Mashed Potatoes That Taste Like Grandma's Secret Recipe

TL;DR

Are you like me?! A total mashed potato fan? I make mashed potatoes whenever I'm craving a homey feeling.

That's when I tend to serve my mashed potato with fried eggs, as I did in this cheese eggs and potato skillet, or with a chicken Schnitzel and a cold green bean salad.

This is a classic mashed potatoes recipe, just the way we have been preparing it at home with buttery flavors and a silky texture.

But of course, mashed potato is a classic holiday side dish. I collected some serving suggestions further below!

How to make it?

To prepare the best and most perfect mashed potatoes, pick the most suitable potatoes and make sure that you follow the correct ingredients' ratio.

Preparing mashed potatoes is luckily not that difficult, but if you really want to enjoy the best homemade mashed potatoes, you need to keep these tips (and the others below) in mind.

1. Boil your potatoes in salt water. Potatoes take in the salt during the boiling process, and the result is more flavorful potatoes and not a bland, boring mash. It does make a difference to add the salt to the water or after you finish cooking. Once you have prepared your mash, taste and adjust the salt amount.
2. Use the right potato variety (see below for what potatoes to pick).
3. Cut your potatoes into same-sized chunks so that everything cooks evenly.
4. Mash with a masher or potato ricer for the fluffiest potatoes.

Choice of Potatoes

Pick starchy potato varieties, and your mashed potato will turn super fluffy and smooth.

The waxy potato kind tends to make a bad mashed potato, making it sticky (almost gluey) and unappetizing.

You can use the following potato varieties for mashing: Yukon Gold, Russets, Katahdin, Bison, Carisma, Desiree, Dutch Cream, Eureka, Harmony, and Mozart.

If you want another color and taste experience, pick purple potatoes, or specifically the Purple Congo variety.

Boiling Tips

How long to boil your potatoes highly depends on the potato variety, potato size, and your stove.

For example, a gas or induction cooker stove will heat up faster and cook your potatoes all the quicker, but a regular electric stove or, say, a wood stove would take much longer.

Keep in mind that starchy potatoes tend to boil faster and better because they are not waxy. Waxy potatoes will keep their shape regardless of what you do when you boil them. The size of the potatoes determines the boiling time as well.

Cut the potato into same-sized chunks so that they cook evenly and get ready in the same time frame. The smaller you cut the potatoes, the faster they will cook.

If you cut the potato into 1-inch pieces or into slices, your potatoes will be cooked in about 10-15 minutes approximately.

Mashing Tips

Usually, mashed potato is prepared with a so-called masher. However, you can get your potatoes mashed by using other kitchen utensils and gadgets.

• The Fork - We all own a fork, and you can use it to smash the potatoes. Just keep in mind to cut your potatoes small so that you have an easy game with your fork. Results in a lumpy mashed potato.
• The Potato Ricer - If you own one of these potato ricers, then I would suggest you use this kitchen tool to prepare smooth mashed potatoes. A potato ricer can be used to prepare noodles too or ice cream spaghetti!
• The Mixer - A handheld mixer/blender or a full-fledged blender will do the job too. Results in a very smooth mashed potato, but it will also release more starch, which makes it gluey.

How to make it Creamier?

To make your potatoes all the creamier, you can substitute the milk with cream, fresh cream, or even sour cream. Some people even choose to add yogurt or thick Greek yogurt.

Another idea is to add more butter for a much creamier result and then use a stick blender to turn the potatoes into a French-style mashed potato, also known as a puree.

This kind of mashed potato is suitable for babies, but again, it releases starches and turns into a bit gluey.

Variations

To pimp up your mashed potato, you can add more flavors to it, or you can serve the mashed potato a certain way as a standalone dish.

• Mashed Potato with Garlic - After boiling the potatoes until soft, add the butter to the pan with the garlic chopped small and roast the garlic a little so that you get the good garlic flavors. Add the potatoes to the garlic and butter with the milk and mash. OR roast garlic in the oven and add it chopped small to the mashed potato. Makes amazing crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving mashed potatoes!
• Mashed Potato without Milk - Instead of milk, use either some potato water (instead of discarding the potato water) and/or add cream, sour cream, or more butter.
• Mashed Potatoes with Skin - For skin-on mashed potatoes, check out my friend Jaden's basic mashed potato recipe.
• Cheesy Mashed Potatoes - Now that's one of my favorite mashed potato variations. Simply add grated cheese, such as Raclette or Cheddar to the mashed potatoes or over the mashed potatoes.