Sides · American
Mashed Potatoes
Gentle simmer, warm milk, soft butter. Fluffy mash without the glue.
- Hands-on
- 20 min
- Hands-off
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Makes
- 6 servings
- Serves
- 6
- easy
- vegetarian
- gluten-free
- thanksgiving
- holiday
- kid-friendly
- comfort-food
Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means
Scaling? Plan on 150-225 g (⅓-½ lb) potatoes per person. A bigger batch needs a bigger pot, so the water takes longer to come to a simmer. Some items (like eggs) don’t halve neatly: beat them, then measure out half.
Ingredients
You need: large saucepan · colander · small saucepan or microwave-safe jug · oven mitt or folded kitchen towel · small knife · potato masher or fork (or a ricer / food mill for smooth mash) · large bowl
Contains: milk
Method
Start in cold water
Put the 907 g (2 lb) whole, unpeeled potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water and add 2 tbsp kosher salt.
Simmer until fork-tender
Bring to a simmer, not a hard boil, and cook uncovered for about 45 minutes.
Ready when: A fork slides into the centre of the biggest potato with no resistance.
Otto tried this firstOtto boils them hard 'to save time'. The outsides fall apart while the middles are still firm, and the mash turns gluey. A gentle simmer fixes it.Warm the milk
While the potatoes finish, warm the 240 ml (1 cup) milk in a small pan or the microwave.
Ready when: The milk is steaming but not boiling.
Drain and peel
Drain the potatoes. Hold each one in an oven mitt or folded towel and peel off the skin with a small knife, then drop it into a bowl.
Mash
Add the soft butter and warm milk and mash with a masher or fork. For very smooth mash, push the potatoes through a ricer or food mill first.
Season and serve
Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
Swaps
- Instead of russet potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes Russet or Yukon Gold both work
Make ahead, store & reheat
- Storage
- Cool leftovers and refrigerate within 1 to 2 hours. Eat within 2 days or freeze.
- Reheat
- Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
If something goes wrong
- Gluey, gummy mash
The outsides overcooked and released too much starch. Keep the water at a gentle simmer and stop as soon as the potatoes are fork-tender. - Lumpy mash
Use a ricer or food mill for a smooth texture; a masher gives a more rustic one.
Good to know
- Less butter (57 g / 4 tbsp) gives a lighter mash; the full 113 g (8 tbsp) makes it richer.
Safety
- Freshly drained potatoes are hot inside for a long time. Hold them in an oven mitt or thick towel to peel, and let kids help with the mashing, not the peeling.
- Drain the pot away from you so the steam doesn't hit your face.