How To Make Homemade Mashed Potatoes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 lbs potatoes, russet or gold
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4–6 oz butter
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into uniform pieces. Cover the potatoes with cold water, just enough to barely cover the potatoes. Salt the water generously.
- Cover the pot with a lid, bring the potatoes to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, on medium low heat, until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. The time will depend on the size of the potatoes and the type of potatoes you are using.
- Meanwhile, heat up the milk in a small saucepan until it’s barely simmering.
- Drain the potatoes. Return the potatoes to the stove and “dry” them just for a minute on the heat, the turn off. Add the butter, cut into small pieces, right after draining the potatoes and before “drying” them on the stove for a minute. This will melt the butter. (You can also melt the butter with the milk.)
- Start mashing the potatoes with a potato masher or a hand held mixer, being careful not to over mix. Pour in the hot milk, mixing until smooth. Season with salt and ground black pepper, if needed.
Notes
- For additional flavor, add some fresh herbs, such as chives, parsley, thyme or rosemary to the mashed potatoes after mashing them.
- You can also add some buttermilk, cream cheese or sour cream for a bit of a tangy, creamy flavor.
- Another great addition to mashed potatoes is to use flavored butter.
- Bacon bits, sauteed onions, or even grated cheese are excellent additions to mashed potatoes.