It's totally understandable to have a preference for a certain type of mashed potatoes. Maybe you are partial to a certain level of creaminess or have an appetite for extra garlic or other seasonings. Then there's the question of whether to use milk or sour cream. I invite you to pivot from your usual preferences and try my Rustic Mashed Potatoes recipe.
This is such a simple way to make mashed potatoes, and they taste so good. They'll stand on their own any day. Gravy or no gravy, these are great taters! They make a solid side dish for a fantastic main event like Thanksgiving turkey or use the leftovers in something unusually delicious. The seasonings are perfectly savory, the butter and milk create so much fluffiness, and you don't have to peel these bad boys before boiling. So much time and effort saved!
I like my rustic mashed potatoes a little lumpy, but I'll leave that part up to you!
Read on for all the loving details to make Rustic Mashed Potatoes.
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Featured Ingredients
Read below about a few of the ingredients used to make Rustic Mashed Potatoes.
Potatoes - Gold potatoes are a great choice because they have a naturally buttery flavor, their skins are thin and easily eaten, and their flesh contains enough starch to create fluffy mashed potatoes.
Butter - Use unsalted butter to control the level of seasoning in this dish.
Seasonings - The recipe calls for powdered seasonings to be added at the beginning, but you will need to adjust the salt. I recommend tasting for salt well before you finish whipping the potatoes to avoid overworking them. Additionally, when checking for salt, consider whether the mashed potatoes will be served with gravy or on their own. If they will be paired with gravy, I use less salt.
Liquids - To achieve fluffy and flavorful potatoes, I prefer using whole milk. While heavy whipping cream is a popular choice, I find that the lighter consistency of whole milk allows for easy incorporation of air without making the potatoes overly creamy.
See recipe card for quantities.
Tools for the job
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sharp knife (paid link) and cutting board
- 6 qt+ pot
- Mixing bowl (paid link) (paid links)
How to make
- Scrub the Yukon or yellow potatoes well and chop them into 4 even pieces. Alternatively, you can leave them whole. They will take longer to boil, so be sure to pierce them all the way through when you test for doneness.
- Add the potatoes to a 6-quart pot with 1 tablespoon of salt and fill with water, covering the potatoes by one inch.
- Bring the potatoes to a boil and continue boiling for about 7 minutes or until a fork pierces a potato easily.
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot (off heat) or a large mixing bowl (paid link) to finish.
- Add unsalted butter, whole milk, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to the potatoes.
- Before turning the beaters on, stab the potatoes to break them down into smaller chunks. Then, turn them on gradually, raising the speed until they whip the potatoes without splattering outside the bowl.
- Spin the bowl slowly with your other hand to help the process along.
- If needed, add more milk, a few splashes at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Taste for salt about halfway through so it's well seasoned before you're done whipping the potatoes.
- Be careful not to over-process them, or they may become a strange, sticky texture.
Put the potatoes in a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil.
Boil for about 7 minutes, or until a fork pierces the potatoes easily.
Drain the potatoes and add them to a bowl with the remaining ingredients.
Before turning them on to whip the potatoes, crush them with the beaters to break them down. It makes it easier to mix them thoroughly.
Hot Tip!
Prep your potatoes ahead of time. Quarter the potatoes and submerge them in water. Refrigerate until you're ready to use them. You can do this 1-2 days ahead, but change the water if it gets murky. (Use new water to boil them.)
Substitutions and Variations
- Potatoes - Russet potatoes work well with this recipe if you like to eat their thicker skin. Scrub the potatoes very well first, and consider peeling half the batch you will use. (I think a whole batch with the skins would be a bit much) The flesh of red potatoes isn't starchy enough to create fluffy mashed potatoes, but if you like a thick, heavy mash, they're perfect.
- Dairy-free - Omit the butter and substitute the milk with broth for an extra flavor boost. You'll still get a fairly creamy mashed potato if you don't use too much broth, so add a little at a time. Start with ½ cup of broth while whipping the potatoes and add a few tablespoons (or splashes) until you reach the desired consistency.
- Seasonings - Instead of powdered garlic, throw a few cloves into the boiling potato water, then drain and mash together.
Leftovers
- Refrigerate leftover mashed potatoes in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
- Leftover mashed potatoes can be frozen in a sealed container for up to four months. I love these containers that freeze everything into cubes (paid link) for the best storage and meal-planning options!
FAQ
Some feel that leaving the potatoes whole will make them even creamier because less water seeps into the flesh. I would start testing the doneness at around 15 minutes of boiling.
When a dish is rustic, it's usually a simpler version of another recipe. In this case, you get to skip peeling the potatoes! And you can also boil them whole if you'd like (see question above). I take my rustic a step further and leave some lumps of cooked potato scattered throughout the creamy mash. Mmm! My favorite!!
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Rustic Mashed Potatoes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 cups
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Indulge in the amazing flavors of my Rustic Mashed Potatoes. Creamy, savory, and hassle-free, they're the perfect side dish for any meal.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Yukon Gold or yellow potatoes
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ - 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Scrub the Yukon or yellow potatoes well and chop each one into 4 even pieces. Add the potatoes to a pot with 1 tablespoon of salt and fill with water, covering the potatoes by one inch.
- Bring the potatoes to a boil and continue boiling for about 15 minutes or until a fork pierces them easily.
- Drain the potatoes well and return them to the pot (off heat) or a large mixing bowl (paid link) to finish.
- Add unsalted butter, whole milk, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to the potatoes.
- Before turning the beaters on, stab the potatoes to break them down into smaller chunks. Then, turn them on gradually, raising the speed until they whip the potatoes without splattering outside the bowl. Spin the bowl slowly with your other hand to help the process along.
- If needed, add more milk, a few splashes at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Taste for salt about halfway through so the potatoes are well seasoned before you're done whipping them.
- Be careful not to over-process them, or they may become a strange, sticky texture.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Stove-top
- Cuisine: American
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