This creamy mashed potatoes recipe is shockingly good! It is absolutely Thanksgiving and Christmas worthy. The folks at your holiday table will swoon over these whipped potatoes!
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This mashed potatoes recipe has just 4 simple ingredients (one of which is salt), but there are several secrets that make this recipe work so well. Watch the easy Video Tutorial below.
We added Amazon affiliate links to tools we use for making mashed potatoes.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe:
The idea for these potatoes came from Anna, a gal in our church who invited us for dinner one evening. She served us her whipped mashed potatoes and I couldn’t get enough of them, so of course I asked her for the details. Thank you Anna!
Make Ahead Tip: you can keep them warm in a slow cooker until ready to serve, which is awesome because it’s one less thing to make just before dinner.
Secrets for Making the Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe:
- Russet potatoes must be cooked whole (do not chop). I learned this awesome tip from my Mom: russets are starchy potatoes which can fall apart or become water filled when boiled so it takes a few minutes longer to cook them but it’s well worth it!
- BUTTAH!! Lots of butter and don’t skimp here. I’ve tried with less and the recipe still works but it’s incredible with the amount called for.
- Butter must be softened, not melted. The flavor of the butter is different when it’s softened and it incorporates into the potatoes beautifully leaving them silky, silky.
- HOT milk incorporates easiest into the potatoes and keeps the potatoes warm.
- Using a mixer (whether it be an electric hand mixer or stand mixer) whips up the potatoes without the effort of mashing by hand and produces the smoothest results.
- Salting the potatoes at the end keeps them from falling apart while cooking.
Ingredients for Mashed Potatoes Recipe:
- 4 lbs (12 medium) russet potatoes, peeled
- 1 1/4 cups hot milk (we used whole milk)
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature (not melted)
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley or chives, finely chopped for garnish
How to Make Creamy Mashed Potatoes:
1. Peel potatoes (cut potatoes in half if very large). If you want the potatoes to be the smoothest possible, you can take the time to remove the little knots from the potatoes with a small spoon or the tip of a potatoes peeler. Place potatoes in a large pot (5 Qt+) and add enough cold water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook partially covered until easily pierced with a knife (boil 20-25 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes; mine took 22 min).
2. Drain well and transfer to the bowl of your stand mixer. Grab the whisk attachment and mash potatoes lightly by hand to break them up. Fit mixer with whisk attachment and start mixer on low speed 30 seconds then increase to medium and slowly drizzle in 1 to 1 1/4 cups HOT milk.
3. With mixer on, add softened butter 1 Tbsp at a time, waiting a few seconds between each addition. Potatoes should be whipped and fluffy. Finally add 1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste.
To keep mashed potatoes warm until serving: cover potatoes and place into a warm oven or transfer to a slow cooker on the warm setting to keep potatoes warm until ready to serve.
Watch Natasha Make Creamy Mashed Potatoes:
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Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 lbs (12 medium) russet potatoes, peeled
- 1 1/4 cups hot milk, (use 1 to 1/4 cups) we used whole milk
- 16 Tbsp unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature (not melted)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste (we used sea salt)
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley or chives, finely chopped for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and rinse in cold water (cut potatoes in half if very large). If you want the smoothest potatoes possible, remove the little knots from the potatoes with a small spoon or the tip of a potatoes peeler. Place potatoes in a large pot (5 Qt+) and cover potatoes with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook partially covered until easily pierced with a knife (boil 20-25 min depending on the size of your potatoes; mine took 22 min).
- Drain well and transfer to the bowl of your stand mixer. Grab the whisk attachment and mash potatoes lightly by hand to break them up. Fit mixer with whisk attachment and start on low speed 30 sec then increase to medium and slowly drizzle in 1 to 1 1/4 cups of the HOT milk to reach your desired texture.
- With mixer on, add softened butter 1 Tbsp at a time, waiting a few seconds between each addition. Potatoes will be whipped and fluffy. Finally add 1 1/2 tsp salt, or add to taste.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Now imagine these potatoes on the table next to a juicy turkey, homemade turkey gravy (keep those turkey drippings!) and all of your favorite Thanksgiving recipes. Mmm…
I made these mashed potatoes tonight to go along with my beef tips and green bean casserole….my boyfriend, who isn’t a huge fan of mashed potatoes, said, These are awesome! If mashed potatoes tasted like this every time, I’d eat them all the time! 🙂 Thank you for the recipe, it’s a keeper!
Perfect! I’m glad you both loved it! 🙂
Everything I make from your website turns out wonderfully, Natasha! These were the best mashed potatoes I ever had! Great recipe! I ended up whipping them in the mixer for about 10 minutes and they were so creamy!
Amy, thank you for such a wonderful review and the compliment 😬. I’m glad to hear that.
Best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had 🙂 Thank you for the recipe!
Rachel, thank you for sharing such a nice review and you are welcome! 😬
Thank you for posting this. It’s the creamiest mashed potatoes I Have ever tried. It gets 10 points on a 10-point scale. Superb!!
