Mashed Potatoes Variations
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Here at Delish, we believe that no Thanksgiving (or any holiday spread for that matter) is complete without creamy, buttery mashed potatoes. This is a comfort food that deserves to be celebrated all year long, but should be absolutely perfect on your Thanksgiving dinner table. To make sure your mashed potatoes are as creamy and delicious as possible, I retested this recipe again and again until we achieved perfection. If you’ve ever wondered what actually separates amazing mashed potatoes from subpar ones, read on for all of my top tips on making yours the best they can possibly be.
What People Are Saying:
"So good! I don’t typically like sour cream on its own but it was a huge improvement for basic mashed potatoes. Will definitely be making this again." – PurpleStrawberry
"Easily my go-to mashed potato recipe. I've made it for Thanksgiving, and got requests to make it again. It's so good, doesn't even need gravy." – kitkat123
Really the only chopping here you'll have to do is cut up the potatoes. I do suggest peeling them (more on that later) and be sure to try to cut the potatoes into equal-size pieces so they cook evenly. Around 1" chunks are ideal. Time to cook 'em! In testing, I found that covering the potatoes with cold water first yields the best consistency and ensures the potatoes don't become too mushy. Don't forget to add a pinch of salt to the water! Let the potatoes cook until softened—the best way to test is to use a paring knife and make sure it can be inserted with no resistance. This should take about 20 minutes. Make sure to drain when they're done so they don't overcook.
Now comes the fun part: Mashing the potatoes until smooth. You can use a masher or ricer or even a handheld mixer for this step. I think the smoother, the better, but you do you of course.
On to what makes these potatoes the best ever: Heat up some whole milk and butter until the butter is melted in a pot.
Then, pour over the still warm potatoes and mix to combine. Then add the sour cream, some salt and pepper, and you're basically good to go! Mix everything well, transfer to your prettiest serving bowl, and proceed with the finishing touches: a couple pieces of butter to melt into the potatoes, plus fresh parsley for some color and brightness. Brace yourself for the compliments.
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a max of 3 to 4 days. With all of our recipes to transform your creamy leftover mashed potatoes—like fried mashed potato balls, potato rolls, waffles... we doubt they'll even last that long.
mixed potatoes, such as russets and Yukon Golds, peeled, cut into 1" pieces
Kosher salt
whole milk
(1 1/2 sticks) plus 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
sour cream, room temperature
Freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Let us know how it went in the comments!