Is there a better side dish than mashed potatoes? No, no there is not. They have always been my absolute favorite… followed by potato wedges, french fries and my lemon roasted potatoes. I really like potatoes…
Mashed potatoes pair well with so many things, from homestyle favorites like fried chicken and meatloaf to more sophisticated dishes like lemon piccata and beef bourguignon, but they are not just a side dish. Mashed potatoes can be transformed latkes or potato pancakes, they can be used to make potato bread, gnocchi and dumplings, or can become the filling for croquettes, empanadas or pierogi.
Let’s make some mashed potatoes…
Deciding how much mashed potatoes you need can be tough, but I think it is always better to have too much, than not enough, right? This recipe calls for 3 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes. That is about 8-10 medium potatoes. This will make approximately 6 servings.
Peel the potatoes and rinse them off with cold water.
Cut them into 1 inch cubes and place them into a large pot of cold water.
Once all of the potatoes are cubed, add more water, if necessary. There should be enough water to cover the potatoes by about an inch. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, add a large pinch of salt and lower the heat to medium. Continue on a low boil until the potatoes are easily pierced by a fork, but not mushy.
While the potatoes are boiling, gather 4 tablespoons of butter, 1/3 cup of sour cream, 1 cup of whole milk or heavy cream, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.
Once the potatoes are done, transfer them into a strainer and set them aside. Add 2/3 cup of whole milk, 4 tablespoons of butter, 1/3 cup of sour cream, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper into the same pot that you boiled the potatoes in. Place the pot over medium heat until the butter has melted.
Transfer the pot onto a heat proof surface, such as a wooden cutting board, and transfer the drained potatoes into the pot. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or whip them with an electric hand mixer and then mix to combine all of the ingredients in the pot. If the potatoes feel too stiff, add the remaining 1/3 cup of whole milk.
I like to do a little taste test at this point and add more salt and pepper, if necessary.
Transfer the potatoes into a serving dish and garnish with finely chopped parsley and a few pats of butter.
These potatoes are rich, creamy and very flavorful. I love watching people who usually don’t like mashed potatoes ask for seconds after they try these. There aren’t any special ingredients or techniques used to bring these beauties together, just the right amount of butter, cream and salt…
If your next dinner needs a simple, creamy starchy side dish to round out the meal then I would highly recommend serving a dish of fabulous mashed potatoes. You will never regret including them in your dinner plans…
Classic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cubed
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 1/3 cup of sour cream
- 1 cup of whole milk or heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1/2 teaspoons of black pepper
- fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional garnish)
- 2 tablespoons butter (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Peel, rinse and cube up 3 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes
- Place the potatoes into a large pot of cold water, covering them by at least 1 inch
- Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil
- Once the water is boiling, add a large pinch of salt and reduce the heat to medium
- Boil the potatoes until they are easily pierced by a fork, but not mushy
- Transfer the potatoes into a strainer and set them aside
- Add 2/3 cup of whole milk, 1/3 cup of sour cream, 4 tablespoons of butter, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper into the pot your potatoes were boiled in
- Place the pot over medium heat
- Once the butter has melted, transfer the pot onto a heat proof surface, such as a wooden cutting board
- Transfer the drained potatoes back into the pot and mash with a potato masher or whip with an electric hand mixer until smooth and creamy
- If the potatoes are too tight, add the remaining 1/3 cup of whole milk
- Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if necessary
- Garnish with finely chopped parsley and a few extra pats of butter
