Delicious Mashed Potatoes seeks to make the most delicious mashed potatoes you’ve ever tasted, and it succeeds! The potatoes are fluffy, creamy, buttery, rich, and infused with garlic flavors. Add in a little tangy cream cheese and Delicious Mashed Potatoes become something extraordinary. This is the perfect side dish for holiday feasts or just a simple chicken dinner at home!
Ingredients
- 5 pounds potatoes
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste, divided
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- For the optional toppings:
- chives or green onions, to taste, chopped
- black pepper, to taste, cracked
Directions
Step 1 –Cut the potatoes.
Step 2 –Peel the skins off.
Step 3 –Cut the potatoes into evenly-sized chunks, about 1-inch.
Step 4 –Transfer the potatoes to a large stockpot full of cold water. Make sure that there is enough cold water in the pan so that the water line sits about 1-inch above the potatoes.
Step 5 –Stir the garlic and the 1 tablespoon of the sea salt into the water.
Step 6 –Turn the heat to high and cook until the water comes to a boil.
Step 7 –Reduce heat to medium-high, or whatever temperature is needed to maintain the boil.
Step 8 –Continue cooking until a knife inserted in the middle of a potato goes in easily with almost no resistance, about 10-12 minutes.
Step 9 –Carefully drain out all of the water from the pot.
Step 10 –Heat the butter, milk and the 2 teaspoons of the sea salt together in a small saucepan or in the microwave until the butter is just melted. Avoid boiling the milk.
Step 11 –Set the butter mixture until ready to use.
Step 12 –After draining the water from the pot of potatoes, immediately return the potatoes to the hot stockpot, placing the pan back on the hot burner, and turn the heat down to low.
Step 13 –Using two oven mitts, carefully hold the handles on the stockpot and shake it gently on the burner for about 1 minute to help cook off some of the remaining steam within the potatoes.
Step 14 –Remove the stockpot entirely from the heat and set it on a flat, heat-proof surface.
Step 15 –Using any preferred kind of potato masher, mash the potatoes to the desired consistency.
Step 16 –Pour half of the melted butter mixture over the potatoes, folding it in with a wooden spoon or spatula until the potatoes have soaked up the liquid.
Step 17 –Repeat with the remaining butter.
Step 18 –Fold in the cream cheese, folding in between each addition until just combined to avoid over-mixing.
Step 19 –Taste the potatoes for seasoning.
Step 20 –Serve warm, garnished with your preferred toppings.
