The best roasted garlic mashed potatoes are fluffy, buttery, creamy and bursting with roasted garlic. This recipe makes the most flavorful and satisfying side dish. Not only are they tasty, but they are incredibly simple to prepare.
Every year, we do a fun Thanksgiving meal with my sister’s family. This year, we did it really early since the baby was due in just a week.
Plot twist: he came not too long after said day!
I just love Thanksgiving food. For our big family dinner, everyone contributes and works together, yielding an impressive feast.
We enjoy yearly favorites, traditional family dishes, and sometimes, we’ll even introduce something new.
Oh, and professional tip here: right after Thanksgiving or whenever they go on sale after the holidays, stock up on turkeys to make throughout the year. There are so many ways to enjoy turkey aside from the obvious Thanksgiving recipes.
This particular recipe was actually published last year with my Thanksgiving From Scratch ebook that gives you all my favorite holiday dishes like homemade cranberry sauce, our favorite sourdough stuffing, and green bean casserole.
Somehow, someway, this recipe never made it to the blog. Don’t fret, because today the creamiest, richest, and fluffiest garlic mashed potatoes are here.
I promise you, these are so easy and so, so delicious, you will want to make them all year long. This year, my daughter was in charge of making this recipe, and they turned out amazing.
If you need to volunteer an easy side to bring for your holiday festivities, I highly recommend this mashed potato recipe.
Why you will love this recipe:
Garlic lovers rejoice – Packed full of oven-roasted garlic that adds a delicious and mild garlic flavor to the potatoes.
Traditional comfort food – Creamy mashed potatoes are the ultimate comforting side dish.
Great recipe for holidays – This classic dish is perfect for the holiday season or even a weekend meal.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes Ingredients
Garlic head – the whole head will turn into roasted garlic. A subtle, sweet, absolutely delicious, and totally necessary addition takes these mashed potatoes from normal to extraordinary.
Olive oil – This is for roasting the garlic. You could also use avocado oil.
Potatoes – The best potatoes for mashed potatoes are Yukon gold potatoes or russets. Many prefer Yukon gold because they are naturally creamy when mashed. You can also use red potatoes (especially if you do not want to peel them).
Cream and Milk – Use whole milk and heavy cream for a creamy consistency. I like to use a combination of the two to give it a creamy texture without making it too heavy.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Tools:
Stand mixer, electric mixer, potato masher, or even a pastry blender
Small baking dish
How To Make The Best Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the top of the head of garlic and place it in a baking dish. Drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle it with a bit of salt and pepper.
Step 2: Roast the garlic in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes or until soft. Allow to cool.
Step 3: While the garlic is roasting, wash and peel potatoes. If you like mashed potatoes with potato skins, you could skip the peeling. I like really smooth potatoes, so I peel away. Put the potatoes in a large stock pot and cover with cold water about one inch above the potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer with the lid on until fork tender about 15-20 minutes depending on the
Step 4: Drain the potatoes and add them to a mixer with a balloon whisk or to a large bowl, combine potatoes with cream, milk, and butter. Squeeze the cooled garlic right out of the peels and into the potato mixture.
Step 6: Whip on medium speed until fluffy. This makes them smooth and creamy. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you could also use a hand mixer, potato masher or put through a food mill. The potato masher might not yield as smooth a result, but they will still be delicious. Taste, then season with salt, if desired. Top with fresh herbs (optional). Place in a serving dish.
Storage:
Store leftover mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Reheat in a saucepan or microwaveable dish. You may need to add a splash of milk or cream to thin out the potatoes as they tend to absorb a lot of liquid as they sit.
Tips For Making Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- I like to use a stand mixer to whip these mashed potatoes, making them super smooth and creamy. You could also use a potato ricer or just mash them with a potato masher. Your result might just have more texture.
- Roasting the garlic before adding it to the potatoes gives it a sweet, more subtle flavor. It is absolutely delicious.
- Make sure the potatoes are perfectly cooked before draining and adding the remaining ingredients. Just poke with a fork and if you can easily pierce the potato, they are ready.
- If you want smooth mashed potatoes, peel the potatoes before cooking, or leave the peels on for more texture.
Variations:
- Omit the garlic for just plain mashed potatoes
- Add cheese. Or add the mashed potatoes to a baking dish, top with cheese and pop into the oven until the cheese starts to brown.
- Add in a large scoop of sour cream.
- Swap out regular potatoes for sweet potatoes.
FAQ:
Add a little bit of lemon juice to balance out the garlic.
This will be determined by the size of the potato. Small baby potatoes will only need about 10-12 minutes, thicker slices about 15-20 minutes, and larger halves about 20-40 minutes.
Garlic, chives, seasonings, caramelized onions, fresh herbs, ranch seasoning, etc. would all give potatoes more flavor.
You can make the best mashed potatoes by using real and rich ingredients. Now is not the time for low-fat milk. Cream and butter make these potatoes rich and creamy.
Start with cool water and bring it up to boiling. This is a much safer way to cook potatoes so you do not have to try to carefully add chunks of potatoes into boiling water which could potentially burn you.
Find More Delicious Holiday Recipes
- Cranberry Orange Cookies
- Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecans
- Cranberry French Toast Casserole
- Easy Homemade Apple Pie Recipe
- From Scratch Pumpkin Pie
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it i
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- olive oil
- 3 lbs potatoes, peeled
- 1/4 cup cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut the top of the head of garlic and place it in a baking dish.
- Drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle it with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Roast the garlic in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes or until soft. Allow to cool.
- Wash and peel potatoes. If you like mashed potatoes with potato skins, you could skip the peeling.
- Put the potatoes in a large stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Simmer with the lid on until tender.
- Drain the potatoes and add them to a mixer. With a balloon whisk, combine potatoes with the rest of the ingredients.
- When roasted garlic has cooled, squeeze it right out of the peels and into the potato mixture.
- Whip on medium speed until fluffy or mash them with a potato masher.
- Taste, then season with salt, if desired.
Notes
- I like to use a stand mixer to whip these mashed potatoes, making them super smooth and creamy. You could also use a ricer or just mash them with a potato masher. Your result might just have more texture.
- Roasting the garlic before adding it to the potatoes gives it a sweet, more subtle flavor. It is absolutely delicious.
- Make sure the potatoes are perfectly cooked before draining and adding the remaining ingredients. Just poke with a fork and if you can easily pierce the potato, they are ready.
- If you want smooth mashed potatoes, peel the potatoes before cooking, or leave them on for more texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Fantastic recipe..many thanks!!
What kind of potatoes do you use for recipe? Have you used different ones with recipe and yield different results/textures?
Any type of potato would work. I usually use russets or reds.