Easy Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Simplify your Thanksgiving dinner prep with these Easy Creamy Mashed Potatoes. These simple one pot whipped mashed potatoes are super fluffy.

I love Thanksgiving dinner, but I REALLY love these easy creamy mashed potatoes. Last year I made them as a side dish for three separate Friendsgiving dinners because they are just so good and so easy to make.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Taste – These easy creamy mashed potatoes have all of the classic flavors of the mashed potatoes recipe you know and love. They are soft, buttery and the ultimate Thanksgiving side dish.
• Less Work – Mix everything together in one pot with a hand mixer to cut back on work and cleanup. You only need to clean your stock pot and a collander.
• Super Fluffy and Creamy – With this recipe I have perfected the fluffy whipped texture and creamy, buttery taste that is essential for homemade mashed potatoes. They strike the balance of being rich and decadent without being too dense.

What are whipped mashed potatoes?

Whipped mashed potatoes are mashed potatoes that have been whipped up with a hand mixer until they are light and fluffy as air. These potatoes are super light and fluffy, but still rich and delicious.

Many people swear by using a potato ricer in order to get a light and fluffy result, but actually using a hand mixer can give you the same texture. When using a hand mixer you want to be sure not to overmix the starchy potatoes because then you can end up with a thicker texture.

Kitchen Tools

• Large pot for boiling and mixing potatoes
• Electric hand mixer for whipping the potatoes in the pot – you can also use a stand mixer, but the electric mixer is better for whipping the potatoes directly in the pot.
• Wooden spoon to stir the boiling potatoes
• Vegetable peeler
• Cutting board and sharp knife
• Measuring spoons and liquid measuring cup

Serving Suggestions

These whipped potatoes are an essential part of a classic Thanksgiving meal. I like to serve them with a big roasted turkey, lots of fresh gravy and all of my favorite thanksgiving sides like creamed corn, Italian sausage stuffing and maple glazed carrots.

But mashed potatoes are not just for Thanksgiving! They are the ultimate side dish for whenever you are craving comfort. I like to serve them with this tender air fryer meatloaf, Instant Pot Pork Roast or a whole spatchcock chicken.

Ingredients

• Russet potatoes
• Salt for boiling the potatoes and to season
• Half & half milk or heavy cream
• Butter
• Sour cream

What kind of potatoes are best for whipped mashed potatoes?

Russet potatoes or Idaho potatoes are best for mashed potatoes due to their high starch content. I personally like to use russet potatoes.

Yukon gold potatoes are also fantastic for mashed potatoes. They also have a high starch content and a natural buttery flavor that is perfect for mashed potatoes.

You can also save prep time and make these mashed red potatoes. No peeling necessary!

Ingredient Substitutions

As I said, you can use russet potatoes or yukon gold interchangeably for this recipe. If you want to use red skin potatoes, you will want to add a little less milk or sour cream to make them thicker because of the lower starch content.

The sour cream does not make the potatoes sour, but if you want to skip it you can use cream cheese instead. I love the slightly tangy flavor that a little bit or cream cheese, farmer cheese or even whipped goat cheese adds to this recipe.

I keep my mashed potatoes pretty simple when I serve them for a crowd, but you can add some garnishes on top. Most commonly people add fresh cracked black pepper, finely minced chives, green onions or fresh herbs. You could even serve these in a small bowl on the side to let your guests add toppings themselves.

To make these creamy mashed potatoes dairy free you will want to find a good quality dairy free vegan butter and a dairy-free creamer. I recommend using a bit of dairy free cream cheese to ensure you have the rich taste and texture of regular mashed potatoes.

I am not a huge fan of garlic mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, but I would use roasted-garlic cloves for this recipe. Roast a whole head of garlic in the oven until the cloves are soft. Then add 2-3 cloves to the pot along with the butter and milk and whip them into the cooked potatoes.

How to make creamy mashed potatoes

Step 1: Peel and Cube russet potatoes

To begin, peel the russet potatoes and cut into 1” cubes (Image 1). Then, fill the stock pot with cold water until the potatoes are fully submerged (Image 2).

Step 2: Boil potatoes until fork tender

Next, pour in 2 tablespoons of salt and mix in (Image 3). Bring the water to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover the pot. Then, simmer the potatoes for 10 minutes and then remove from the heat (Image 4).

The potatoes are cooked through when they are easily pierced through with a fork.

Step 3: Add butter, milk, and sour cream to pot

Then, drain the water from the pot and immediately return the warm potatoes to the original pot. Add milk, butter and sour cream to the pot (Image 5). Cover the pot again until the butter fully melts.

Step 4: Whip the Potatoes

Finally, use a hand mixer and whip the potatoes in the pot (Image 6).

Whipped mashed potatoes should have a texture that is light as air, but a rich taste.

Can I make these easy creamy mashed potatoes ahead of time?

Yes! If I make these ahead of time, I pour them into the serving dish and allow them to cool fully. Reheat them covered in the oven at 275F for about 20 minutes.

I like to stir them after 10 minutes and add extra butter and milk if needed. You can even heat the butter and milk together in a small saucepan and pour that warm mixture into the whipped potatoes.

Expert Tip!

Before placing them in the fridge, top them with a mixture of milk and melted butter to keep them moist in the fridge. Then, when you take them out to reheat them they will not be dry.

Can you taste the sour cream when they are finished?

NO! If you are not a fan of sour cream, do not fear! This ingredient makes for smooth, creamy and rich mashed potatoes!

If you really do not like sour cream, just replace the milk with heavy whipping cream and add a little extra butter.

Serve it with these other delicious thanksgiving recipes

• Green Beans Almondine
• Slow Cooked Turkey Breast with Gravy
• Kale Cranberry Quinoa Salad
• How to Roast a Turkey Breast
• Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts

Grab the recipe for these fluffy, whipped mashed potatoes belowIf you make the recipe, please let me know in the comments below or on Instagram!