How To Make Mashed Potatoes

posted in Vegetables and Beans, Vegetarian, Soups, Salads, Sides and Sauces by Kathy Maister
Difficulty:

I was surprised to hear one of the trainers at my gym say that he prefers instant mashed potatoes from a box rather than the real thing! I thought to myself - he needs a few tips on how to make perfect (real) mashed potatoes!

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At the grocery store, you will notice that there is an incredible variety of potatoes to choose from. There are usually signs above the potatoes that will tell you which ones are great for baking versus which ones are better for mashing. If there are no signs, just ask someone who works in the Produce section for some guidance.

To make 4-6 servings of mashed potatoes you will need approximately:

2 pounds of potatoes
½ to ¾ cup of milk
Salt and pepper (to your taste)
2-6 tablespoons of butter

You can make mashed potatoes in just a few easy steps.

Step 1: Wash the potatoes

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Step 2: Peel the potatoes

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Step 3: Cut the potatoes into 1 ½ inch chunks

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Step 4: Put the potatoes in sauce pan and cover with water

(adding 1 teaspoon of salt to the water is optional)

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Step 5: Bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer. Simmer 20 minutes

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Step 6: Drain the potatoes

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Step 7: Add milk, butter, salt and pepper

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Step 8: Start mashing!

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Keep mashing until the potatoes are creamy and lump free. You can garnish your mashed potatoes with some chopped parsley if you like.

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Aaahhhh! Perfection

The Equipment you'll need:

Sauce pan with a cover
Vegetable peeler
Knife
Potato masher
Timer
Colander (optional)

Tempted as you might be to try using a blender or a food processor to mash potatoes...DON'T! Believe me, years ago I tried that. You end up with a gluey, uneatable, awful mess. If you are mashing for a crowd, an electric hand mixer will work beautifully!

Here are just a few more ways to cook potatoes from startcooking.com:

Potatoes - Baked Potato with Salsa

Potatoes - Microwave Baked

Potatoes - Microwave Baked (video)

Potatoes - Oven Baked

Potatoes - Roasted

Potatoes - Sweet Potato Casserole

Potatoes, How to Choose and Use

Enjoy!

You can view and print this recipe here.

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28 comments

will

my grandma used a foodmill, which provides the best texture that I have come across. She also added some milk, and the best part, nutmeg.

nutmeg flavor in mashed potatoes turns it from mashed potatoes into pure unmitigated comfort food.

Jon Sacker

One tip I got relates to washing up your utensils’ after mashing potatoes.

The ting is that potatoes are very starchy and if you rinse them in hot water, the starch sets like glue. However, if you rinse off the worst of the mash before in old water before you wash your things it all comes of beautifully.

I got this tip from one of my favourite food writers, Jeffrey Steingarten, in his book “the Man who Ate Everything” – a great, fun read for foodie obsessives!!

Kathy Maister

Will, when I was a child, my mom always mashed potatoes using a food mill. They always came out creamy and smooth and delicious. I was just reading a catalogue that had for sale, the exact same food mill my mom used. The price was $79. Yikes! That’s a lot of money for someone just starting out!

Nutmeg and potatoes….heaven!

Jon, thanks for the tip! I am going to give that a try!

Ken

To make the mashed potatoes more tastier add a small finely chopped when mashing. I always get comments when I serve this to guests.

julien

Ken - a small finely chopped WHAT?

Ken

Oops, I missed out "a small finely chopped onion" to add to mashed potatoes.

Kathy Maister

Thanks Ken! I'm not a big fan of garlic in mashed potatoes, but a finely chopped onion sounds great!

bella

i'm just thinking of making mashed potatoes, but don't know how, then i found this site and suddenly it feels very easy! i'll try it, thanks!

Kathy Maister

Good Luck Bella! I'm sure you will do just fine!

obethx

'Step 2 Peeling the Potatoes' can be skipped.

But done after 'Step 6 Drain the potatoes'.

The skin can be peeled right off without any tools, just your hands, but becareful of the HOT potatoes.

Ryvenna Lewis

I LOVE adding a bit of fried, chopped onions to my mashed potatoes.

Kathy Maister

Obethx I have such difficulty peeling potatoes that way! My fingers always get burnt! I do often leave on the skins and smash the spuds-skin and all...delicious!

Ryvenna, I'm with you, fried onions are great! (Carmelized even better!)

My Top Tip:

Mash the potatoes as much as possible BEFORE adding butter and milk. Try it out.

Kathy Maister

JB, that is a very good tip! Thanks!

Riley

Frying the onions with a bit of bacon also adds a nice flavor

Kathy Maister

Bacon makes just about everything better! :)

Weezy

When we have mashed potatoes,I always put a teaspoon of salt when I cook them,but while mashing them,I add Mrs. Dash's Table Blend(the one with the dark green lid). Also,sometimes,I add Mrs. Dash's original(yellow lid),along with the Table Blend. Weezy

Kathy Maister

Great tip Weezy! Adding flavored salt to food really gives it quite a zing! I use it when I am Roasting a Chicken and it's great!

Sean

I like cooking but don't know much about it. step 4 said salt was optional. what does it do?

Kathy Maister

Adds flavor, that's it!

Unless you are on a diet that restricts your salt intake, I would add it!

Elisabeth from Amsterdam

Hey Kathy,

My mom tought me to peel off the potatoes' skin, without burning my hands, while sticking a fork in them and holding on to the fork instead of getting blisters ;-)))

(Btw, keep going with this great website!!)

Kathy Maister

Thanks!

I always peel my potatoes before I cook them so I don't have to worry about burning my fingers!

BTW - Three (of the four) of my most favorite museums in the world are in Holland -

The Van Gogh Museum

The Rijks Museum

Museum Van Speelklok tot Pierement in Utrecht

There is just one more at the top of my list -

Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts.

Melanie

Any idea or estimate as to how much milk and butter?

Kathy Maister

Hi Melanie,
At the top and bottom of every recipe post there is a button for a printable versions of the recipe.

Meanwhile...

6 medium potatoes
1/2 cup of milk
4 tablespoons of butter
1 dash of salt and pepper

Cheers!
Kathy

Elisabeth from Amsterdam

Hi Kathy,

My absolute favourite museums are in Amsterdam, as well! Great to hear you know them!

(BTW made the breadcrumbs yesterday and the chicken parmesan...my kids wanted to eat it again today! Sorry, wrong tread but thought it was easier to post it here!)

grtz, ELisabeth

Kathy Maister

Hi Elizabeth -

We (my husband and I) LOVE your country! (My husband has written many business books, all of which have been translated into Dutch!) :-)

Delighted to hear about the chicken parm!

Leila

Hey Kathy! I've been going through the website and noticed there are a ton of college students just learning to cook! Add me to the list! Is there a difference between using the potatoe you have in your pictures or using red potatoes? Should they be cooked differently? Also, I know you don't like garlic, but how should I add it if I want to make garlic mashed potatoes? Thank you!

Kathy Maister

The easiest way is to just added the peeled garlic to the potatoes and cook them all at once and then mash them.

Rachel Ray's Garlic Mashed potatoes does just that.

There are thousands of different recipes for garlic mash. Here are just a few links:

Holiday Kitchen video - this one uses garlic flavored soft cheese.
Healthy Garlic Mashed potatoes from the Mayo Clinic
Alton Brown

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