Sometimes the simplest dishes are the hardest to perfect. That’s why we’ve taken the guesswork out of this classic side dish. This Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe guarantees fluffy and flavorful potatoes every time. From holiday dinners to family suppers, these dreamy garlic mashed potatoes with herbs will be a welcome centerpiece.
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There are two kinds of potato people – those who just simply accept they will be present at every holiday meal in some form or another, and those who would literally burn down villages and start wars if they don’t get mashed potatoes.
I, myself, fall into the former category. On a good day, I like mashed potatoes; on a bad day, I prefer other mashes; and on Thanksgiving I love and respect them for the role they play in this most important meal. Overall, I can give or take them. Unless (and not to too my own horn) I’m making them. Because mine are, shall we say… garlic-forward.
My homemade garlic mashed potatoes have always been fan-friggin-tastic (I’ve also got a healthier vegan version with olive oil, if you’re interested) but I’ll admit, even I pushed the limits on this one (and even may have held back a bit for publication). TONS of caramelized roasted garlic, heavy cream and milk, plus plenty of butter went into perfecting these creamy roasted garlic mashed potatoes.
And here’s the best part of making mashed potatoes with roasted garlic from scratch: once you’ve made them, and realize how much flavor you can get with minimal effort and time, nothing’s stopping you from making them again and again and again. So IF you happen to be in one of those scorched-earth potato families, pure joy is less than an hour away.
For a more concise post, click to view the web story for this recipe!
The Dreamiest Mashed Potatoes are Made with Roasted Garlic
(And a few other flavor boosters, like heavy cream and butter… but mostly, roasted garlic.)
Just be advised, these are not parmesan garlic mashed potatoes – roasted garlic itself gets super creamy and mellow during the roasting process; you don’t need to add cheese to enhance the taste or texture of these.
Roasting your own garlic is super easy, but it does take time to get the best results, so I’ve included step-by-step instructions below. Best of all, you can absolutely roast in advance and save it for when you need it – it lasts about 2 weeks in the fridge.
How to Make Roasted Garlic
- Slice off the top of a head of garlic (or two!) with a sharp knife.
- Drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil and rub it into the cloves, then wrap in foil.
- Place into a 400°F oven and roast until garlic is deep golden brown, soft, and very fragrant ~35-45 minutes, depending on the size of the cloves. Remove from the oven using tongs (peel back the foil to check on the garlic). Once ready, open the foil and allow the garlic to cool until safe to handle.
- The cloves should easily pull away from the head of garlic. Gently squeeze each end to release the clove from its papery shell.
- Roasted garlic can be used immediately, or stored for later use. To store, place in a small glass jar and coat with a few glugs of olive oil. Store in the fridge for up 2 weeks.
How to Make Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Easy Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes are a supercharged side dish. It’s loaded with roasted garlic, with 2x the fluffiness from Yukon Gold potatoes and Russet potatoes, plus 3x the creaminess from butter, milk, and cream. It’s a guaranteed gold star recipe for everything from holidays to Sunday dinner.
Before you start, our biggest tip! Dice the potatoes small (about an inch, no bigger than two inches) then give them a good rinse before cooking. I know, I know, it sounds wacky. But here’s why! Rinsing the potatoes – or ideally giving them a quick soak – removes starch. Removing the starch makes your potatoes extra fluffy.
- PREP. Roast garlic (see above instructions). Peel, dice and rinse potatoes.
- COOK. Cover potatoes with water and add 1 tbsp salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium and simmer until cooked through.
- DRY. Drain potatoes. Return hot pot to “dry.”
- FINISH. Add garlic, butter, and cream. Mix with hand mixer, ricer, or potato masher.
Tips for Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
- Dice the potatoes small, then rinse to remove starch.
- ALWAYS start potatoes in cold water for even cooking.
- Cook ’em all the way through. Ideally, the potatoes should be just starting to fall apart. They should be VERY easy to mash.
