Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
These garlic mashed potatoes start with Yukon Gold potatoes and a small pan of butter and milk with whole garlic cloves cooking in it. The cloves go soft and mild, then get mashed straight into the potatoes, so the garlic runs through the whole pot without the sharp bite of raw garlic.
They take about 45 minutes, and you can make them up to 2 days before Thanksgiving to free up the stovetop on the day. The full recipe is in the card below.
Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Large pot
- Small saucepan
- Colander
- Potato masher or ricer
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt for the cooking water
Garlic milk
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 cloves garlic peeled and lightly smashed
- 1 cup whole milk plus more as needed
To finish
- ¼ cup sour cream at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives optional
Instructions
- Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes, until a fork slides into the largest piece with no resistance.
- While the potatoes cook, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the milk and bring to a bare simmer. Keep on the lowest heat for 10 minutes, until the garlic is soft enough to crush with a spoon. Mash the cloves into the milk with a fork. Keep warm.
- Drain the potatoes well. Return them to the pot over low heat for 1–2 minutes, shaking the pot, to dry off excess water. Turn off the heat.
- Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or press them through a ricer. Pour in about three-quarters of the garlic milk and mash until combined.
- Stir in the sour cream, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Add the rest of the garlic milk, or a little more warm milk, until the potatoes are as creamy as you like. Taste and adjust the salt. Top with chives and serve.
Notes
Why These Garlic Mashed Potatoes Are So Creamy
Yukon Golds have a dense, buttery yellow flesh. They mash smooth and hold together, where russets turn fluffy and absorb more liquid.
The garlic milk goes in hot. Cold milk cools the potatoes, they take it in unevenly, and you end up stirring longer. Extra stirring is what makes mashed potatoes gummy.
Cooking the garlic gently in butter and then in the milk softens it enough to crush with a spoon. It ends up close to roasted garlic in flavor, but takes 15 minutes on the stove instead of up to an hour in the oven.
Tips for Smooth Mashed Potatoes
Cut the potatoes into even 2-inch chunks so they all finish at the same time. Start them in cold water; the outsides and centers cook more evenly than if you drop them into boiling water.
Let the drained potatoes steam in the hot pot for a minute or two. Less water left in them means a creamier mash that holds its shape on the plate.
Use a hand masher or a ricer, never a food processor. Fast blades break open the starch in the potatoes and turn them sticky.
Add the garlic milk a little at a time and stop when the texture is right. Potatoes vary from bag to bag, and you may not need all of it.
Making Garlic Mashed Potatoes Ahead for Thanksgiving
Make the potatoes up to 2 days ahead, spread them in a buttered baking dish, and refrigerate them covered once they’ve cooled. The reheating steps are in the recipe notes.
If the oven is full on the day, reheat them in a slow cooker on LOW for 2–3 hours instead, stirring every hour and adding a splash of milk when they look stiff. Once they’re hot all the way through, switch to WARM and they’ll hold through dinner.
Lighter Mashed Potato Swaps
- Use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. It has the same tang and more protein.
- Use 2% milk, or replace half the milk with low-sodium chicken broth.
- Cut the butter to 3 tablespoons. The potatoes are less rich, but the garlic still carries the flavor.
- Swap up to a third of the potatoes for cauliflower florets, boiled in the same pot for the last 10 minutes.
What to Serve with Garlic Mashed Potatoes
On Thanksgiving they sit next to the turkey and gravy, with our green bean casserole from scratch and sweet potato casserole with marshmallows. On a weeknight, serve them with our baked BBQ chicken drumsticks or garlic butter salmon and asparagus.
Our crockpot mac and cheese cooks on the counter and our homemade cranberry sauce is made days ahead, so neither one competes with the potatoes for stovetop space.
Storage and Reheating
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or a covered pan over low heat with a splash of milk, stirring, until hot all the way through (165°F / 74°C). You can freeze them for up to 1 month. They’re a little softer after thawing, so stir in a spoonful of butter or milk as they reheat.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes FAQ
Can I use russet potatoes? Yes. Russets make lighter, fluffier mashed potatoes. They soak up more liquid, so you may need extra warm milk, and they turn gluey faster if you overwork them.
Can I use roasted garlic instead? Yes. Roast 1 whole bulb at 350°F (175°C) for 40–60 minutes, squeeze the soft cloves into the potatoes, and warm the butter and milk without garlic. Roast the garlic a day ahead to save time.
Why are my mashed potatoes gluey? They were mixed too hard or too long, usually with a hand mixer or food processor. Fold in a little more warm milk gently and stop stirring. It won’t fully fix the texture, but it helps.
