By Rachel Brink
Mashed potatoes are the ultimate comfort food and a staple in many households. They taste nostalgic—even if you were never served mashed potatoes as a kid. They’re familiar, creamy, and warm, and are guaranteed to please the pickiest of crowds.
The best thing about these crowd-pleasing mashed taters? They’re SO easy to make. The steps are pretty cut-and-dry, so even if you’re not a seasoned chef, you’ll have perfectly whipped up mashed potatoes that will make your family go ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh.’
These two variations from Parenting Pod are loved by kids and adults and are perfect for those who want some flexibility as they embark on their potato-mashing venture. Each one has a different personality, but they’re equally delicious. Combine them, tweak them, make them your own—it’s hard to go wrong with mashed potatoes.
The best mashed potatoes are made with starchy potatoes which include red, Yukon, or russet. You’ll want to peel your Yukons and russets, but red potatoes are especially fun, because they can be mashed with the peel, which will save you time while adding color to the bowl.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
A classic. These garlic mashed potatoes are as classic as it gets—if you so choose, so can even leave the garlic out for plain, but good, old, reliable mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
· 3 lbs. potatoes (one of the kinds mentioned above!) cut into quarters
· ½ cup whole milk OR half and half
· ¼ cup butter
· ½ cup room sour cream or cream cheese, brought to room temperature
· 1 tsp garlic powder
· 2 tsp salt, divided
· ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Place potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to completely cover the potatoes. Add 1 ½ tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
2. Once the potatoes are soft enough to fall apart when poked with a fork, transfer them to a strainer and let them drain for a few minutes.
3. While the potatoes are draining, add the milk and butter to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until the butter starts to melt, about 40 seconds. Add the remaining ½ tsp salt, the garlic powder and pepper to the bowl and whisk together.
4. Transfer the drained potatoes to a large bowl and begin to mash, slowly adding in the milk mixture until you reach your desired consistency. After you have added all the milk, mix in the sour cream (or cream cheese). You may leave it chunky, or keep mashing for a creamier, more even consistency.
Cheddar Chive Mashed Potatoes
If you’re looking to add an irresistible guilty pleasure to your meal, look no further than this cheesy bowl of bliss. The only downside? This side-dish may upstage the main one.
Ingredients
· 3 lbs. potatoes (one of the ones mentioned above!) cut into quarters
· ½ cup whole milk OR half and half
· ½ cup sour cream, brought to room temperature
· 6 Tbsp butter
· 1-1 ½ cups grated aged white cheddar cheese
· 2 tsp salt
· ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
· Pinch of cayenne
· 3 Tbsp chopped chives
Instructions
1. Place potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to completely cover the potatoes. Add 1 ½ tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
2. Once the potatoes are soft enough to fall apart when poked with a fork, transfer them to a strainer and let them drain for a few minutes.
3. While the potatoes are draining, add the milk and butter to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until the butter starts to melt, about 40 seconds. Add the remaining ½ tsp salt to the bowl and whisk together.
4. Transfer the drained potatoes to a large bowl and begin to mash, slowly adding in the milk mixture until you reach your desired consistency. Keep mixing as you add in the black pepper, cayenne, grated cheese, sour cream, and 2 tablespoons of chives.
5. When you have finished mixing in all the ingredients, top with remaining tablespoon of chives and serve hot.
For other variations, you can try using sweet potatoes or yams instead of white potatoes. You can even make ‘mashed potatoes’ from cauliflower. The most indulgent, though, are undoubtedly the variations mentioned above. Double the ingredients for a larger group, and – if you’re having guests – don’t be too surprised when you’re asked to share the recipe!