- Return the cooked potatoes to the hot pot to remove clinging water droplets.
- Use the right tool! A ricer or food mill, handheld potato masher, or hand-mixer set to LOW will each activate the residual starches the least, yielding the fluffiest garlic mashed potatoes.
Tips for Flavorful Mashed Potatoes
- Salt the potato water, which will season the potatoes from the inside out.
- Use a combination of potatoes! We love a 50/50 mix of russets and Yukon gold potatoes for more flavor.
- Go big or go home – use heavy cream instead of milk.
- Warm your dairy – room temperature butter and warmed heavy cream (just 20 seconds in the microwave) will keep your spuds piping hot.
- Drizzle and garnish with melted butter and fresh herbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a simple, smooth, skinless roasted garlic mash, go for the gold – Yukon gold are naturally sweet and buttery. We like to blend with Russet potatoes (50/50 split) for added fluffiness.
The best way to keep mashed potatoes warm is to place them in a crockpot set to the “warm setting”. Cold mashed potatoes can be reheated using the double boiler method. Place the potatoes into a metal bowl fitted into a saucepan with about 1″ of water. Bring the water to a simmer; stir the mashed potatoes until they’re warmed through.
There’s no real set time. Basically, cook until they start to fall apart and are very easy to mash but still retain shape for easy draining and drying in the hot pot (see the photo above – you can see the edges starting to completely fall apart after draining).
If you just want to re-serve as-is you can reheat in the microwave – just add a bit of milk or cream to combat any dryness. This works if you’re fixing a plate or a leftovers sandwich. For reheating larger batches, use the double boiler method above for superior results.
For a 5-star post-holiday meal surprise, make Leftover Mashed Potato Waffles. *chef’s kiss*
The (Yukon) Gold-en rule is ½ pound of potatoes per serving. 4 people, 2 pounds; 6 people, 3 pounds; 8 people, 4 pounds; and so forth. If you know you want leftovers, or you’ve got a family of spud-lovers, increase from there.
Our Favorite, Flavorful Potato Recipes
- Extra Crispy Rosemary Potatoes
- Potato Onion Soup
- Mexican Potato Hash with Chorizo
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Healthy(ish) Eggs Benedict Casserole
- Classic Italian Potato Salad
Did you make this recipe for roasted garlic mashed potatoes? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Recipe
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Print Recipe Rate this RecipeRecommended Equipment
- Colander
- Potato Masher
Ingredients
- 2 heads garlic
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 3 lb russet potatoes and/or yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-2" cubes
- 4 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ⅓ c heavy cream, warmed
- ⅓ c whole milk, warmed
- chopped parsley or chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F.
- Make the roasted garlic. Slice ½" from the head of the garlic, then drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil. Wrap the clove in foil, then place directly on the grate in the oven. Roast 35-40 minutes, or until the garlic is deep golden brown and soft (see photos in post). Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
- Peel and dice the potatoes. Place into a colander, then rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear to remove starch.
- Transfer the potatoes to a 6-quart pot. Cover with cold water, then add 1 tablespoon (3 tsp) kosher salt. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to medium heat; simmer until the potatoes are cooked through and very soft, 8-10 minutes after the water comes to a boil. The potatoes are cooked through once you can easily mash with the tines of a fork.
- Drain potatoes, then return to the hot pot. Toss the potatoes in the pot to dry them and remove any clinging water droplets.
- Add the roasted garlic – to do so, squeeze the root end of the garlic head to release the cloves from their paper shells. Add the remaining 1 tsp salt, as well as the butter, milk, and heavy cream. Mash the potatoes using a masher or a hand mixer set to low speed. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt if needed. Serve warm with additional butter and chopped parsley and/or chives to taste.
[…] Use new (baby) potatoes – red or yukon gold – for best flavor and texture. Small new potatoes have tender skin that easily crisps and a sweeter flavor with creamier flesh. These characteristics made them the ideal choice for oven roasting. Save those mature potatoes for mashed potatoes. […]