What’s not to love about extra garlicky mashed potatoes? These Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes are incredibly delicious, fluffy and creamy!
Roasting garlic brings out its natural flavors, and removes any overpowering tones. And when you incorporate it into mashed potatoes, it’s the BEST thing ever!
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes are one of my favorite side dishes. These are make-ahead and freezer friendly.
Mashed potatoes are the ultimate comfort food year-round, but especially around the holidays. Everyone loves a good serving of mashed potatoes, especially if they are extra garlicky like these amazing roasted garlic mashed potatoes!
There are so many ways to make garlicky mashed potatoes. For example, I make my Fluffy Mashed Potatoes and Red Skin Mashed Potatoes with garlic powder, but if you want extra garlicky flavor with depth, roasting an entire head of garlic (or two!) is the way to go!
Roasted garlic adds dimension, depth, and flavor. Roasting garlic removes its overpowering flavor, so all that’s left is pure garlicky goodness. It takes on a sweet, nutty, and caramelized flavor.
If you love garlic, then these roasted garlic mashed potatoes need to make an appearance at your holiday table this year! It’s a great way to elevate this beloved dish.
Looking for more ways to make mashed potatoes? Try these Mascarpone Mashed Sweet Potatoes or my holiday-worthy Loaded Mashed Potatoes and Duchess Potatoes!
Why we LOVE these roasted garlic mashed potatoes:
- Rich garlicky flavors: The roasted garlic adds depth, dimension, and unique garlicky flavors.
- Fluffy: We use a potato ricer to mash the potatoes, which makes fluffy and lump-free mashed potatoes.
- Creamy: Heavy cream and butter ensure a creamy and velvety texture.
- Versatile: Roasted garlic mashed potatoes pair so well with any main dish!
Jump to:
Why Roast Garlic
If you’ve never roasted an entire head of garlic, you should try it soon! It’s life changing.
As mentioned above, roasting garlic removes its sharp flavor, leaving behind a sweet, nutty, and aromatic flavor with incredible depth. Plus, its cloves become soft and spreadable, making it easy to incorporate into various dishes, which is why I think it’s perfect for these garlic mashed potatoes.
The best part is that it is a very simple and hands-off process. The preparation time is less than 5 minutes, and the rest is just oven time. More details and a tutorial on this can be found below under “Step-by-Step.”
Ingredient Notes
The ingredients you need to make roasted garlic mashed potatoes are very simple. Below are a few helpful ingredient notes. As always, the ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe card down below.
- Whole garlic heads: Unpeeled – we’re going to roast with its outer skin and everything. For 3 pounds of potatoes, I use 2 medium heads of garlic. I know it sounds like a lot of garlic, but remember roasted garlic is actually not overpowering at all. I say, the more garlicky, the better!
- Olive oil, salt, and pepper for roasting garlic.
- Yukon gold potatoes: Peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes. Yukon gold potatoes have a buttery and smooth texture, as well as that beautiful golden yellow color. But Russets or red potatoes work too.
- Heavy cream or half-and-half: Gives the mashed potatoes their creamy consistency.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and a silky finish to the potatoes.
- Salt and pepper to taste
Step-by-Step Tutorial
In just a few simple steps, you can make the tastiest garlic mashed potatoes ever. To save time, while the garlic is roasting, you can go ahead and cook the potatoes. Here’s a quick tutorial.
Step 1 | Roast garlic heads
To prepare roasted garlic, cut off the tops of the garlic heads to expose the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and wrap each head in aluminum foil. Bake at 425 degrees F for 45 minutes, or until the cloves are soft and caramelized.
Step 2 | Cook potatoes
Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes, evenly sized to ensure even cooking. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, enough to fully submerge the potatoes. Then, add the cubed potatoes and bring back to a boil. Boil over medium heat for about 20 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain.
Step 3 | Mash potatoes
In batches, press the cooked potatoes through a potato ricer. A potato ricer is a great tool to make fluffy, lump-free mashed potatoes. You basically press the potatoes through small holes, which creates an airy texture. You can also use a regular potato masher for a more rustic texture.
Then, combine with warm heavy cream and melted butter, adding more cream as needed to achieve the right consistency.
Step 4 | Incorporate roasted garlic
To make mashed potatoes with garlic, squeeze the soft garlic cloves out of their skins (reserve a few cloves for garnish), and mash them into a paste. Then, mix the paste with a little bit of the mashed potatoes (this helps it to incorporate better) and return it to the pot to incorporate with the rest of the mashed potatoes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, garnish with the reserved cloves of roasted garlic, chives, and butter.
Make Ahead and Reheating
If making roasted garlic mashed potatoes ahead, I’d recommend 1 day in advance. Make as directed and keep refrigerated in a sealed container.
Reheat: Reheat on the stovetop, adding a few splashes of heavy cream of half-and-half as needed to loosen it up. Once reheated, garnish and serve.
