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Mashed Potatoes

This recipe for the BEST mashed potatoes provides creamy, buttery, and fluffy potatoes, perfect as a side dish for any meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potatoes
  • 3 pounds Yukon gold or Russet potatoes About 8 medium Yukon gold or 4 medium Russet
Dairy
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter At room temperature, cut into 4 pieces, plus more if desired
  • ½ cup whole milk Warmed, plus more as needed
Seasonings
  • 1 teaspoon salt Divided, plus more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper Or to taste

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Scrub the potatoes under cool water. You can peel the potatoes or leave the skins on, depending on your preference.
  2. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Place them in a pot of cold water. Add ½ teaspoon salt to the water.
  3. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil potatoes for 12-15 minutes, until very tender when pierced with a fork, but not falling apart. Transfer potatoes to a colander and drain well.
  4. Immediately return the drained potatoes to the empty hot pot. Let the potatoes rest in the hot pot for 2-3 minutes to evaporate any extra moisture.
Mashing
  1. Add the butter pieces to the potatoes in the pot. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes.
  2. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and half of the warm milk. Stir. Then stir in the remaining milk, plus more if needed to reach your desired creaminess.
  3. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve.

Notes

The BEST mashed potatoes are best served hot. They pair wonderfully with gravy or topped with fresh herbs like chives or parsley. To store leftovers, place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat with added milk or butter if they seem dry.