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Whether you’re planning a Sunday dinner with the family or are gearing up for a holiday gathering, sour cream mashed potatoes are a tried and true side dish that never fails to please.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
This versatile, foolproof recipe for sour cream mashed potatoes is the only one you’ll ever need. We’ve included the instructions for cooking the potatoes on the stovetop and in the Instant Pot. Both deliver outstanding results, but using the Instant Pot can be really handy if you’re making a holiday meal and need to conserve burner space for other dishes. You’ll also find make-ahead instructions, tips for success, and ideas for tasty mix-ins you can use to customize our mashed potato recipe and make it your own.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
- POTATOES: We like to use Yukon Gold potatoes for our mashed potatoes because they are an all-purpose potato with a medium starch content. They have a creamy texture when mashed as well as a naturally buttery, slightly sweet flavor.
- BUTTER: We always go with unsalted butter when making mashed potatoes because it allows us better control over our seasoning.
- SOUR CREAM: Regular sour cream is our choice for rich creamy flavor, but although we don’t recommend it, you can get away with the reduced-fat variety.
- CREAM: Heavy cream, light cream, and half-and-half will all work in this recipe and the choice of which one to use is up to you. Naturally, heavy cream will provide the richest flavor and texture, but we often use half-and-half and find it works very well.
How to Make Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-1/2 inch cubes.
STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS: Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, add 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt and cover with cold water. Bring them to a boil and continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a sharp knife.
Drain thoroughly and return the potatoes to the heat for about 1 minute to allow all the excess moisture to evaporate, then transfer to a colander. Add the butter, sour cream and cream to the pan you cooked the potatoes in and set it over low heat until the butter melts and everything is warmed through. Stir to combine.
INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS: Add 2 cups of water and 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt to the Instant Pot and add your potatoes. Lock the cover onto the Instant Pot and use the “manual” function to set it to cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. Once the timer counts down, leave the Instant Pot on the “keep warm” setting and release the pressure manually.
Remove the lid, drain the potatoes thoroughly, and return the inner cooking pot to the Instant Pot for a couple of minutes to evaporate any extra water from the potatoes. Transfer the potatoes to a colander, then add the butter, cream, and sour cream to the Instant Pot and heat until the butter melts and everything is warmed through. Stir to combine. Note: If the residual heat is not enough to melt the butter, press the “Sauté” button to heat up the element.
FINISHING THE POTATOES (BOTH METHODS): Whether using the stovetop or the Instant Pot: Rice or mash the potatoes directly into that butter-sour cream mixture (see below for how-tos). If you find the potatoes aren’t creamy enough, add warm cream in 2 tablespoon increments until you get the desired consistency. Combine well, season to taste, and transfer to a casserole or serving dish.
Methods for Mashing Potatoes
By Hand:
Transfer the cooked potatoes to a large mixing bowl and mash them gently with a potato masher to eliminate lumps.
Using A Potato Ricer:
If you’re not familiar, a potato ricer is more or less like a giant garlic press and it makes silky, lump-free potatoes that are never gluey from being overmixed. Potato ricers are easy to use, too. Spoon chunks of cooked potatoes into the ricer’s hopper and squeeze the handles together. The ricer will force the potatoes through a perforated disc, leaving you with light, fluffy mashed potatoes. Use a spatula to gently combine them with the other ingredients.
Whipping With An Electric Mixer:
Mash the potatoes gently with a potato masher to eliminate lumps and combine with the butter-sour cream mixture. Whip at medium-low speed just until the potatoes are creamy and smooth. Be careful not to overdo it or your mashed potatoes could develop a gluey texture.
Make Ahead Instructions
Whether you’re entertaining for the holidays or making Sunday dinner for the family, preparing your mashed potatoes ahead of time definitely makes pulling a meal together easier.
SAME DAY: If you want your mashed potatoes finished while you work on other elements of your meal, you can make them an hour or two in advance and keep them warm until ready to serve. Just transfer them to a casserole coated with nonstick spray, cover tightly so they don’t dry out, and place them in a 200°F oven or warming drawer.
DAY BEFORE: When you’re making mashed potatoes as part of a holiday feast, you can prepare them the day before. We recommend adding a little extra cream so the consistency is a bit looser. The potatoes will firm up in the refrigerator overnight and be just perfect the following day. Bring them to room temperature before reheating them in the microwave. Time will depend on the wattage of your microwave (we recommend 80% power). Be sure to keep them covered while reheating and give them a stir every 3 to 4 minutes.
Tips for Success
- CHOOSE THE RIGHT TYPE OF POTATO: In our experience, Yukon Golds make the best creamy mashed potatoes because of their inherently smooth texture and natural buttery flavor.
- DON’T OVERCOOK THE POTATOES: Be careful not to cook your potatoes for so long that they start to fall apart because it will affect the final consistency.
- DRY THE POTATOES: Once you’ve drained your cooked potatoes, add them back to the pan and return them to the stove for a minute to evaporate any remaining moisture.
- USE THE RIGHT TOOLS: A potato ricer is a very handy kitchen tool to have and it really does make the creamiest mashed potatoes (more info below).
- WORK WITH WARM INGREDIENTS: For lighter, fluffier mashed potatoes always heat your butter, cream, sour cream, or cream cheese before combining them with the potatoes.
- GO EASY WITH THE SALT: You should have cooked your potatoes in salted water, so go slow when adding more salt. Start with 1/2 teaspoon and work up to suit your taste.
