Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Buttery Yukon Gold potatoes are boiled with whole garlic cloves until soft, then mashed with warm cream and butter for a silky, mellow-garlic side that never turns gluey.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Wait
- 5 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Makes
- About 6 cups (6 servings)
Steps
Before you start
- Cut all potatoes to the same size so they cook evenly.
- Start the potatoes in cold, well-salted water, not boiling water, so the centers cook at the same rate as the outsides.
- Warm the cream and butter before mixing; cold liquid cools the potatoes and makes them gummy.
- Use a masher or ricer, not a food processor or blender, which turns potatoes gluey.
Prep the potatoes
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1½-inch (4 cm) chunks.
- Peel the 6 garlic cloves and leave them whole.
- Place potatoes and garlic in a 4-quart pot as you work.
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Ready when: Chunks are roughly equal in size.
Tip: Keep cut potatoes covered with water if you're slow, to prevent browning.
Start in cold water
- Add cold water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch (2.5 cm), then stir in 1 tablespoon kosher salt.
- Set the pot over high heat and bring to a boil, uncovered.
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Ready when: Water reaches a steady rolling boil.
Simmer until tender
- Reduce heat so the water simmers gently, partially cover, and cook 15 to 20 minutes.
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Ready when: A paring knife slides into the center of a chunk with no resistance, and a chunk breaks apart when pressed.
Tip: A hard boil breaks up the outsides before the centers are cooked.
Warm cream and butter
- While the potatoes simmer, combine the cream and butter in a small saucepan.
- Heat until the butter melts and the cream is steaming with small bubbles at the edge, about 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
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Ready when: Butter is fully melted and cream is steaming but not boiling.
Tip: Don't let the cream boil over.
Drain and dry
- Drain the potatoes and garlic well in a colander.
- Return them to the empty hot pot over low heat for 1 minute, shaking gently, to evaporate surface moisture.
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Ready when: A thin floury film forms on the bottom of the pot and no steam clouds rise.
Tip: Wet potatoes make watery mash that can't absorb the butter and cream.
Mash
- Off the heat, mash the potatoes and garlic with a masher (or pass through a ricer) until no large lumps remain.
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Ready when: Mostly smooth with the garlic fully broken down.
Tip: Never use a blender or food processor; the starch turns gluey.
Fold in cream mixture
- Pour in the warm cream and butter in two additions, folding gently with a spatula after each until absorbed.
- Add 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper.
- Stop mixing as soon as it looks creamy.
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Ready when: Potatoes are fluffy, creamy and hold a soft peak on the spoon.
Tip: Overmixing makes potatoes sticky; fold only until combined.
Season and serve
- Taste and add more salt if needed, up to ½ teaspoon more.
- Let rest, covered, for 5 minutes so the flavors meld, then spoon into a warm bowl and sprinkle with chives if using.
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Ready when: Well seasoned, hot and glossy.
Tip: Potatoes need generous salt; under-seasoning is the most common flaw.
Good to know
Tips
- Uniform chunks are the key to even cooking; smaller pieces cook faster but absorb more water.
- A ricer gives the smoothest texture with no risk of gumminess.
- For stronger garlic flavor, add 1 minced raw clove to the warming cream for the last minute.
- Hold the potatoes warm in a covered bowl over a pot of barely simmering water for up to 30 minutes.
Make ahead
"Make up to 2 days ahead. Cool, refrigerate in an airtight container, then reheat in a covered bowl over simmering water or in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes with a splash of warm cream, stirring occasionally."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 2 months in a freezer bag. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of milk or cream, stirring often, until steaming hot."
Substitutions
- heavy cream → Whole milk, or half-and-half. Slightly lighter; use the same amount and add 1 extra tablespoon of butter if using milk.
- Yukon Gold potatoes → Russet potatoes. Fluffier and drier; they absorb more liquid, so add cream gradually.
- unsalted butter → Olive oil or dairy-free butter. Use the same amount for a dairy-free version, paired with warm unsweetened oat milk instead of cream.
- garlic cloves → Roasted garlic, 1 head. Gives a sweeter, deeper flavor; mash into the potatoes.
