Thanksgiving, Christmas, really any holiday, and basically every lovely dinner needs a good side of creamy mashed potatoes, and Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes might just be the best mashed potatoes around! The secret is the buttermilk; it adds creaminess but also a nice touch of tanginess to help balance out all the richness from the butter. The potatoes are fluffy and the flavor is heavenly. That should be more than enough to earn Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes a prominent place at your table!
Ingredients
For the mashed potatoes:
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, with large potatoes cut in half (making each one roughly the same size)
- cold water, to taste
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature, plus more, to taste, for serving
- 1/2 cup whole buttermilk, well-shaken, room temperature
- kosher salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
Optional toppings:
- fresh chives, to taste, chopped
- scallions, optional, to taste, chopped
- parsley, to taste, chopped
- thyme, to taste, chopped
- fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –In a large pot, add the potatoes and enough of the water to cover the potatoes by 2 inches.
Step 2 –Bring the water to a low boil over medium heat.
Step 3 –Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low.
Step 4 –Simmer the potatoes until a knife can easily pierce through them, about 30 minutes.
Step 5 –Drain the potatoes and return them to the warm pot.
Step 6 –Add 6 tablespoons of the butter to the pot and return the lid.
Step 7 –Let the potatoes and the butter sit in the warm pot off the heat until the butter melts, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 8 –Add the buttermilk to the potatoes and mash until the potatoes are creamy. Be careful not to overwork the potatoes, as this can make the texture gluey.
Step 9 –Season the mashed potatoes with the salt and the pepper.
Step 10 –Serve the mashed potatoes with your favorite toppings and the extra butter.