Hi Oksana, I’m so happy you loved it and thank you for such an amazing review!! 🙂
Hi Natasha,
This looks yummy! I had a question as I read through. Eer, why the need to add unsalted butter in the mix or did I mix something?
Also, is it always advisable to peel potatoes before you boil them? Won’t this lose the aroma that comes with it?
Thanks for the great work you do here Natasha!
Hi Shelby, I always use unsalted butter so I can control the saltiness of my food, but you could use salted butter and add that to taste if you wanted to. I always peel my potatoes when I’m making mashed potatoes, but I think it could work fine if you boiled them with the skins on then removed the skins before mashing/ whipping the potatoes.
I love adding roasted garlic to mine. For many of in my family, mashed potatoes are a favorite. Thank you for sharing.
Mmm that sounds great! Thanks for sharing!
Hi from a Newby,
I now have filo pastry in the fridge after seeing your Baklava recipe – next on my list.
Don’t wish to tell the expert her business but another trick with yummy mashed potato is to use sour cream instead of milk. That is wonderful.
Thanks Natasha
HI Janelise, welcome to my blog and I hope you love the Baklava! Thank you for sharing your tip! We also love sour cream and use it in our garlic and chive mashed potatoes. Mmmm, mmm!! 🙂
With the addition of salt or sea salt, why use unsalted butter ? Forgot to add the pepper.
Recipe is what we have used for decades with the exception of using Idaho potato if available. The are a bit less starchy and whip up a bit smoother without having to work them for a longer period
Hi Jim, I use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt and I don’t add pepper to keep the potatoes looking white – and I didn’t think it lacked anything without pepper, but I think it would work to use a white pepper if you wanted to. We do use Idaho russet potatoes (one of the perks of living in Idaho :)).
Hi,
What about if I have yellow potatoes? will it work or not?
Hi Katrina, for this recipe, we only use russets but for our Garlic and Chive mashed potatoes we use yukon/yellow potatoes. Yellow potatoes are more waxy so we use a different method with those.
Made this for thanksgiving dinner last night. They turned out amazing. Thanks for making me look good time and time again 🙂
-Alena
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for sharing your amazing review and making me look good! lol. 😉
Made these tonight, turned out perfectly creamy and whipped, no chunks. Thank you for another easy to follow recipe !
Yay!! Thanks for sharing that with us 🙂 I hope you had an awesome Thanksgiving!
Natasha, I started following you on Instragram. Now I am obsessed with trying a lot of your recipes as they look amazing. I mimicked this recipe and I love it! It was super easy and does taste yummy!
Can’t wait till the guest try it! Thanks a million!
Teresa, welcome to the site!!! I’m so happy you’re enjoying my recipes 🙂 Have an awesome Thanksgiving!!
When I put mine in the mixer, the potatos seperated and became clumpy, did i do something wrong?
Hi Elizabeth, I haven’t had that happen using this method, but I’m always happy to help troubleshoot. Did you cook them until they were easy to pierce with the fork (without over or undercooking) and did you use Russet potatoes? Also, was this after you finished adding milk and butter?
I am sorry, I did not break them up and I added oil not soft butter… Thank you anyways. I will be more carfull next tiime.
Hi Thank you for this recipe. But I’m a little suprised : all chiefs will tell you that you must NEVER peel potatoes before you make them boil. They will lost perfume and tast. For the same reason you must not cut them before to.
(Sorry for my english, I’m french)
Best
Hi Philippe, I have always boiled potatoes for mashed potatoes, but I do keep the skins on when I am using potatoes for salads. That is a good tip!
Natasha, you nailed this recipe! photos look great and recipe sounds delicious 🙂
Thank you so much! That’s quite a compliment! 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I am planning on doing this mashed potato for thanksgiving but was wondering if I can do it the night before? If so, any heating recommendation?
Thank you! And Happy Thanksgiving!
Erika, they do reheat really well. Heating in the slow cooker or in the oven would work fine. Happy Thanksgiving and you are welcome!
Yum! These potatoes looks amazing!
Thanks Sara! 🙂 I hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving!
Thank you Natasha for your recommendation It’s nice to know
Happy Thanksgiving 😊 And thank you for all your recipes I always wait for some new recipes ☺️🙈
Thank you Luda for your sweet comment and I hope you have an awesome Thanksgiving as well! 🙂
Can’t wait to try it out! Looks so delicious! Natasha do you recommend using russet potatoes or yellow for mash potatoes? Thank you for your all delicious recipes!!!
Hi Viktoriya, for this recipe, we only use russets but for our Garlic and Chive mashed potatoes we use yukon/yellow potatoes.
Aw, what a compliment! Glad you love them:) and I know we do , perfect for holidays. Happy Thanksgiving to your adorable little fambam! God bless.
They were seriously the best mashed potatoes ever! Thank you so much for sharing it with us!! 🙂