Creamy Garlic & Herb Mashed Potatoes
Creamy mashed potatoes made with a combination of russet and Yukon Gold potatoes and finished with butter and cream infused with garlic, rosemary, and thyme.
Servings: 6
Equipment
- Vegetable peeler
- Chef's knife
- Cutting Board
- large pot
- Small saucepan
- Colander
- Potato masher or potato ricer
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 2 large russet potatoes (~1.5 lbs)
- 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (~1.5 lbs)
- 4 tbsp salted butter
- 4 garlic cloves smashed
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- salt to taste, plus 1 tablespoon
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare and boil the potatoes. Wash and peel the potatoes, then cut them into approximately 2- to 3-inch cubes, keeping the pieces as even in size as possible. Place the potatoes in a large pot and add enough cool water to completely cover them. Add 1 tablespoon of salt, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart. Drain well.
- Infuse the butter and cream. While the potatoes are boiling, add the butter, smashed garlic cloves, rosemary, thyme, heavy cream, and milk to a small saucepan. Bring to a very gentle simmer over low heat, allowing the garlic and herbs to infuse the mixture as it warms. Do not allow the cream to boil.
- Mash the potatoes. Remove the rosemary, thyme, and garlic from the warm butter and cream mixture. Using a potato masher, mash the drained potatoes while gradually adding the warm butter and cream mixture until the potatoes reach your desired consistency.
- Season and serve. Season the mashed potatoes to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve warm.
Notes
Alternative Ricer Method
For smoother, lighter mashed potatoes, pass the drained potatoes through a potato ricer instead of using a masher. Gradually fold in the warm infused butter and cream mixture, then season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Recipe Notes
- Cut the potatoes evenly: Keeping the potato pieces close to the same size helps them cook at the same rate.
- Start with cool water: This allows the potatoes to heat gradually and cook more evenly.
- Don't overcook the potatoes: Cook just until fork-tender. Potatoes that absorb too much water can become heavy or watery when mashed.
- Keep the cream mixture warm: Adding warm dairy to warm potatoes helps everything incorporate smoothly.
- Add the liquid gradually: Depending on the size and moisture content of your potatoes, you may not need to add the entire mixture at once.
- Don't overwork the potatoes: Mash only until you reach your desired consistency. Excessive mixing can make mashed potatoes gummy.