Mashed Potato Mix-Ins
Here are six easy and delicious ways to add extra flavor to this classic recipe for mashed potatoes.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
For this most popular mashed potato variation, peel 8 to 12 cloves of garlic and cut them in half lengthwise. Cook them along with your potatoes and rice or mash them right in with the butter, cream, and sour cream.
Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
This rich and creamy variation is very simple, just replace the sour cream we call for in our basic recipe with cream cheese. Feel free to add a little more than the 1/4 cup if you like, but we don’t suggest going beyond 1/2 cup as it will change the consistency.
Lobster Mashed Potatoes
This is our favorite special occasion version of mashed potatoes and we reserve it to be served with main dishes like pan-seared filet mignon or duck breasts. Remove the meat from two raw five-ounce lobster tails and chop it into small pieces. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat and sauté the lobster until opaque, 1 minute. Stir into the mashed potatoes just before serving.
Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
We like to serve this one with sesame-glazed salmon. Stir 2-1/2 teaspoons of wasabi paste into the potatoes along with the melted butter, sour cream, and cream. Taste and add more wasabi if desired.
Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes
This is a really tasty mashed potato variation that goes well with simple entrées like roast chicken or pork. Replace the sour cream in the recipe with 3 ounces of goat cheese (chevre). Sauté 2 thinly sliced shallots in a tablespoon of butter and stir in before serving.
Cream Cheese and Chive Mashed (or Whipped) Potatoes
This variation includes both cream cheese and fresh chives. Add 2 ounces of softened cream cheese to the butter mixture, then once combined with the potatoes, stir in 3 tablespoons of chopped chives just before serving. As an alternative, you can whip the potatoes with a mixer instead of mashing, add the chives, and transfer them to a casserole dish. Drizzle the top with melted butter and bake at 350°F until the top develops a golden crust, 10 to 15 minutes.
More Mashed Potato Recipes
For a slightly different take on mashed potatoes, try our recipe for Rustic Mashed Potatoes. They’re made with Yukon Golds, as well, smashed together with butter and cream, and flavored with shallots and fresh herbs. We also have a recipe for Colcannon, our version of an Irish classic made with sautéed onions and chopped kale.
Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup sour cream, see notes
- 1/3 cup cream or half-and-half, plus more if needed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-1/2 inch cubes.
Stovetop Instructions:
- Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, add 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt and cover with cold water. Bring them to a boil and continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a sharp knife.
- Drain thoroughly and return the potatoes to the heat for about 1 minute to allow all the excess moisture to evaporate, then transfer to a colander.
- Add the butter, sour cream and cream to the pan you cooked the potatoes in and set it over low heat until the butter melts and everything is warmed through. Stir to combine.
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Add 2 cups of water and 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt to the Instant Pot and add your potatoes. Lock the cover onto the Instant Pot and use the “manual” function to set it to cook for 10 minutes at high pressure.
- Once the timer counts down, leave the Instant Pot on the “keep warm” setting and release the pressure manually. Remove the lid, drain the potatoes thoroughly, and return the inner cooking pot to the Instant Pot for a couple of minutes to evaporate any extra water from the potatoes.
- Transfer the potatoes to a colander, then add the butter, cream, and sour cream to the Instant Pot and heat until the butter melts and everything is warmed through. Stir to combine.Note: If the residual heat is not enough to melt the butter, press the "Sauté" button to heat up the element.
Finishing the Potatoes (both methods):
- Whether using the stovetop or the Instant Pot: Rice or mash the potatoes directly into that butter-sour cream mixture (see notes for whipping with an electric mixer).
- If you find the potatoes aren't creamy enough, add warm cream in 2 tablespoon increments until you get the desired consistency. Combine well, season to taste, and transfer to a casserole or serving dish.
Notes
How to Mash Potatoes By Hand
Transfer the cooked potatoes to a large mixing bowl and mash them gently with a potato masher to eliminate lumps.How to Use A Potato Ricer
Spoon chunks of cooked potatoes into the ricer’s hopper and squeeze the handles together. The ricer will force the potatoes through a perforated disc, leaving you with light, fluffy mashed potatoes. Use a spatula to gently combine them with the other ingredients.How to Whip Potatoes With An Electric Mixer
Mash the potatoes gently with a potato masher to eliminate lumps and combine with the butter-sour cream mixture. Whip at medium-low speed just until the potatoes are creamy and smooth. Be careful not to overdo it or your mashed potatoes could develop a gluey texture.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I cooked my first Thanksgiving dinner this year and used your recipe for mashed potatoes. They came out better than my mom’s ever do, at least I thought so. Thanks!
Can I use a substitute for the sour cream?
Hi Mark,
You can simply omit the sour cream if you want. Just adjust the half-and-half or cream until you have a consistency you like. If you’d like to substitute, you could use plain yogurt (not Greek though), or add 2 tablespoons of cream cheese.
Hello Arlene,
Generally, we only publish nutrition information on recipes that we deem to be a healthier version of a classic preparation. This recipe does not fall into that category, however, I’ve calculated the nutrition info at your request. One serving of 8 contains 199 calories, 10g of fat (6.3 saturated), 26mg cholesterol, 25g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 3g protein.
Regarding the stuffing – I need to know which one.
These look really good! We still have potatoes left over from thanksgiving so I think i’ll try this out soon!
My brother in law uses sour cream in his mashed potatoes too. These look great. .
I have never tried a mashed potato recipe with sour cream even though Ive seen several. Im definately going to try it this holiday.