The BEST Mashed Potatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What kind of potato makes the best mashed potatoes? ›

The best potatoes for mashed potatoes are a starchy varieties like russet, Idaho or Yukon gold. Starchy potatoes are best for mashed potatoes because they have a fluffy, almost airy texture that breaks down easily.

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

Gordon Ramsay's mashed potatoes are known for their richness and flavor. He typically adds butter, heavy cream, and sometimes crème fraîche to his mashed potatoes for a creamy and indulgent texture. Additionally, he often incorporates roasted garlic or chives for extra flavor.

Whisk a little cornstarch into the warm potatoes, only a teaspoon at a time, until the potatoes thicken to your liking. The potatoes must be warm. You can also use tapioca starch or potato starch, although most cooks are less likely to have those products on hand.

Once boiling, reduce heat, adjusting as needed to maintain a simmer. Cook potatoes until they offer no resistance when pierced: 10–12 minutes for baby potatoes, 15–20 minutes for small potatoes, or 30–40 minutes for large cubed potatoes. Drain potatoes in a colander and let cool 10 minutes.

Folding chives or scallions into mashed potatoes is a classic technique for a reason, but roasted garlic (garlic is also an allium), caramelized onions, or even a packet of Lipton's French Onion Dip, can all add unbeatable flavor to mashed potatoes.

The secret ingredient is just ice-cold water.

You soak the potatoes in iced water before they are cooked. This eliminates much of the starches in the potatoes, resulting in a super light and fluffy mash. It's also like when you make rice.

Rinsing potatoes helps remove excess starch, so it is recommended to rinse the potatoes before cooking. To ensure even more starch is out of the way, it's recommended that they even be quickly rinsed after boiling. We recommend using hot water for rinsing after boiling and cold water prior to boiling.

For most potato dishes it's important to add the potatoes to cold water and allow the water to come to a boil with the potatoes in the water. The potato starch can react as soon as it comes in contact with hot water, which will promote uneven cooking and mealy potatoes.

Professional chefs use a lot of fat and salt

There are no two ways about it: fat and salt make food taste better. Chefs know this; they frequently add large quantities of butter and salt to many dishes when cooking, including mashed potatoes.

Why add baking soda to mashed potatoes? ›

Just a pinch of baking soda is all you need to create mashed potatoes as soft as clouds. When you add baking soda, it reacts with the heat of the dish and the acid in the milk or cream to create small air pockets throughout the mash. These air bubbles translate to light and airy bites. Yum!

In mashed potatoes, cooking in milk, and preserving that starchy liquid, gives your potatoes a natural creaminess and allows you to skip the weighty heavy cream.

Here's how to do it: For every pound of potatoes in your mash, drizzle 1 tablespoon of melted butter over the dish and fold it gently into the potatoes. If the mash is still too gluey for your liking, repeat the process with another tablespoon of butter. It's that easy!

Runny potatoes can happen for a few different reasons. Too much liquid: This is the most common reason. In the mashing process you may have added too much milk or broth. Boiled too long: Boiling your potatoes for too long can make them water-logged, which (you guessed it) can contribute to runny mashed potatoes.

For what it's worth, we recommend sticking with cornstarch—it has twice the thickening power of flour and it's safe for gluten-free diets. Stir in the thickening agent gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes have reached your desired consistency.

Yukon Gold

Their smooth, yellow skin often gets them confused with regular yellow potatoes, BUT they are not the same. Yukon golds are a hybrid of white potatoes and yellow potatoes. This means they have qualities of all-purpose and waxy potatoes. This makes them another super versatile potato for cooking.

Let Bob Evans provide the balance, in your balanced meal. Made with fresh red skin potatoes, butter, and real buttermilk, Bob Evans Mashed Potatoes tastes like homemade.

Russet Potatoes (aka Idaho Potatoes)

Rocking a thick, easy-to-peel skin and often large in size (read: less putzy peeling required for the same amount of flesh), “the king of starchy potatoes is the humble russet potato, which is always my top choice for mashed potatoes,” Hill explains.

If you're looking for a fluffy, basic potato that's great for mashing or baking, opt for a russet. If you're looking for a firm, waxy potato that's ideal for salads or soups, go with red potatoes. If you're looking for an all-purpose potato that boasts a buttery flavor and creamy texture, opt for Yukon Gold.