They should be fluffy and without lumps.
- In a microwave safe bowl or in the same pot, melt the butter and heavy cream until warm.
- Add the riced potatoes back into the pot, stirring gently with spoon or rubber spatula until smooth and creamy. If needed, add more heavy cream. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.
- Next, add the sour cream to make them extra creamy, stirring until just combined. Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use yukon gold potatoes for a creamy consistency.
- Try not to use half-and-half or milk. Heavy cream (and sour cream) is ideal here for that extra creamy and rich consistency.
- Use a potato ricer to press the potatoes. This will make sure there are no lumps and that it’s extra smooth.
- Sour cream: Plain Greek yogurt or more heavy cream as needed.
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