Mashed potatoes are one of the most beloved comfort foods around the world—creamy, fluffy, and endlessly customizable. Though simple at first glance, this dish has deep roots in culinary history. Potatoes themselves originated in South America and were brought to Europe in the 16th century. Over time, mashed potatoes became a staple in countries like Ireland, the UK, and the United States, especially valued for being affordable, filling, and versatile.
Interesting facts about Potatoes is that they were once viewed with suspicion in Europe and even considered poisonous before becoming a staple. The world’s largest serving of mashed potatoes weighed over 4,000 kg! In France, mashed potatoes are elevated to gourmet status with dishes like Pommes Purée, made with lots of butter and cream. Instant mashed potatoes were introduced in the 1950s and quickly became popular for convenience.
Similar recipes or dishes to mashed potatoes include Calcannon, Shepherd’s pie, Duchess potatoes and sweet potato mash.
Ingredients
- 1 kg potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet are best)
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ cup milk or cream (warm)
- Salt (to taste)
- Black pepper (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic (optional, for extra flavor)
Procedure
To make this silky, creamy and absolutely tasty mashed potatoes, simply follow the step by step guide below.
1.Prepare the Potatoes
- First, use a potato peeler to peel and cut your potatoes into evenly sized chunks.
- Then go ahead to give them a nice rinse under running cold water to remove the excess starch.
2. Boil
- Next, place the potatoes in a pot, add cold salted water and cover the pot.
- Now bring them to a boil by cooking for about 15–20 minutes until they become soft and fork-tender.
3. Drain and Dry
- You will need to drain in a colander thoroughly.
- Let the cooked potatoes sit in the colander for 1–2 minutes to remove excess moisture (this helps make them fluffy).
4. Mash
- Afterwards, go ahead to mash the potatoes using a potato masher, immersion blender or fork.
- Mash the potatoes until they become smooth but avoid over-mixing to prevent gumminess.
5. Add Butter & Milk
- Next step is to add the butter first, then slowly and gently mix in already warmed milk or cooking cream.
- Stir the mashed potatoes gently until it becomes completely creamy.
6. Season
- Add salt and ground pepper powder to taste or not if you don’t fancy it.
- Next, mix in already roasted mashed garlic for extra richness; this is completely optional but I strongly recommend.
- You could enjoy this with a nice vegetable soup and a cup of citrus iced tea.
Note: To achieve a tasty and perfect mashed Potatoe meal, use starchy Russet potatoes as they are known for their starchy nature or for the Yukon Gold potatoes for their fluffiness, they are waxy and creamy. Always use warm milk or cooking cream as cold milk can make the mashed potatoes gluey. Most importantly, don’t overmix it especially when using electric mixers or immersion blenders.
Enjoy!
