This is a classic mashed potatoes recipe.
Mashed potatoes must be the ultimate comfort food for most of us. Hot and creamy, you just can’t have a dinner like meat loaf without them. I think you will like this version.
Pair it with one of our easy meatloaf recipes for a delicious comfort food dinner that will take you back in time.
I don’t know about you, but when I think meatloaf, I automatically think mashed potatoes. And potatoes themselves are quite healthy for us. (Okay maybe less so with lots of butter).
To make the recipe lower in fat, replace the hot milk with chicken stock and omit the butter. This is a delicious way to prepare mashed potatoes.
How to Make the Perfect Mashed Potatoes
There are three tips that will help you make perfect mashed potatoes every time.
1. Make sure the potatoes are well cooked. If not your mashed potatoes will turn out lumpy, every time.
2. To make the creamiest potatoes ever, heat the milk that you add to them. It’s a little step but heating the milk really does make a difference.
3. Use the right potatoes. Every region of the country has different varieties of potatoes. Not all potatoes are best for any recipe. Red potatoes are best for baking and roasting. White or yellow fleshed potatoes are better for mashing.
If you follow these three tips, you will have perfect results every time.
This recipe will please even the pickiest eater.
I hope you enjoy this wonderful potatoes side dish recipe.
How to Make Classic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 potatoes, medium
- large pot of salted water
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup milk, hot
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or amount to suit your taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper, to suit your taste
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and cut into chunks about 2 inches in size. Place in large pot of salted water (at least 1 teaspoon of salt in the water) and boil 15 minutes or until potatoes break easily when pierced with a fork.
- Drain potatoes well but leave them in the pot.
- Add hot milk, beginning with the smaller amount. Add butter. Mash with potato masher and add more milk, butter, salt and pepper if necessary to suit your taste.
Notes
- Warming the milk before you add it to the potatoes is best as it results in a very creamy potato. To make life easy, what I sometimes do is add the milk to the drained potatoes in the pot, let it warm on the hot stove, then add the butter and mash.
Nutrition
Variation:
- To make a herbed mashed potatoes recipe add a few tablespoons of your favorite chopped fresh herbs after the potatoes are mashed. Finely chopped chives are delicious. Basil, parsley or finely chopped thyme work well too. the herbs not only add color and great taste, they really up the nutritional level too. Always a good thing.
- Make cheesy mashed potatoes by adding about a 1/2 cup of grated cheese as you are mashing the hot potatoes. Stronger cheeses like medium or older cheddar give more flavor than mild cheeses.
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For a garlic mashed potatoes recipe and other potato recipes, look here.
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Hamburg Gravy over Mashed Potatoes. It’s an upside down shephard’s pie… Pan fry the hamburger in a drizzle of oil breaking it up in small bits- add shaved onion if you choose) when all the pink in the meat is gone – add a tin of mushroom OR onion gravy.. Cook and mash potatoes. Place a scoop of potatoes on each plate and make a well in the center, pour the gravy over… A pound of Hamburger and 4 medium potatoes will serve 4-6 persons…
These comments have been transferred from the older version of the site: Rich Mashed Potatoes by Kate McLean (Abbotsford, B.C., Canada) Variation: Instead of milk add 1/4 cup of sour cream. This makes a very creamy rich tasting mashed potato. ———————————— Add Nutmeg to Mashed Potatoes by Rosie (Adelaide) a good twist is nutmeg, just half a tsp —————————– Thank you i’m not from north america but i have been living here since i was 1 year old so i know the culture but not there cooking.i have a dinner party coming up with some of my colleges so thank you very much. ——————————————— Thanks for the Potatoes Recipe by Eliot (Portland, OR) Awesome…thanks for the tips. I just made my first mashed potatoes and they were delicious. : )