Leftovers can be stored for up to 3 or 4 days in a sealed container. To reheat, place in a pot and add a splash of cream or milk to retain creaminess while warming over low heat.
Freezing Tips
Cool the mashed potatoes completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the microwave oven or over the stovetop, adding a few splashes of heavy cream as needed.
How to Keep Mashed Potatoes Warm
If you need to keep the roasted garlic mashed potatoes warm, you can do so in a slow cooker. This is really helpful for the holidays when you’re trying to juggle several other dishes at once.
Here’s how: Transfer the garlic mashed potatoes into a medium slow cooker and keep it in the “warm” setting, covered. To keep it moist, add a few dollops of butter on top. If they start to dry out, simply stir in a little bit of warm half-and-half or heavy cream.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes are great for the holidays. We like it with a generous serving of this easy turkey gravy (made without drippings!).
For the main dishes, I’d recommend this Slow Cooker Turkey Breast, Brined Turkey Breast, Roast Beef Tenderloin, or Turkey Roulade.
Try these other side dishes to complement your Thanksgiving dinner: Green Beans with Bacon and Butternut Squash with Brussels Sprouts.
For a simple weeknight dinner, try pairing the garlic mashed potatoes with pan-seared chicken breasts or pork chops with apples, and a side of your fave vegetables.
If you’re looking for more potato side dishes, give these a try:
Recipe FAQs
I use Yukon gold, but Russets or red potatoes work great as well.
The recipe calls for 2 medium heads of garlic for 3 pounds of potatoes. This may seem like a lot, but roasted garlic is not overpowering. In fact, the more garlicky, the better! However, feel free to use just one head or adjust to taste. Use any leftover cloves for garnish or in other recipes, such as this Garlic Cauliflower Soup.
Yes, although it may turn out less creamy. If using milk, use whole milk. Non-fat milk is too diluted.
Yes, but use low-medium speed and don’t overmix, otherwise it can turn out gummy. And no matter what, do not use a food processor.
This recipe was originally published in 2018 and updated in October 2023 to include new photos and information, plus a few recipe modifications.
Tips for Success
- Amount of garlic: This recipe calls for 2 medium heads of roasted garlic for 3 pounds of potatoes. This may seem like a lot, but it is not. Roasted garlic is not overpowering. If you prefer, you can add it a little at a time to taste, and use any leftover cloves for garnish or other recipes.
- Cooking potatoes: Make sure the diced potatoes are about the same size for even cooking. Cook just until they’re fork-tender.
- Mash the potatoes while still warm for best texture.
- Warm the butter and heavy cream before mixing to ensure the potatoes stay hot and absorb the liquid better.
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Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Potato ricer or potato masher
Ingredients
- 2 medium whole heads of garlic - unpeeled, see notes
- Olive oil
- 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes - peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- ⅔ cup heavy cream or half-and-half - plus more to taste
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Roast garlic: Slice off the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves. Place on a piece of aluminum foil. Then, drizzle with olive oil, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Wrap each garlic head tightly with the foil and place on a sheet pan. Roast at 425 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cloves are soft and caramelized.
- Meanwhile, cook the potatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, enough to fully submerge the potatoes. Then, add the cubed potatoes and bring back to a boil. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain.
- Mash potatoes: In batches, press the cooked potatoes through a potato ricer. You can also use a regular potato masher. Note: I like to use a potato ricer to get a fluffy and lump-free texture.
- Then, combine the mashed potatoes with warm heavy cream and melted butter, adding more cream as needed to achieve the right consistency.
- Squeeze out the cloves from the roasted garlic, leaving some behind for garnish if desired. Mash the cloves with a little bit of the mashed potatoes (this helps it to incorporate better) and return it to the pot to incorporate with the rest of the mashed potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- To serve, garnish with roasted garlic cloves, chives, butter, and a few grinds of black pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
- How much garlic to use: This recipe calls for 2 medium heads of garlic. This may seem like a lot, but roasted garlic is not overpowering. However, if you prefer, you can add it a little at a time to taste.
- Tools for mashing potatoes: I use a potato ricer to ensure it’s creamy and lump-free, but you can also use a handheld potato masher or electric hand mixer (medium-low speed, don’t overmix). Do not use a food processor.
- Roasting garlic in advance: Can be done up to 5 days ahead. Store in the fridge.
- Make ahead: Make 1 day in advance. Make as directed and refrigerated in a sealed container.
- Reheat over the stovetop, adding a few splashes of cream as needed.
- Leftovers can be stored for 3 or 4 days.
- Freezing: Let cool completely and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in fridge and reheat.
- Yukon gold potatoes: Russets or red potatoes.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream or half-and-half are recommended for creaminess, but whole milk works too. Don’t use skim milk, as it’s too diluted.
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