Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe • 4★

Updated December 28, 2025

Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist:Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Christina Lane.

Mashed potatoes are very forgiving, and with a good masher, hot potatoes and enough butter and salt, cooks can accommodate religionists of the fluffy style and partisans of the creamy and dense. Be openhanded with salt and butter but stingy with milk, which will flatten out the bright, earthy potato taste. You might also enjoy this video of the recipe that walks through a few variations. (And for everything you need to know to make perfect potatoes, visit our potato guide.)

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2 ½ pounds potatoes (about 6 large potatoes), preferably a combination of russet (baking) potatoes and large Yukon Golds, or all Yukon Golds

4 tablespoons butter, more for dotting

⅓ cup whole milk

Step 1In a large pot, bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil over high heat. Peel and quarter potatoes and keep in cold water until ready to cook. (This can be done up to 4 hours in advance.) Add potatoes to boiling water and boil about 15 to 20 minutes, until soft; a knife should go in with almost no resistance. (It is better to overcook than to undercook.)

In a large pot, bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil over high heat. Peel and quarter potatoes and keep in cold water until ready to cook. (This can be done up to 4 hours in advance.) Add potatoes to boiling water and boil about 15 to 20 minutes, until soft; a knife should go in with almost no resistance. (It is better to overcook than to undercook.)

Step 2In a saucepan or a microwave oven, heat butter and milk together until butter melts and mixture steams. Drain potatoes well and return to pot. Shake them around in the hot pan or over very low heat for a minute (you want dry potatoes). Using an extruding masher or a ricer, mash hot potatoes until smooth, about 2 minutes. Lightly mix in about half of hot butter mixture, just until blended. Taste for salt and add more butter mixture until seasoned to your liking.

In a saucepan or a microwave oven, heat butter and milk together until butter melts and mixture steams. Drain potatoes well and return to pot. Shake them around in the hot pan or over very low heat for a minute (you want dry potatoes). Using an extruding masher or a ricer, mash hot potatoes until smooth, about 2 minutes. Lightly mix in about half of hot butter mixture, just until blended. Taste for salt and add more butter mixture until seasoned to your liking.

Step 3Stop here for fluffy potatoes. For creamy potatoes, keep stirring potato mixture, using a sturdy spoon to press it against sides and bottom of pot. Mix until dense and thick. For whipped potatoes, use a stand mixer to mash hot potatoes just until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add all the butter mixture and salt to taste, pulsing machine in short bursts at medium speed. When light and creamy, stop mixing immediately. (Potatoes can quickly become sticky.)

Stop here for fluffy potatoes. For creamy potatoes, keep stirring potato mixture, using a sturdy spoon to press it against sides and bottom of pot. Mix until dense and thick. For whipped potatoes, use a stand mixer to mash hot potatoes just until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add all the butter mixture and salt to taste, pulsing machine in short bursts at medium speed. When light and creamy, stop mixing immediately. (Potatoes can quickly become sticky.)

Step 4To keep hot until ready to serve, transfer to serving bowl, dot top with butter, cover tightly and keep in a warm place, like the back of the stove. Potatoes will stay hot for at least 30 minutes. To keep longer, place covered bowl in a pan holding about an inch of gently simmering water. Before serving, mix well.

To keep hot until ready to serve, transfer to serving bowl, dot top with butter, cover tightly and keep in a warm place, like the back of the stove. Potatoes will stay hot for at least 30 minutes. To keep longer, place covered bowl in a pan holding about an inch of gently simmering water. Before serving, mix well.

This recipe can be doubled, tripled and more.

How long does it take to boil potatoes for mashed potatoes? The time will vary depending on the size of the potato pieces. Rather than relying on a timer, check on the texture, which should be soft. The potato is ready when a butter knife slides into it with almost no resistance. Generally, that’s after 15 to 20 minutes of rapid boiling.

How long does it take to boil potatoes for mashed potatoes?

The time will vary depending on the size of the potato pieces. Rather than relying on a timer, check on the texture, which should be soft. The potato is ready when a butter knife slides into it with almost no resistance. Generally, that’s after 15 to 20 minutes of rapid boiling.

How do I thicken mashed potatoes? If you prefer thick mashed potatoes, add less butter and warm milk. Mix both in gradually in small increments so that you can stop when you reach the desired consistency. If you have already made the mashed potatoes and find them too thin, set them over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until some of the moisture has evaporated and the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. The same effect may also be achieved by heating the mashed potatoes, uncovered, in a 325-degree oven for the same amount of time.

How do I thicken mashed potatoes?

If you prefer thick mashed potatoes, add less butter and warm milk. Mix both in gradually in small increments so that you can stop when you reach the desired consistency. If you have already made the mashed potatoes and find them too thin, set them over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until some of the moisture has evaporated and the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. The same effect may also be achieved by heating the mashed potatoes, uncovered, in a 325-degree oven for the same amount of time.

How do I make creamy mashed potatoes?To make lump-free, creamy mashed potatoes, use a ricer or food mill instead of a masher, and use heavy cream or half-and-half instead of milk. Using a high-fat (European-style) butter will help too.

How do I make creamy mashed potatoes?

To make lump-free, creamy mashed potatoes, use a ricer or food mill instead of a masher, and use heavy cream or half-and-half instead of milk. Using a high-fat (European-style) butter will help too.

