Adding fresh spinach to your mashed potatoes is an easy way to jazz up everyone’s favorite side dish! So good.
These spinach mashed potatoes are creamy, fluffy, and made with fresh spinach and garlic. The melted butter makes them extra buttery and delicious!
It’s so easy to make! It’s a great side dish to serve with all your main meals. I mean, who doesn’t love mashed potatoes?!
Spinach mashed potatoes are my favorite way to elevate a classic mashed potato side dish for the holidays! I do love traditional mashed potatoes, but sometimes it’s nice to add some extra flavor and wholesome ingredients. The spinach also add to the presentation of the entire meal!
It’s just as easy to whip up a batch of mashed potatoes with spinach as it is without. The only extra step is to chop it up, sauté it, and throw it into the mix.
I love making this when serving a crowd for Thanksgiving dinner, but because it’s a 30-minute side dish, I can also whip up a batch any day of the week. It reheats very well, and pairs with chicken, beef, fish, pork…you name it!
And because spinach mashed potatoes have a garlicky flavor and pretty green spinach in them, even picky eaters, the non-spinach lovers, and leafy green-avoiding kids will still love them!
Love mashed potatoes? Check out my Loaded Mashed Potatoes, Red Skin Mashed Potatoes, and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
Why I love making Spinach Mashed Potatoes:
- They’re fluffy and creamy, and have tons of delicious garlicky flavors and so much goodness.
- It’s a quick and easy side dish! Great for the holidays or any day of the week.
- You probably already have all the simple ingredients it takes to make them.
- These are made on the stove, leaving plenty of room in the oven for the main meal.
Jump to:
Ingredient Notes
You only need 5 ingredients and some seasoning to make this easy spinach mashed potatoes recipe. I have included a few notes from recipe testing, and specific ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card down below.
- Fresh spinach: Chop up some fresh, packed parsley. As it wilts, it’ll shrink, so using fresh packed spinach always looks like it’s more than it is.
- Fresh garlic: Minced garlic adds a wonderful garlicky flavor to the mashed potatoes.
- Potatoes: Russet potatoes are great for making fluffy mashed potatoes. They are high in starch, but when cooked, they get fluffy, airy, and pillowy soft.
- Half-and-half: Here’s how we get them creamy!
- Unsalted butter: Buttery mashed potatoes can’t be beat. I use unsalted so I can control the amount of added salt I use.
- Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste for seasoning.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Prep time for these mashed potatoes is a quick 10 minutes! It’s waiting for the potatoes to boil that takes the longest. Let me show you how I make them!
Step 1 | Cook and press the potatoes
Bring a large pot of water to a boil first and then add the potatoes to bring them back to a boil. Over medium heat, cook them for about 20 minutes, or until they can be easily pierced with a fork. Drain them and return them in a colander.
Use a potato ricer to press the potatoes through if you have one. This separates the potatoes, preventing chunks left behind, resulting in the fluffiest and creamiest spinach mashed potatoes.
Step 2 | Cook garlic and spinach
Grab a medium saucepan and place it over medium heat. Sauté the garlic with more butter for about a minute until the garlic becomes nice and fragrant. Then, toss in the spinach and cook until just softened.
Step 3 | Combine and make it creamy
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt some of the butter with the half and half until warm. Set it aside until you’re ready to use it in the potatoes.
Add the riced potatoes back into the pan with the spinach and garlic. Pour in the melted butter and half-and-half mixture, and combine until everything is nice and creamy and the spinach is evenly mixed.
Add a bit more half-and-half if required to make these as creamy as you’d like. Depending on your desired consistency, you may not need it. Season generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Keeping Mashed Potatoes Warm
If you’re working ahead of schedule and preparing these a bit early, I have some great tips and tricks on how to keep mashed potatoes warm!
Transfer the spinach mashed potatoes into a slow cooker and keep it on the warm function.
The oven works too. Just remember to keep the temperature low. Otherwise, your potatoes may dry out.
If necessary, add a splash of half and half or melted butter and stir before serving.
Make Ahead and Freezing
I always say spinach mashed potatoes are best served right away, but I know that’s not always possible. When this is the case, they certainly can be made in advance and reheated or kept warm. Use the slow cooker or oven as mentioned above, or reheat in the microwave oven. You can make them about 1-2 days ahead.
Freezing: These can be kept frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating. You will need to add extra cream to adjust the consistency.
Repurpose leftovers! You can also forgo freezing them and use any leftovers to make a shepherd’s pie!
Pairing and Serving Ideas
There are endless ways to enjoy mashed potatoes as a side dish! Below are just a few of our favorite ways to eat them, whether for a special occasion or a casual dinner on Sunday.
- Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder – Fall apart meat with all of its sweet and tangy juices could use a creamy side dish.
- Dutch Oven Beef Stew – The potatoes will soak up the flavorful juices!
- Dutch Oven Roast Chicken – A comfort meal deserves a comforting side.
- Dutch Oven Pot Roast – Potatoes and pot roast go hand in hand!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Thaw and make sure to squeeze out any excess water before using.
You certainly can! The same way that pasta water could use some salt, potatoes can too.
Use a potato masher, although you may have some chunks, rustic-style. Try not to use a food processor or mixer, since overworking the potatoes can make them gummy.
Absolutely! Yukon gold potatoes are a great alternative. They’re not quite as fluffy as Russetts, but they turn out extra creamy, which I really like!
Tips for Success
- Frozen spinach can be used in place of fresh spinach. Thaw it first and squeeze out any excess liquid.
- Use a potato ricer for the fluffiest texture. For any type of fluffy mashed potatoes, I always recommend a ricer, if you’ve got one.
- If the cooked spinach has too much water, remove excess moisture before adding the potatoes.
- Add some parmesan cheese, herb and garlic cream cheese, or sour cream for even more flavor and creaminess!
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Spinach Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach - packed and roughly chopped
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 ½ pounds Russet potatoes - peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup half-and-half - plus more as needed
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter - divided
- Garlic powder - to taste
- Salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, enough to fully submerge the potatoes. Then, add the potatoes and bring back to a boil. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain.
- Press the cooked potatoes through a potato ricer. This will make them extra fluffy and smooth. Set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter with half-and-half until melted and warm. Set aside.
- In the medium pot, sauté the minced garlic with 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Then cook the spinach until just softened, just a few minutes. If there's any excess moisture, absorb that with paper towel.
- Add the riced potatoes into the pot with the spinach. Then, add in the melted butter and half-and-half liquid mixture, and stir everything until creamy and evenly combined. If needed, add more half-and-half.
- Season generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use a potato ricer for best results. It makes the fluffiest, creamiest, and smoothest mashed potatoes.
- You can also use a potato masher, but you may have a few chunks here and there.
- Half-and-half or heavy cream can be used. If you don’t have either, whole milk is fine too.
- Fresh vs. frozen spinach: I use fresh spinach for best flavors, but you can also use frozen. Thaw and squeeze out any excess water before using.
- Russet potatoes are best here to get that fluffy texture. Yukon golds will work too, yielding a creamier texture.
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