Ingredients
3 lb. mixed potatoes, such as russets & Yukon Golds
Kosher salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
1/2 c. whole milk
1/2 c. sour cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Step 1 In a large pot, cover potatoes with water and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until totally soft, 16 to 18 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pot.Step 2Use a potato masher to mash potatoes until smooth. Step 3Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter with milk until warm.Step 4Pour over warm milk-butter mixture and stir until completely combined and creamy. Add sour cream and stir until combined.Step 5Season mashed potatoes generously with salt and pepper.Step 6Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl and top with remaining two tablespoons butter. Season with more pepper before serving.
What actually separates amazing mashed potatoes from subpar ones? See our top 4 tips for perfect mashed potatoes: 1.Go For a Mix of Potatoes Russet potatoes (the classic brown-skinned ones used for baked potatoes) are the classic go-to for mashed potatoes, but you don’t have to stick to only those. We like using a mix of russet and Yukon gold, which have a super-creamy texture. Russets cook slightly faster, are starchier and fluffier, and taste less sweet; Yukons are a little more moist, a little waxier, and they hold their shape better. Why use just one type when you can use more? 2.Peel—Or Don’t This is the age-old debate: Should you peel your potatoes for mashed potatoes? Many of us in the Delish kitchen fall into the camp of people who happen to love the texture that the skin adds, but it’s entirely up to you. Keeping the skins on will make for a more textured mash with a little more fiber and nutrients. Eliminate the skin (like we did here) and you will have the smoothest mash in all the land! 3.Avoid Waterlogging To avoid adding too much water to our potatoes, we like to boil our potatoes whole. All of the potato-ey goodness gets trapped inside, and you don’t get as much water in the potato, resulting in a fluffier texture. Plus, it’s way easier. 4.Add All the Mix-ins We’re obsessed with loaded mashed potatoes, so we totally encourage you to stir in shredded cheddar or grated Parmesan, cooked bacon bits and chives right after you add the melted butter-milk mixture. But don’t stop there! Any addition of fresh herbs (we love parsley), cheese or even garlic will only help your mashed potatoes taste even more amazing. Storage If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a max of 3-4 days. With all of our recipes to transform your creamy leftover mashed potatoes—from fried mashed potato balls to even waffles—we doubt they’ll even last that long. Make them ahead of time using your Instant Pot or slow-cooker and refrigerate to save kitchen space (and sanity) when prepping your holiday sides. Made these perfectly creamy spuds? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
