Garlic and Chive Mashed Potatoes
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We’ve been making these perfect mashed potatoes every Sunday for the past month. My hubby developed the recipe and it’s been a hit with our entire family. You know what really rocks about this recipe (besides the fact that it’s loaded with good flavor); it’s still soft when it cools so you don’t have to break apart big chunks to reheat it. It’s just smooth.
My mom makes it in the morning and puts it in her crockpot to stay warm so it’s ready when we come over for Sunday lunch. This recipe is just right and fairly light (no heavy cream or gobs of butter; although I have nothing against those ingredients). Make this for your next holiday meal and it will probably win you over. This is our new go-to recipe for mashed potatoes.
Ingredients for Garlic and Chive Mashed Potatoes:
4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes (10 potatoes), peeled and quartered
1 1/3 cup milk
2 garlic cloves smashed
3 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp fresh chives + some for garnish
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
How to Make Garlic Mashed Potatoes:
1. Wash, peel and quarter your potatoes. Place them in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then cook for 12-14 minutes, until tender.
2. While potatoes are cooking, in a small pot, bring to a boil 1 1/3 cup of milk with 2 smashed garlic cloves. As soon as milk starts to boil, remove from heat and let it stand.
3. Remove cooked potatoes from heat and drain them. First mash them with a potato masher, than with a hand mixer. I mash mine in the same pot. Place mashed potatoes back on the stove over medium heat and stir them constantly for about two minutes until they are slightly dry. Remove from heat.
4. Add 1 1/3 cup of milk mixture to the mashed potatoes, but discard the garlic cloves. Add 3 Tbsp of butter, either melted or at room temperature, along with 1/4 cup of sour cream, 1 tsp of salt and 1 Tbsp of chives. Season with some pepper and mix everything together until well combined. Serve warm and garnish with chives.
Credits: Adapted from Whole Living.
Garlic and Chive Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 lb Yukon potatoes, 10 potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 1 1/3 cup milk
- 2 garlic cloves smashed
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 Tbsp fresh chives + some for garnish
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp ground pepper
Instructions
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Placed washed & quartered potatoes in a medium pot, bring them to a boil and cook for 12-14 min until tender.
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In a small pot bring to a boil 1 1/3 cup of milk with 2 smashed garlic cloves. Remove from heat and let the mixture stand.
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Drain and mash cooked potatoes using potato masher and hand mixer afterwards. Place potatoes back on the stove at medium heat, stirring constantly for 2 minutes until slightly dry, than remove from heat.
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Add to potatoes and mix together 1 1/3 cup of milk mixture (-garlic cloves), 3 Tbsp of butter, 1/4 cup of sour cream, 1 tsp of salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, 1 Tbsp of chives until well combined.
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Serve warm and sprinkle chives on top for garnish.
Natasha Kravchuk
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Loaded Potato Soup Recipe 
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Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
How many cups of mashed potatoes does this recipe make?
I wish I had measured it that way, Julie. This recipe does make enough for 8 servings.
I was asking because for one of your draniki recipes, you state you need 6 cups mashed potatoes, and I wasn’t sure if this recipe made enough for that.
Would doubling the recipe fit in a large crockpot? or does one recipe fill up a large crockpot?
I would double for a large crockpot.
Hi Natasha, Can I use russet potatoes? Also, you said you can use either melted or room temp butter. Could I use browned butter?
Hi Cassie, russet potatoes will still work in this recipe but the cook time will be a little different so cook until easy to pierce with a fork. Also, brown butter would taste great but keep in mind that it would discolor the potatoes just slightly 🙂
Thank you! I’m really looking forward to making this 😊
You’re welcome! Enjoy!
Hi Natasha , Is normal cream ok instead of sour? ( I bought the wrong one )
Hi Garry, cream would work but it wouldn’t be as creamy as with the sour cream. The sour cream keeps it soft even when it’s cold, it doesn’t get solid like regular mashed potatoes do.
Can I substitute sour cream with greek yogurt?
Hi Mariya, I haven’t tried that substitution but I think it may work. If you experiment, let me know how it goes 🙂
what is the portion size or serving size?
Hi Lara, this serves 8. I usually have this noted in the print friendly version of the recipe 🙂
Will it still be ok if to make it a day before and then warm it up before dinner?
Natalie, yes that would work. I like to warm it up on the skillet with a little bit more of butter.
How many people would you say this recipe serves? I plan to make this as a side dish for a birthday party tomorrow.
Thank you!
Hi Jennifer, sorry for the late reply. I usually list servings in the print friendly recipe towards the bottom. 🙂 You can get 8 servings as a side 🙂
I made these mashed potatoes for my husband’s birthday dinner, along with a standing rib roast and your sautéed mushrooms – they were so yummy and perfect!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Apparently I’ve started making all the recipes I always planned to make from your site–made the beef plov last week, and I made this tonight. Very yummy mashed potatoes. I did make it with parsley instead of chives, because I had it, and I can only have so many varieties of fresh herbs at one time, or they all go bad. But I’ll try it sometime with chives too.
