This is our favorite basic recipe for mashed potatoes. They have a smooth consistency and creamy, buttery flavor. Yukon Golds are our potato of choice because of their natural buttery flavor, but russets are a great choice too. We’ve listed a few of the tips for making great mashed potatoes that we find most helpful in our recipe notes.
PrintCreamy Mashed Potatoes
Our favorite easy recipe for making creamy, flavorful mashed potatoes and helpful hints for getting consistently great results every time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2–1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 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 to 1-1/2 inch cubes. Place them in a large saucepan and cover with cold water.
- Bring the potatoes to a boil, add 2 teaspoons of salt and stir to dissolve. Continue boiling 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. Spoon the potatoes into a ricer (see note below), a few chunks at a time and rice them into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the butter, sour cream and 1/4 cup of cream to the pan you cooked the potatoes in. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is liquified (you can also do this in a microwave-safe bowl).
- Add the butter mixture to the potatoes and mix in gently with a spatula. If you find the potatoes aren’t creamy enough, add warm cream in 2 tablespoon increments until you get the desired consistency.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
If you don’t have a potato ricer, transfer the cooked potatoes to a large mixing bowl and mash gently with a fork. Add the butter mixture and, using an electric mixer, whip at medium speed until fluffy. Do not over mix or the potatoes will become sticky. Add more warm cream in 2 tablespoon increments if desired.
Tips For Making Great Mashed Potatoes
- Be careful not to overcook the potatoes or they will retain too much water
- Always heat the butter and cream for fluffier, lighter potatoes
- Go easy with the salt – start with 1/2 teaspoon and work up to suit your taste
- Cream cheese can be substituted for the sour cream but the end product is quite a bit heavier and richer
- To keep potatoes warm until ready to serve, transfer them to a casserole that’s been coated with nonstick spray, cover and place in a 200°F oven.
Mark says
Can I use a substitute for the sour cream?
Lynne Webb says
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.
Arlene Sievers says
I wish you would list the calorie counts for your recipes. I think something like creamy mashed potatoes could cause a heart attack, the amount of fat in the recipe for total or by serving would be very helpful. I am reluctant to try these recipes without knowing how bad they may be for me
What is the calorie count for a serving of the mashed and or the stuffing?
Lynne Webb says
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.
Aileen Barker says
These look really good! We still have potatoes left over from thanksgiving so I think i’ll try this out soon!
Andrina Goetz says
My brother in law uses sour cream in his mashed potatoes too. These look great. .
Dawn Monroe says
Sorry I forgot to add to my above comment.
Dawn Monroe says
I have never tried a mashed potato recipe with sour cream even though Ive seen several. Im definately going to try it this holiday.