Mashed potatoes are a classic side. They’re comforting, they’re delicious, and they can be classic OR dressed to the nines.
If you’re making steak for date night or maybe even just a simple air fryer chicken breast, mashed potatoes are the answer. Start off by mastering perfect mash, then try these five variations to take your mash over the top.
Once you master pure mashed potatoes, it’s time to make the best mashed potatoes. These are my five best potato mix-ins and flavors. These are fancy mashed potatoes. They are over the top goodness, flavor packed, and will elevate any mashed potato to the best mashed potato it can be.
What kind of potatoes for mashed potatoes?
There are only two kinds of potatoes that are perfect for mashed potatoes: Yukon golds (my absolute favorite) and Russets.
Yukon golds: dense, buttery, rich, more potato flavor
Yukon golds are perfect for mashing because they’re starchy, beautifully yellow, and have a rich buttery potato taste. They’re also a more dense potato with a thin skin, and when you use them, you get a more luxurious mash.
Russets: light, delicate, fluffy, mild potato flavor
Russets (or Idaho) potatoes are those big potatoes with the dusty skin that most people use for baked potatoes. These are also excellent for mashed: fluffy, dry, and starchy, when cooked right. Russets are the more mild potato of the two potatoes I recommend and if you’re a fan of lighter potatoes, they make a mash with a more delicate texture.
How to make super smooth and creamy mashed potatoes
- Scrub and peel (or leave the skins on if you’re into that) the potatoes and cut into even pieces.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot of water and cover with cold water. Add a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Turn the heat down to medium-high once the potatoes hit a rapid boil, making sure that the potatoes are still at a simmer. Cook until fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes. Use a slotted spoon or colander and drain the potatoes well.
- Mash! Push the potatoes through a fine mesh sieve for the smoothest, fluffiest potatoes you’ll ever eat.
- Stir in the butter and milk. Add the butter and milk, gently stirring until the potatoes reach your desired consistency. Taste and season generously.
- Enjoy!
Pesto Mashed Potatoes
There’s a pesto pasta dish from Liguria in Northern Italy that is fantastic. The fresh basil, toasty pine nuts, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and nutty, umami filled Parmesan go perfectly with potatoes. It’s not much of a stretch to think of pesto and mashed potatoes and truly, they are a match made in heaven. Creamy, smooth mashed potatoes with flecks of green, grassy basil ribboned throughout is both a feast for the eyes and your tastebuds. It’s a super easy addition to your classic mash and makes it so incredibly flavorful. You can make your own pesto or use store bought, either way, these pesto potatoes are a winner.
Ingredients
- 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes peeled and quartered, ~2 lbs
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 cup pesto
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1-2 inches. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat so the potatoes are simmering. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well.
- Mash or push the potatoes through a ricer or sieve back into the pot.
- Place the pot over low heat and stir in the butter, whole milk, and half of the pesto until smooth. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Before serving, make a divot in the middle of the potatoes and add the remaining pesto on top. Alternatively, swirl the pesto into the potatoes, creating pesto ribbons throughout.
Estimated Nutrition
Cacio e Pepe
If you love cacio e pepe you’ll love these cheesy, peppery mashed potatoes. They key is to toast freshly ground black peppercorns in butter so they bloom and flavor the butter with a light floral pepperiness. Pepper and pecorino go together perfectly with creamy mashed potatoes – it’s heaven.
Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes peeled and quartered, ~2 lbs
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup pecorino grated, plus extra to serve
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1-2 inches. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat so the potatoes are simmering. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well.
- Mash or push the potatoes through a ricer or sieve back into the pot.
- Using the pot that you cooked the potatoes in, gently melt the butter over low heat. Add the freshly cracked black pepper and stir, letting it toast slightly. Stir in the milk, potatoes, and pecorino until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with extra grated pecorino on top.
Estimated Nutrition
Spicy Chili Crisp
This is probably the easiest and most tasty mashed potato glow up. If you’re a spice lover and find that potatoes are too bland, spicy chili crisp mash is for you. They’ll add zing to any main.
Spicy Chili Crisp Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes peeled and quartered, ~2 lbs
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup chili crisp
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1-2 inches. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat so the potatoes are simmering. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well.
- Mash or push the potatoes through a ricer or sieve back into the pot.
- Place the pot over low heat and stir in the butter, and whole milk, until smooth. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Before serving, make a divot in the middle of the potatoes and add the chili crisp on top. Alternatively, swirl the chili crisp into the potatoes, creating spicy ribbons throughout.
Estimated Nutrition
Nori Brown Butter
The deliciousness of nutty brown butter combined with the salty umami flavors of roasted nori cannot be beat. This is a winning combination of flavors, especially when paired with the smooth creaminess of mashed potatoes.
Nori Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes peeled and quartered, ~2 lbs
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 sheets nori
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup whole milk
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1-2 inches. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat so the potatoes are simmering. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well.
- While the potatoes are cooking, lightly toast the nori using tongs and holding it 1-2 inches above the stove burner. Pulse the cooled nori in a spice grinder until very small or use a blender to blend until the seaweed turns into a powder.
- Make the brown butter by melting the butter in a small pan over medium low heat. The butter will start to sputter and turn foamy. Once it turns a deep golden yellow and smells toasty, remove it from the heat and stir in the nori, rice vinegar, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar.
- Mash or push the potatoes through a ricer or sieve back into the pot. Place the pot over low heat and stir in the nori brown butter and milk until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Estimated Nutrition
Garlic Gruyere Aligot
This is a classic French inspired take on aligot potatoes: a super cheesy, rich fondue like potato dish. These potatoes are incredibly creamy and full of a mix of smoky gruyere and stretchy, melty mozzarella. The potatoes become a melty, stretchy mix between mashed potatoes and fondue. Seriously good.
Ingredients
- 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes peeled and quartered, ~2 lbs
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 12 oz Gruyère cheese shredded
- 12 oz fresh mozzarella
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1-2 inches. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat so the potatoes are simmering. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well.
- Mash or push the potatoes through a ricer or sieve back into the pot.
- Place the pot over low heat and stir in the garlic, butter, cream, and half of the cheese. Once the cheese melts, stir in the remaining cheese until the potatoes stretch like melted mozzarella. Taste and season with salt and freshly cracked pepper.
Estimated Nutrition
Potato on, frens!
-steph
thank you for all of these, cacio e pepe looks really good, love the idea of those flavors and if I had my choice I’d make them as sweet potatoes, but regular potatoes work too!