Description
Creamy homemade mashed potatoes blend rustic comfort with silky elegance. Simple ingredients and classic techniques create a side dish people crave beside roasted meats or holiday platters.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg) yukon gold potatoes, about 4 large potatoes
- 1 cup (240 ml) half & half
- 6 tbsps (90 grams) salted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream
- 3.5 tsps (17.5 grams) salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp (2.5 grams) black pepper
Instructions
- Preparation: Bring half & half and sour cream to room temperature in a mixing bowl.
- Potato Processing: Peel russet potatoes, rinse thoroughly, and cut into uniform 3/4-inch chunks to guarantee even cooking.
- Boiling Stage: Place potato pieces in a large stockpot, cover with cold water, add kosher salt, and heat until gently bubbling.
- Cooking Process: Simmer potatoes for 25 minutes, testing with a fork for tender consistency, then drain completely in a colander.
- Resting and Butter Integration: Return potatoes to warm pot, allow moisture to evaporate for 5 minutes, then add unsalted butter and let it melt seamlessly.
- Creaming and Seasoning: Pour dairy mixture over potatoes, sprinkle freshly ground black pepper, and mash vigorously with a potato masher until achieving a smooth, creamy texture.
- Final Touches: Adjust seasoning and creaminess by incorporating additional dairy mixture if needed, then transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Temperature Matters: Let dairy ingredients sit at room temperature to blend smoothly and create a creamy texture without lumps.
- Uniform Cutting: Slice potatoes into consistent 3/4-inch chunks to guarantee even cooking and prevent some pieces from turning mushy while others remain undercooked.
- Moisture Management: Allow drained potatoes to rest 5 minutes to evaporate excess water, ensuring a lighter, fluffier final texture.
- Seasoning Strategy: Taste and adjust seasoning gradually, adding dairy mixture incrementally to control creaminess and prevent over-saturating the potatoes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg