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Making mashed potatoes at home is easy, yet with some subtle tweaks, they can go from good to extraordinary! My rosemary and garlic mashed potatoes are creamy and cheesy and are the fluffiest and most delicious mashed potatoes.
Pair them with rich and saucy mains like my chicken marsala for a comforting meal. They’re also perfect alongside pork roast or a hearty stew, like beef bourguignon.
Mashed potatoes are the quintessential comfort food and hold a special place in many hearts. For something as straightforward as mashed potatoes, I’ve had my fair share of some real duds – bland and pasty and gluey. We deserve better! So, I just had to hit you up with this fantastic recipe packed with buttery richness, tangy sour cream, hints of garlic and herbs, and parmesan cheese.
We love to serve these garlicky mashed potatoes with baked chicken breast or bone in pork chops for easy dinners, creating a perfect pairing that’s comforting and delicious.
Why I Love This Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe
- Creamy textured mashed potatoes. Thanks to the sour cream, this mashed potatoes recipe results in a smooth consistency.
- Rich and flavorful. Deliciousness is what you get when you add butter, garlic, and herbs to infuse the potatoes.
- Cheesy goodness. The parmesan cheese adds a hint of salty and nutty flavor, complementing the bland potato.
- Easy prep. With common ingredients and super easy steps, this side dish of garlic mashed potatoes is within everyone’s reach.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For this easy garlic mashed potatoes recipe, grab some butter, potatoes, fresh garlic, and rosemary, and you’re ready to make a cheesy mash. Check the notes below for substitutes, and scroll down to the recipe card for full amounts and thorough instructions.
- Russet Potatoes. The potatoes should be peeled and cut into wedges. If you don’t have russet, Yukon golds are a great substitute! They have a creamy texture, hold their shape well, and mash smoothly.
- Butter. To add that much needed creamy richness, I suggest using salted or unsalted butter. Olive oil can also be used.
- Fresh Garlic. Using fresh garlic cloves will inject a punch of flavor, but 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of garlic powder can also be used.
- Fresh Rosemary. I like using fresh herbs, but if dried is all you have, add 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary. Also, any fresh or dried herbs will work here.
- Shredded Parmesan cheese. The cheese gives a salty, nutty layer to the potatoes, but you could also use pecorino romano or asiago.
- Sour cream. For that creamy and tangy texture, I almost always add sour cream, plain yogurt, or Greek yogurt. Heavy cream is also a good alternative.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper. Kosher salt or table salt can be used here to season the potatoes and enhance the overall taste.
Which potatoes work best for mashed potatoes?
While various potatoes bring unique textures and tastes to the table, Russet or Yukon gold potatoes are top choices for classic fluffy mashed potatoes.
You can also use red potatoes. They have a creamier, waxy texture and will give your mash a slightly chunkier consistency. They also have thinner skins, so you can leave the skins on for a more rustic mash or peel them for a smoother texture. They’re especially great if you want a bit more bite in your mashed potatoes.
How To Make Mashed Potatoes
- Boil the potatoes. Place the potato wedges in a large pot, covering them with cold water. Simmer over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until they’re fork-tender. Drain the potatoes and set aside.
- Melt and infuse the butter. In the same pot, melt the butter and add garlic and rosemary. Cook over medium-low heat until the butter starts to brown. Discard the rosemary sprigs.
- Combine the potatoes with the melted butter mixture. Transfer the russet potatoes to the butter mixture and season them with salt and pepper. With a wooden spoon, mix in the parmesan cheese and sour cream. Using a potato masher or a potato ricer, mash the mixture until creamy.
- Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. For added creaminess, add a little more sour cream to the creamy garlic mashed potatoes.
Recipe Tips
- Salting: Since parmesan is already salty, it’s better to add salt after adding the cheese to the boiled potatoes.
- Flavor to your taste: Taste the garlic mashed potatoes before serving. You might need to add more salt and pepper or a drizzle of butter.
- Texture preference: Adjust the creaminess by playing around with the amount of sour cream that you add to the mashed potatoes.
- Enhance the flavors: For an added depth of flavor, use roasted garlic instead of fresh.
