Creamy, rich, and packed with roasted garlic flavor, our Garlic Mashed Potatoes are fluffy, unapologetically flavorful, and completely irresistible. Every spoonful melts into a buttery, velvety mash that makes even simple weeknight dinners a meal to remember.
One bite of our Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and you’ll be serving them with a side of Beef Wellington, not the other way around.
What makes our Garlic Mashed Potatoes shine is how every ingredient earns its place. Yukon Golds give that lush, buttery base. Roasted garlic folds in warm, mellow depth. And the sour cream? It brings a gentle tang that cuts through the heaviness, while also adding a smooth, creamy finish that ties everything together.
After the final stir, you’ll bring a smooth and rich dish to the table, with a brightness that makes every bite feel like the first.
The method’s straightforward, and even with a few more simple steps, it comes together faster than you’d expect.
It’s right at home on a busy Tuesday night or front and center on the Thanksgiving table.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes is one of our favorite side dishes to serve with Diner-Style Meatloaf for a hearty, homespun plate that tastes like the best kind of Sunday dinner. Or pair them with our Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy for a rich, all-in-one kind of plate that leaves nothing left but clean plates and happy sighs.
Ingredients for Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Gather the simple ingredients to prepare our Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Why Roasted Garlic Makes All the Difference
Roasted garlic is made by baking cloves of garlic in the oven until they turn soft, golden, and slightly sweet. In this recipe, it’s a quick 10-minute roast at 400°F that mellows the sharpness and brings out a rich, nutty depth.
We use it in our Garlic Mashed Potatoes because it delivers bold garlic flavor without overwhelming the dish. In a pinch, you can sauté chopped garlic in butter or use a little garlic powder for a faster shortcut.
If you’re after more punch, stir in a small amount of raw garlic just before mashing, or serve with a drizzle of garlic chili oil for a kick of heat.
How to Make Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make Garlic Mashed Potatoes in your home kitchen.
- Wash the potatoes to remove any dirt or debris. Then, peel the potatoes with a potato peeler or paring knife to remove the skins.
*You can leave some or all of the potato skins on for a more rustic look and taste. - Cut the potatoes in half and then in half again, two more times.
*The pieces should be close to the same size so they cook evenly.
- Lightly oil the fresh garlic cloves with olive oil.
- Place on a baking sheet in a 400°F oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Let the garlic cool, then finely mince it.
- Add one tablespoon of butter and the minced roasted garlic to a small pan or medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the garlic butter to the milk and heat till almost boiling. Set aside until needed.
- Place the cut potatoes in a large pot and fill it with cold water. Drain the water and fill the pot back up to one inch above the cut potatoes so they are fully submerged. Add half a teaspoon of salt to the water before cooking the potatoes.
- Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes until fork-tender. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the potato chunks.
- Carefully drain the water and place the potatoes in a large bowl.
- Add the softened butter and room-temperature sour cream to the potatoes. Fold the ingredients together to combine.
- Add the heated milk mixture, salt, and black pepper to the bowl.
- Mix the ingredients until smooth and fluffy using an electric hand mixer, potato masher, or potato ricer.
Be careful not to overmix. The more you mix, the more starch will release, making the potatoes gummy. - Taste and re-season as needed.
Now that you know just how effortlessly you can make truly spectacular mashed potatoes, there’s no going back. And once you’ve tasted them for yourself, you’ll start judging every other mash as if it clocked in late and left early.
How to Store and Reheat
Let any leftover mashed potatoes cool to room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container. They’ll keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat, microwave them for a minute or two, stirring halfway through. If they’ve stiffened up, add a splash of warm milk or a little melted butter to bring back that creamy texture.
These potatoes don’t freeze well. The texture turns grainy, so enjoy them while they’re fresh.
Recipe FAQs
For the best mashed potatoes, Yukon Golds are ideal due to their balance of fluffiness and creaminess. Russet potatoes offer a lighter mash, while red or waxy potatoes can be used for a different texture, depending on your personal preference.
Ensure you drain the cooked potatoes thoroughly and let them sit for a minute or two to steam off any remaining moisture. Using hot milk and melted butter helps maintain that creamy texture.
Absolutely. Prepare them as usual, let them cool, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently, adding a bit of warm milk or melted butter to bring back their creamy consistency.
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Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
- ¼ cup sour cream -room temperature (Greek yogurt or whole milk can be used)
- ½ cup whole milk room temperature
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter -softened and separated into 5 pieces
- 1 tablespoon roasted garlic -finely minced (about 4 cloves)
- ½ – 1 teaspoon table salt to taste
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes to remove any dirt or debris. Then, peel the potatoes to remove the skins.*You can leave some or all of the skins on the potatoes for a more rustic look and taste.
- Cut the potatoes in half and then half again two more times.*The pieces should be close to the same size so they cook evenly.
- Place the cut potatoes in a large pot, filling the pot with cold water.Drain the water and fill the pot back up to one inch above the cut potatoes with cold water so they are fully submerged.
- Add half a teaspoon of salt to the water before cooking the potatoes.
- Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes until fork-tender.Depending on the size of the potato chunks, cooking times will vary.
- Add one tablespoon of butter and the minced roasted garlic to a small pan over medium heat. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the garlic butter to the milk and heat till almost boiling. Set aside until needed.
- Carefully drain the water and place the potatoes in a large bowl.
- Add the milk to the bowl making sure to scrape out any small pieces of garlic
- Add the softened butter and room-temperature sour cream to the potaoes. Fold the ingredients together to combine.
- Add the heated milk, salt, and black pepper to the bowl
- Use an electric hand mixer or potato masher to mix the ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Be careful not to overmix. The more you mix, the more starch will release, making the potatoes gummy.
- Taste and re-season as needed.
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