I chase comfort with a spoon. My mashed potatoes recipe started on a cold night when I needed soft steam and calm on the plate. I reached for russets, butter, and warm cream. The first taste felt like a hug that stayed. That memory built this simple mashed potatoes recipe that I share with you now. We cook with patience and we mash with care. A recipe for mashed potatoes can read like a list yet flavor lives in small moves. Salt the water. Warm the milk. Use a gentle hand. When the spoon glides and the surface looks like clouds you know it is right. For a healthy mashed potatoes recipe use less butter and a splash of broth. For a vegan mashed potatoes recipe pick plant milk and plant butter. For a mashed potatoes recipe garlic stir in a small clove while the potatoes rest. For a simple mashed potatoes recipe keep it plain and cozy. We sit and pass the bowl and time slows a touch. The air smells like butter and the table goes quiet for a second. That first bite lands warm and bright then you breathe and smile. If your day felt loud this helps. If you cook for people you love this helps even more. From my kitchen to yours we keep it kind and true.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Mashed Potatoes Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Mashed Potatoes
- 4) How to Make Mashed Potatoes
- 5) Tips for Making Mashed Potatoes
- 6) Making Mashed Potatoes Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Mashed Potatoes
- 8) Try these side dishes next
- 9) Mashed Potatoes
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
We keep comfort close with a warm bowl that tastes like home. The texture stays light and creamy and the steps stay simple. The method fits busy days and holiday plans.
Russet or Yukon give a soft bite and a clean potato taste. Warm dairy folds in and lifts the mash. A little reserved cooking water adds flow and gloss.
I write as Nancy at Nancy Cooks and I cook for real life. The mashed potatoes recipe works for weeknights and big tables. It scales up with ease and it reheats well.
2) Easy Mashed Potatoes Recipe
I call this my calm bowl. My mashed potatoes recipe sits on repeat in my kitchen. The mashed potatoes recipe starts with cold water and ends with happy faces at the table.
We peel or we scrub. We cut into even chunks and we keep sizes close so the cook stays even. The pot simmers and the room smells like butter dreams.
We mash by hand for control and for that tender cloud feel. Short keyword creamy mashed potatoes fits the goal here. Longtail how to make mashed potatoes without lumps guides the hand and the spoon.
3) Ingredients for Mashed Potatoes
Russet or Yukon potatoes I grab five cups of chunks. Russet gives a fluffy bite. Yukon leans rich. Both shine with gentle heat and salt.
Kosher salt I salt the water so the flavor starts inside every piece. A light hand at the end fine tunes the taste.
Unsalted butter I soften it so it melts fast and smooth. The butter hugs the starch and adds that cozy note we crave.
Warm milk or cream I warm it so the mash stays silky. Warm dairy blends fast and keeps the bowl from turning stiff.
Sour cream or Greek yogurt I fold in a spoon for tang and a plush feel. The mash stays light yet rich.
Reserved potato water I save a half cup. A splash loosens the mix and adds sheen without extra fat.
Garlic I grate one small clove for a soft aroma. It lifts the mash without stealing the show.
Black pepper I grind fresh for a gentle kick. The spice plays nice with the butter and cream.
4) How to Make Mashed Potatoes
Step one Place cut potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by one inch. Salt the water. Bring to a gentle boil then lower to a steady simmer.
Step two Cook until a fork slips through with no fight. Scoop out some cooking water. Drain well and return the potatoes to the warm pot so steam escapes.
Step three Add butter warm milk sour cream garlic and pepper. Mash with a hand masher. Add a splash of the saved water until the spoon moves like it glides.
5) Tips for Making Mashed Potatoes
Cut even so every piece cooks on the same clock. Start in cold water for a gentle rise in heat that keeps the texture soft and even.
Warm dairy makes a smooth finish. Cold dairy can seize the starch and turn the mix stiff. Keep the pot warm so the mash stays loose.
Use a ricer for a luxe feel or a masher for a rustic feel. Short keyword fluffy mashed potatoes points to the ricer path. Longtail make ahead mashed potatoes for a crowd pairs well with a casserole dish.
6) Making Mashed Potatoes Ahead of Time
I plan parties with this move often. I cook in the morning and I chill the mash in a buttered dish. A thin layer of melted butter on top locks in moisture and flavor.
Reheat low and slow and stir once or twice. Add warm milk in small splashes until the spoon glides again. The taste stays bright and the texture stays kind.
For storage and travel I use a snug lid and a towel wrap. Short keyword garlic mashed potatoes turns heads when warmed in the oven and finished with chives.
7) Storing Leftover Mashed Potatoes
Leftovers keep in a tight container in the fridge for three days. The mashed potatoes recipe warms well in a pot over low heat with a little milk.
For the freezer I pack flat in bags for quick thaw. Press out air and label the date. Thaw in the fridge then reheat with gentle heat and a splash of cream.
Leftover ideas are fun. Short keyword creamy mashed potatoes turns into patties in a skillet. Longtail best mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving inspires shepherd pie toppers for a second meal.
8) Try these side dishes next
9) Mashed Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes Recipe That Is Fluffy and Creamy Every Time
Ingredients
- 3 lb Idaho or Russet potatoes peeled or well scrubbed and cut in 1 inch chunks
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried dill weed
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp black pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream warmed
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup reserved potato cooking water
- 3 tbsp sour cream optional
Instructions
- Place cut potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by about one inch.
- Add the bay leaf a pinch of salt half the pepper and the dill weed. Bring to a gentle boil then lower to a simmer until fork tender and beginning to fall apart about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Reserve at least one half cup of the cooking water then drain the potatoes well and discard the bay leaf.
- Return potatoes to the warm pot. Add butter warm cream sour cream if using one quarter cup of the reserved water garlic powder remaining pepper and a little salt.
- Mash with a potato masher until smooth and fluffy adding more reserved water a tablespoon at a time if needed. Taste and season with more salt if desired.
- Serve warm. Add a small pat of butter on top for a glossy finish if you like.
10) Nutrition
Per serving about one cup. Calories two hundred eighty. Fat thirteen grams. Saturated fat eight grams. Carbohydrates thirty six grams. Fiber three grams. Protein five grams. Sodium about five hundred ninety milligrams. Values vary with brand and swaps. I write recipes at Nancy Cooks and I keep nutrition simple and helpful at https://www.nancycooks.com
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