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These garlic mashed potatoes are creamy, comforting, and easy to make. Restaurant-style mashed potatoes are totally doable in your own kitchen!
You may also like my Make Ahead Creamy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (Creamy & Garlicky) for similar recipes with different cooking methods.
Why you’ll love it
When you’re making mashed potatoes, this ain’t the time to go easy on the butter or cream. I remember Bobby Flay saying the same thing, and I was happy that he agrees with me. 😉 Ever wonder why mashed potatoes taste so good at steakhouses? They are absolutely loaded with butter and cream.
There are, of course, many ways to make mashed potatoes from scratch, but my all-time favorite is to use cream, making it the ultimate side dish that goes with practically everything. The classics really never fail. If you’re wondering how to make garlic mashed potatoes, you’ve come to the right place.
What you’ll need
- Potatoes – I usually like Russets for mashed potatoes, but Yukon Gold are a close second if they’re unavailable
- Heavy cream – for that signature creamy texture
- Butter – what makes really good mashed potatoes special
- Garlic – for that delicious savory quality
- Salt & pepper – it’s important to be generous with salt especially to bring out the flavors
- Parsley – optional, but it adds a pop of freshness. Chives work too.
Pro tips
- When I make mashed potatoes, I always add garlic. My mom did it that way, and it just tastes right to me. I used four fairly normal sized cloves of garlic. I notice garlic cloves are getting bigger and bigger these days, but I didn’t use the huge ones.
- With that said, you can add as little or as much garlic as you want. I tried to make this recipe not too garlicky since not everyone is a massive garlic lover like me, but you can definitely taste it. My little trick is to slightly cook the garlic in the butter and cream mixture to take the edge off so you don’t have that stronger raw garlic taste.
How to make garlic mashed potatoes
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Clean and peel the potatoes, and cut them into thirds. Boil them in a pot of salted water. While they’re boiling, add the ingredients for the cream mixture to a small pan. Warm through until the garlic cooks a little.
Thoroughly drain the potatoes, and return them to the pot. Pour in the cream mixture slowly, and mash them carefully. Top with extra butter and chopped parsley or chives if desired.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Using a handheld potato masher until smooth ensures you won’t overwork them.
- It’s way easier to mince garlic with a garlic press vs. chopping it since you don’t even need to peel the cloves first, and this butter dish has measurement markings right on it for convenience.
- Here is the Dutch oven I use to make these potatoes in.
Substitutions and variations
- Starchy potatoes like Russets or Yukon Gold make the best mashed potatoes. You can use other varieties like red potatoes; just take extra care not to overwork them since they can end up gluey.
- You can definitely include potato skins if you want. It’s totally up to you. You could even peel a couple of the potatoes and leave the others as-is. Just be sure they’re scrubbed clean beforehand.
- I don’t recommend substituting the butter or cream for lower fat alternatives. It just won’t taste nearly as good! However, you could even add a bit more of each than I recommend if you really want to go all out.
What to serve with mashed potatoes
- I highly recommend serving my popular Creamy Garlic Chicken with mashed potatoes. Top with my Easy Brown Gravy, throw in a salad with my Easy Caesar Dressing, and it’s an amazing homemade meal!
- They go with pretty much any main course from my Mississippi Pot Roast Recipe to Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin or Creamy Lemon Parmesan Cod.
- If you’re cooking this for the holidays, you’ll want to make it with my Easy Roast Turkey and Turkey Gravy and classic side dishes like Green Bean Casserole.
Leftovers and storage
- They’re best fresh, but leftover mashed potatoes will keep for a few days in an airtight container in the fridge.
- I reheat them on a low heat and add a splash more cream and then mash them again to restore them to their former glory.
I hope you’ll love this garlic mashed potatoes recipe as much as I do! Questions? Made it? Tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram, and leave me a comment below. 🙂
Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
- 3/4 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pepper to taste
- For serving: chopped chives and/or parsley optional, to taste
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes (or leave some/all of them unpeeled if you prefer, just make sure to scrub them well) and cut them into thirds. Add them to a salted pot of water and boil until a sharp knife easily pierces them.
- While the potatoes are boiling, add the cream, butter, garlic, and salt & pepper to a small saucepan over low heat. Let it slowly warm through. The garlic slightly cooks, infusing the cream so the potatoes are more evenly flavored.
- Drain the potatoes thoroughly and leave them in the pot. Slowly pour in the cream mixture and mash the potatoes using a hand-held potato masher. Mash until the cream has been absorbed and you've got a nice, smooth mash. Don't over-mash or they may end up gluey.
- Serve potatoes with extra butter on top and some chopped chives and/or parsley if desired.
Notes
- Serves 6-8 depending on portion size.
- This mashed potato recipe is also on page 235 of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials hardcover cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Super easy and a crowd favorite. Added a 1/2 cup of Parmesan this time.
Thank, Ed!! Happy Thanksgiving!
These are the BEST mashed potatoes I’ve ever had. Made them for our anniversary dinner and loved it. This week making the potatoes for family dinner.
Aww that’s so nice to hear, Terri! 😀 Thank you!!
Needed a side that was fast and easy and this was perfect! Plus a delicious, unique spin on mash potatoes with the garlic. Tasty, easy, fast. 5/5!
Yay! Thank you!
Delicious!! My family loved it!! Gracias! 😁
Wonderful to hear, Annette! Thank you for your 5-star review.
Can you use milk instead of cream
Hi Lou! I don’t recommend it. I do give reasons for this in the blog post.
I take a cup and a half of leftover mashed, add one beaten egg, scant 1/2 tsp baking powder, 2 tbs chopped onion, 3 to 4 tbs of AP flour, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Mix up until it makes a sorta drier pancake batter.
Fry in a little olive oil or butter until browned and crispy on edges. Serve with eggs for breakfast.
Great idea for repurposing leftovers, John!
Hi, I’m a mashed potato newbie. Approximately how long will step one take for the potatoes to become soft enough to be pierced with a knife? Thx.
Hi Wendy! I’d check them after 20 min or so. They probably won’t be done yet. Slide a sharp knife into the potatoes and if it slides in easily, they’re done. You can keep testing and you’ll see the difference as they cook.
How far in advance of an evening meal could you make? Could you reheat later?
See the “leftovers & storage” section of the blog post.
Easy and yummy.
Thank you, Jody!!
Easy to make and delicious
Thank you!!
Hi!
3 lbs is such an odd amount. Especially considering most potatoes come in standard bags of 5 and 10 lbs. Is there any way you could provide an ingredient breakdown for 5 lbs of potatoes? I would really like to try your recipe but I suck at trying to adjust amounts when they aren’t exactly “doubled”. Thanks for any help!
Hi Dawn! I just use a grocery store scale for the 3 pounds. I rarely buy bags of potatoes as I don’t normally go through them fast enough. This recipe has worked out fine for others.
Love this recipe. Just like the name says, “Easy and simple” Will make again. I used 4 to 5 large russett potatoes from a 10lb bg and followed the recipe. Hope this helps someone.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!