That’s awesome!! I’m glad you enjoyed the potatoes. Parsley and potatoes go really well together. I especially love the combination with this “Company Potatoes” recipe :).
Any substitutes for milk and sour cream? thank you
I guess you could just use butter or heavy cream but it wouldn’t be as creamy as with the sour cream. The sour cream keeps it soft even when it’s cold, it doesn’t get solid like regular mashed potatoes do.
Literally will not make mashed potatoes any other way from now on. So good. Only tweak was adding garlic salt. Amaze.
Thank you for the wonderful review!! This is our favorite also 🙂
Hi would it be okay to use minced or powdered garlic?
I would use a little of powdered garlic to taste, I hope you’ll love the recipe :).
Hi there I’m just wondering how do you remover the garlic cloves if they are smashed? Are they still somewhat whole?
Yes they are still whole enough to remove them before mashing the potatoes. If you are concerned about smashing them, you can also pierce them into the center without cutting them apart.
Natasha, I was wondering, would it be okay to cut the garlic up and put them in the mashed potatoes for more of that garlic taste instead of just boiling it in the milk? Thank you!
Hi Casey. If that is you preference then I say go for it and see how you like it. I worry about large chunks of garlic in each bite. I hope you like it.
Is it ok to use red potatoes? And if so can I mash them with the skins on?
Yes and that does sound really good! That’s more restaurant style. Mmmm. 🙂
DELICIOUS! Thanks for this recipe. We made this today, and it tasted great! Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
I”m so happy you liked it! 🙂 Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving to you also! 🙂
You mentioned keeping the potatoes warm in the crockpot. I actually cook mine in the crockpot, using chicken broth as opposed to water. Over the course of a few hours, the broth is fully absorbed in the potatoes. They are the easiest to mash and smoothest potatoes ever. And they are heated through and through. Unlike stovetop mashed potatoes, they stay warm for hours. Yes, hours!
Kate, how much broth to potatoes did you use? How long did you cook them and at what setting? Did you change anything else about the recipe? Your method would be perfect for holidays, it sounds easy and delicious :).
Thank you for the recipe and for the idea to use a crock pot to keep the potatoes warm!!!
You’re welcome. Anytime 😉
this is the best mashed potatoes I ever made, we ate it with grilled pork ribs and a salad. I will keep making this one only. It’s a keeper.
Awesome, we just made some yesterday, I packed some to take to work in the morning and was really bummed when I realized that my lunch was left at home :(.
Just wondering, why do you dry the mashed potatoes on the stove before adding the milk? Will the potatoes still turn out the same if I skip this step?
The key to this is to have as much water evaporated as you can, otherwise potatoes tend to be more sticky and “gooie”. This step is optional but only takes extra two mins.
Good to know. I won’t be skipping the drying process than.
Whats the difference between chives and green onion?
Chives are smaller in size, but you can use either one :).
These potatoes were the bomb!!! Made them last night for dinner and now I think this will be the recipe I use to make mashed potatoes from now on. Thanks so much!
Awesome, I’m glad you like the recipe Katie :). It’s our favorite too, even my mom started making them this way.
I just love using Yukon potatoes for mashed potatoes recipe, makes a huge differents…. Never added garlic before.. sounds delish 🙂
Thanks Natasha for sharing!
I think Yukons are smoother 😉
Tried this recipe for Thanksgiving- everyone loved them !
thanks for sharring the recipe !
Oh yay! Thanks for letting me know. Glad you all enjoyed it 🙂
I kind do this recipe too, but I also add rosemary. It makes a pop to the actual flavor of the potatoes. And Thanks for the milk tip I would try it next time. God Bless you. 🙂
I have some rosemary in the fridge right now. Do you add rosemary to potatoes while they are boiling and discard it before mashing the potatoes?
Oh these do sound wonderful. I like that your husband came up with the idea. Mine is not much of a cook…lol! 😉 Happy Thanksgiving Natasha and thanks for all the great recipes! xoxo
You are welcome Suzie and have a great Thanksgiving as well…I married up pretty good 😀
Garlic mashed potatoes…. Perfect! We always have these for holiday dinners and it sure will be on our menu this year too.
This recipe is our new favorite 🙂
You can also try tossing the garlic in with the potatoes while they’re cooking. The garlic cooks right along with the potatoes, so it becomes soft and tender too. Then you just mash the potatoes with the garlic. Since its been cooked, the garlic wont be as potent as fresh. Its a nice subtle hint of garlic. We love it this way. This recipe looks like a winner! Thanks for posting. Have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!
Thank you for the tip :). I usually put garlic in the water with potatoes on my other potato recipes.
Looks delish.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Thank you Dena :). You have a great Thanksgiving as well.
Can i use russel potatoes?
Sure, you might get little more creamier results with Yukon. Cook time might be a little different, check for doneness.
Thank you for posting this recipe. They were a hit, I just love how soft they are.
I knew that they won’t disappoint and you are welcome 🙂