The Simple Secret to Perfect Mashed Potatoes (2024)

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Dinners
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Mashed Potatoes

This recipe makes the best, creamiest mashed potatoes imaginable.

Elise Bauer

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

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Updated January 24, 2024

30 Ratings

Everybody seems to have their favorite way of making mashed potatoes. Some cook them with the peel on, some without. Some add a little of the cooking water to the mashed potatoes for extra starch.

I have found that the single thing that makes the biggest difference for making perfect creamy, heavenly potatoes is the type of potatoes you use.

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Yukon Golds Make the Best Mashed Potatoes

Most people use starchy Russets for mashed potatoes. With their high starch and low water content, they're good for baking, for making French fries, and for mashing. Here's my secret though—even better than Russets for mashing are Yukon Golds.

They're a little more expensive than Russets, but worth it! They're naturally creamy when mashed, never mealy, and have a slightly buttery flavor all on their own. Yukon golds make the most perfectly creamy, buttery mashed potatoes.

How to Buy and Store PotatoesREAD MORE:

Tips for the Best Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are essentially an easy dish, but we've found a few tips and tricks that ensure the best potatoes ever:

Start cooking the potatoes in cold water: This ensures that the potatoes cook evenly. Otherwise, if you start with hot or boiling water, the outsides of the potatoes cook and soften while the middles are still hard and crunchy.

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Warm the butter and cream: This might seem like a fussy step, but it's worth it. Warm butter and cream will blend more easily into the warm potatoes, making them creamier and softer.
Use a potato masher: If your potatoes are cooked properly and the butter and cream are warm, you should have no problem mashing your potatoes into a creamy consistency with just a potato masher. Avoid using a blender or food processor; this can make your potatoes gluey.

Can You Reheat Mashed Potatoes?

Yes! You can even make ahead and freeze mashed potatoes. Just make sure that you don't skimp on the butter or cream. It's the fat that helps the potatoes reheat well.

Our favorite way to reheat mashed potatoes is to just put them in the microwave (covered) for a couple minutes, and then give them a good stir before serving.

You can also put them in a slow cooker (a couple hours on low), or reheat in the oven or on the stovetop. Just stir occasionally, and add more butter and seasoning if needed to serve.

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More Mashed Potato Recipes

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Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes with Brown Butter, Goat Cheese, and Sage
duch*ess Potatoes

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time35 mins

Servings4 servings

Always put potatoes in cold water to start, then bring to a boil. That way the potatoes cook more evenly.

You can easily double this recipe.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into roughly 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt, divided
4 tablespoons (60 ml) heavy cream
2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
1-4 tablespoons milk, as needed
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Cook the potatoes:
Place the peeled and cut potatoes into a medium saucepan. Add cold water to the pan until the potatoes are covered by at least 1 inch. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the water.
Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer, and cover. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until you can easily poke through the potatoes with a fork.
Heat the butter and cream:
While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter and warm the cream together in a pan on the stove or in the microwave.
Drain and mash the potatoes:
When the potatoes are done, drain the water and place the steaming hot potatoes into a large bowl. Pour the heated cream and melted butter over the potatoes, along with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Then use a strong wooden spoon (a metal spoon might bend) to beat further.
Add milk and beat until the mashed potatoes are smooth. Don't over-beat the potatoes or the mashed potatoes will end up gluey.
Taste, then season as needed with salt and pepper.
Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below!

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
265	Calories
12g	Fat
37g	Carbs
5g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	265
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g	15%
Saturated Fat 7g	37%
Cholesterol 34mg	11%
Sodium 409mg	18%
Total Carbohydrate 37g	13%
Dietary Fiber 4g	13%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 16mg	82%
Calcium 42mg	3%
Iron 2mg	10%
Potassium 932mg	20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.