- Don’t overmix: While mixing and mashing is essential to get that creamy texture, go easy on it. Overdoing the mashing will produce a dense, sticky mess. For a quicker and creamier result, use an electric mixer to mash the taters.
- Slow cooker option. If you’re looking for an easy hands-off method, you can make the best mashed potatoes in the slow cooker! Just place the potatoes, butter, garlic, salt, and pepper in the crock pot, cover, and cook on high for 4 hours or low for about 6 hours. For full details, check out my crockpot mashed potatoes recipe.
Serving Suggestions
When considering what to pair with mashed potatoes, this rosemary lemon roasted turkey is the star of any feast. Add a serving of apple stuffing or this sweet potato cranberry stuffing and this delicious Brussels sprouts salad, too.
Also, my sweet potato shepherd’s pie is an undeniable choice. And let’s not forget the sips of a refreshing spiked apple cider and maybe a few glasses of white sangria.
Make sure to finally indulge in pumpkin pie cinnamon rolls as a sweet side at a Thanksgiving table, and warm up with this spicy hot chocolate mocha.
How To Store Leftovers
- Fridge. To store leftover mashed potatoes, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. You can use the leftovers to make these delicious mashed potato pancakes or potato croquettes.
- Freezer. For longer storage, you can freeze mashed potatoes! Spoon them into a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. For more details, refer to my freezer mashed potatoes recipe for tips on portioning and reheating.
- Reheat. To reheat, transfer them to a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, and add a splash of whole milk or cream to restore their creamy texture.
Easy Potatoes Recipes
- Vesuvio Potatoes
- Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
- Air Fryer Potato Chips
- Grilled Potatoes in Foil
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes
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Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 large Russet potatoes, washed, peeled, and cut in 4 wedges
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes. Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover them with cold water. Cook over medium heat and simmer the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain when done.
- Brown and flavor the butter. In a deep pot (you can use the one you used for the potatoes), add butter, garlic, and rosemary sprigs. Cook over medium-low heat until the butter starts to brown. Remove from heat; then, remove the rosemary sprigs and discard.
- Combine the potatoes and butter mixture. Add the potatoes to the prepared butter and season with salt and pepper. Depending on the saltiness of the parmesan cheese you are using, you may want to wait to salt the potatoes until the end.
- Mash. Add the parmesan cheese and sour cream to the potatoes; mash the mixture using a potato masher until smooth and creamy. Taste the mashed potatoes for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly. If you like the potatoes creamier, add more sour cream. Serve.
Notes
- Potatoes: Different types of potatoes yield different textures and flavors, but the best potatoes for traditional fluffy mashed potatoes are Russet or Yukon gold potatoes.
- Salting: Given the parmesan’s saltiness, consider seasoning with salt once the cheese is incorporated.
- Taste As You Go: Before serving the mashed potatoes, have a taste and adjust as needed.
- Creaminess: Feel free to tweak the amount of sour cream to get your desired consistency.
- Mashing: Aim for creaminess with your mashing, but remember that less is more. If you over-mash, it can make the mashed potatoes sticky and gluey.
- Leftovers: Store them in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. When warming them up, add a splash of milk to get some of that creaminess.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
I’ve made these a few times now, and people request them now! They are really great, restaurant grade!
That’s awesome to hear! It sounds like you’ve mastered making them. It’s quite a compliment when people start requesting your dishes. Thank YOU! 🙂
The mashed potatoes look delicious! About how many pounds of potatoes do you think this calls for? I’m using Yukon gold and not sure about the size difference vs russet? Thanks!!
Hi!
I’d use about 5 pounds.
No matter when you have Thanksgiving, it’s a delicious meal. One year I made the spread 3 times in 4 months (on Thanksgiving, on Christmas day for my brother and his family visiting from Denmark, and a couple months later when my spouse returned from a deployment).
I am smitten with the sweet potato cranberry stuffing photo–it looks so lovely!
Well, you definitely had a full day of delicious eating!! What a feast both at breakfast and dinner! Looks like you and your family had a wonderful day!