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These buttery, light and fluffy, and ultra creamy garlic mashed potatoes will be making its round at the dinner table! Everyone will be asking you to “pass the potatoes” when you make this from scratch!
Creamy, Buttery, Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Potatoes are the staple American side dish and with recipes like parmesan garlic potatoes and roasted potatoes, who can hate on a tater? Mashed potatoes, like these garlic mashed potatoes, are a staple at the holiday table, but they’re also for any night of the week when you need a filling side dish.
These garlic mashed potatoes are made with russet potatoes whipped together with sour cream, milk, and garlic powder. They’re so light and fluffy and have the creamiest consistency! You really don’t need the boxed powder kind. Garlic mashed potatoes take very little effort to make and makes such a huge difference in taste and texture.
Serve garlic mashed potatoes alongside Instant Pot Turkey Breast, air fryer rotisserie chicken, red wine short ribs, or cozy beer braised pot roast. If you want an extra dense meal, chicken and dumplings will send you to your bed for a nap right after!
Mashed Potato Tips and Variations
- These garlic mashed potatoes use garlic powder. If you prefer to use fresh cloves of minced garlic, feel free to substitute it for garlic powder.
- You may use any variety of potatoes you like. I would suggest sticking to either russet potatoes or butter potatoes. Red potatoes are a bit too waxy for mashed potatoes. Sweet potato fan? Try my mashed sweet potatoes instead!
- Peeling the skin of potatoes for mashed potatoes is based on preference. I like to keep them on because I like the texture and the color it gives throughout.
- The “chunkiness” of mashed potatoes is also preference-based. I like to keep some chunks in it for texture but generally, it is all mashed up fairly smoothly!
Recommended Equipment
Using a potato masher or potato ricer will help you easily create lighter, fluffier, and lump-free mashed potatoes!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. To reheat, you can reheat in a pot on the stovetop with a few splashes of milk or water to help keep the potatoes from drying out. Alternatively, you can do this in the microwave as well in a microwave-safe bowl or container. Add liquid to help keep the potatoes from drying out.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups (1420 ml) water
- 3 large russet potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons (112 g) salted butter
- ¼ cup (58 g) sour cream, more if desired
- 1 cup (237 ml) whole milk, plus more if too dry
Instructions
- In large pot, bring water to boil then place potatoes chunks in water. Allow the potatoes to cook in water for 10 minutes until fork tender. Carefully drain the potatoes and place in a large bowl.6 cups (1420 ml) water, 3 large russet potatoes
- Using a potato masher or the back of a fork, mash the potatoes until desired consistency.
- Add in garlic powder, salt, pepper, butter, and sour cream.2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 6 tablespoons (112 g) salted butter, ¼ cup (58 g) sour cream
- Slowly add the milk making sure it won't make the mashed potatoes too runny. If you need more milk, add a little at a time.1 cup (237 ml) whole milk
- Stir and fold to incorporate until creamy and fluffy, not dry. Season to taste.
- Serve warm!
Nutrition
Photographs by Jess Gaertner Creative
DELICIOUS
Just the taste I was hoping for
Will make again and again
Thank you
This is our second Thanksgiving that we have made these mashed potatoes for and we love them. We sub heavy whipping cream for the milk and use Kerrygold butter and they are heavenly!
Wonderful! So glad you have enjoyed over the years!
Thanks for the great recipe! It’s a lot like mine!
mmmmmmh! now I know how to make Mashed Potatoes – thanks and ‘will spread the word. Nice one this one. . .
This past Thanksgiving we went to my great-grandmothers house. My daughter loves mashed potatoes so she put a huge serving on her plate. She ate a few bites and was begging to get down from the table. I insisted she eat some more vegetables. She leaned over to me and said quite politely for an 8yo “these potatoes are unpleasant” She ate rutabagas instead. Then it dawned on me the person making mashed “potatoes” didn’t have them prepared when they came in, then they magically appeared in less then 10 min on the table.
I guess if the world was in apocalypse I could eat boxed potatoes but really its not that hard to make them fresh.
I loooove garlic mashed potatoes. The more garlic the better! And lots and lots of butter!
I love mashed potatoes! :) Loving this simple recipe.
Do you ever leave the skins on when you use russet? …or is that only good with red potatoes? I LOVE skin-in red smashed taters, especially garlicky ones.
Actually since you boil the russet potatoes like you do the red potatoes, you could leave the skin on for extra texture! I love red potatoes with skin on :)
Buttermilk sounds great! I think I’ll try that. And I love using garlic in my mashed potatoes. Makes them way less boring. :)