How do I freeze mashed potatoes? Mashed potatoes can be frozen for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw the covered container overnight in the refrigerator before reheating to serve.

How do I freeze mashed potatoes?

Mashed potatoes can be frozen for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw the covered container overnight in the refrigerator before reheating to serve.

What should I eat with mashed potatoes?In addition to the usual Thanksgiving and Christmas main and side dishes, mashed potatoes also are excellent with meatloaf, roasted or fried chicken, pork chops or loin, roast beef, pot roast, steaks, ribs and, of course, gravy.

What should I eat with mashed potatoes?

In addition to the usual Thanksgiving and Christmas main and side dishes, mashed potatoes also are excellent with meatloaf, roasted or fried chicken, pork chops or loin, roast beef, pot roast, steaks, ribs and, of course, gravy.

How do I reheat mashed potatoes?Mashed potatoes can be reheated on the stovetop or in the oven, microwave or slow cooker. For all reheating methods, the addition of more butter and milk helps to refresh the potatoes and achieve the desired consistency. Taste and season with salt too, if needed. Stovetop: Heat in a covered pot over low, stirring occasionally, until hot throughout, about 10 minutes. Oven: Place in an ovenproof vessel, cover with a lid or foil and bake at 350 degrees until hot, 15 to 30 minutes. Microwave: Microwave in a microwave-safe bowl, loosely covered with a lid or paper towel, on high in 2-minute increments until hot, stirring between intervals. (The time it takes to reheat by microwave will vary depending on the strength of the microwave.) Slow Cooker: Spread the mashed potatoes in the slow cooker, cover and set the machine to low. Check on the potatoes after 1 hour and give them a stir. Cover again and continue to cook until hot.

How do I reheat mashed potatoes?

Mashed potatoes can be reheated on the stovetop or in the oven, microwave or slow cooker. For all reheating methods, the addition of more butter and milk helps to refresh the potatoes and achieve the desired consistency. Taste and season with salt too, if needed.

Stovetop: Heat in a covered pot over low, stirring occasionally, until hot throughout, about 10 minutes.

Oven: Place in an ovenproof vessel, cover with a lid or foil and bake at 350 degrees until hot, 15 to 30 minutes.

Microwave: Microwave in a microwave-safe bowl, loosely covered with a lid or paper towel, on high in 2-minute increments until hot, stirring between intervals. (The time it takes to reheat by microwave will vary depending on the strength of the microwave.)

Slow Cooker: Spread the mashed potatoes in the slow cooker, cover and set the machine to low. Check on the potatoes after 1 hour and give them a stir. Cover again and continue to cook until hot.

How do I make garlic mashed potatoes?There are three simple ways to make garlic mashed potatoes. You can add peeled garlic cloves to the pot of boiling potatoes, and then drain, mash and season as usual. Or, you can roast garlic, then add the golden cloves to the potatoes when ready to rice or mash. If you prefer not to have small bits of boiled or roasted garlic in your potatoes, you can make garlic confit, and add only the garlic oil to the potatoes. (Adjust the amount of butter in the mashed potatoes to taste if using this last method.)

How do I make garlic mashed potatoes?

There are three simple ways to make garlic mashed potatoes. You can add peeled garlic cloves to the pot of boiling potatoes, and then drain, mash and season as usual. Or, you can roast garlic, then add the golden cloves to the potatoes when ready to rice or mash. If you prefer not to have small bits of boiled or roasted garlic in your potatoes, you can make garlic confit, and add only the garlic oil to the potatoes. (Adjust the amount of butter in the mashed potatoes to taste if using this last method.)

I recommend taking the time to boil the spuds whole, with peels on. Quartering the potatoes results on absorption of a lot of water. If you peel after boiling the potatoes can better soak up the milk and butter and the water doesn't get in the way. :-).

This omits an essential step that Julia Moskin includes in the basic potato section: put the boiled and drained potatoes back in the pot and set them over low heat till they stop steaming, to dry them out. Without this, mashed potatoes tend to be gluey.Also, it's easy to reheat mashed potatoes that have cooled off; just put them over medium heat and beat vigorously, maybe adding a little more hot milk if needed; works for refrigerated mashed potatoes too.

Instead of boiling potatoes in water, simmer them in mix of milk, lightly sauteed onions and/or garlic, and butter. Once the potatoes are soft, drain most of the liquid (it makes a terrific addition to creamy soup), then mash the potatoes while hot. As needed, add back the cooking milk, for the consistency you want. Yum!

I made this exactly as specified, with no preconceptions. I just wanted basic mashed potatoes and I they turned out just great. Used my Mom's old potato masher and a wooden spoon. I did add a touch more softened butter while I was mashing, but who doesn't like more butter?

I made these with some alternate potato that was available in a remote grocery store while on vacation in the country. Used an herbed butter. Forgot to soak them first, so only did that for about 5 minutes. Didn’t have a peeler available in the Airbnb where we stayed. Turned out amazing. For those of us who need a recipe to make something as simple as mashed potatoes (me), this one is indeed as forgiving as others said it is. Making it again now. So good.

This is a fantastic recipe. I didn’t even need the ricer - the masher delivered silky smooth potatoes that’s I’d refer to more as a purée. Second time making in two weeks- including yesterday for a dinner party. Big hit and oh so easy!

Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016898-mashed-potatoes