Here I’ll share some simple tips and tricks for making the creamiest mashed potatoes ever!
If you’re looking for an easy mashed potato recipe that actually comes out creamy, that you don’t need any special ingredients or equipment to make, then you’ve stumbled across the right place. Follow me…
Creamy Mashed Potato Ingredients
As you can imagine, the ingredients list for this recipe is pretty small. I’ve put the recipe card with all the measurements in the recipe card, but let me just provide a little explanation of each ingredient first:
- Potatoes – For the smoothest, creamiest mash, you’ll want to use a floury baking potato like a Maris Piper (UK) or Russet (US).
- Butter – The backbone of any good mash. Most is going in the mash, but we’re going to melt more on top.
- Cream – Strictly speaking, you could use whole milk, but this is called creamy mashed potato for a reason. As such, we’re using double (UK) heavy (US) cream.
- Cream Cheese – This is my secret ingredient. It doesn’t make the mash taste cheesy at all; instead, it makes it extra creamy and offers a deeper complexity of flavour.
- Chives – Don’t skip these. They add a lovely final pop of colour and flavour.
- Salt and Pepper – Don’t underestimate how important seasoning is for a good mashed potato. Potatoes suck up salt like you’d never imagine.
Recipe Tip
It’s important to keep the cream, cream cheese and butter all at room temp as you prep the mash. This will ensure they mix into the potatoes will ease and prevent a lumpy mash.
How to prepare Mashed Potatoes
Usual stuff, just peel and dice the spuds to start, making sure they’re even-sized chunks (this will ensure they cook at an even rate).
From there, always start them off in cold water and bring them to a boil. This will allow the potatoes to cook as the water heats up, essentially meaning they cook more evenly. If you throw them right in boiling water, the outside is going to cook quicker than the inside. You’ll know the potatoes are cooked when they’re fork tender (just jab them and they should break apart).
Process shots: peel potato (photo 1), dice (photo 2), add to salted cold water (photo 3), boil (photo 4).
How to make Creamy Mashed Potatoes
There are a couple of steps that really make the difference when making a quality mash.
Steam drying the potatoes
Once you’ve drained the potatoes, give them a shake and leave them to sit in the colander for 1 minute. This will give time for some steam to escape, which otherwise would end up in the mash and make it watery/sloppy.
Warming the ingredients
I know there are chefs who claim it’s best for the butter to be cold when you add it to the potatoes, but my experience is that when it’s warmer, it blends in with the potatoes with much more ease. Same for the cream. The great part is that you can use the residual heat from the pot as the potatoes steam dry!
Process shots: drain potatoes (photo 5), warm cream and butter (photo 6), mash potatoes (photo 7), mash in seasoning and cream cheese (photo 8).
Recipe Tip
DO NOT use a hand blender or anything like that to mix the potatoes. It’ll activate starch and cause the potatoes to go gluey. Use a potato masher and mash until the potatoes are just creamy.
How to serve Mashed Potatoes
To take the mash to new heights, use a spoon to ‘swirl’ the top and drizzle over some melted butter. I also HIGHLY recommend adding some chives for a final pop of colour and flavour.
This is pretty much my go-to mash potato for just about everything, from Hearty Dinners to Roast Dinners and everything in between. Here are some honourable mentions of my favourite dinners to serve with mash:
- Swedish Meatballs
- Chicken Kyiv
- Chicken Schnitzel (or Pork Schnitzels)
- Sausage Casserole
- Beef Stroganoff
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this creamy mashed potato shall we?!
How to make Creamy Mashed Potatoes (Full Recipe & Video)
Extra Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Potato Peeler
- Large Pot & Wooden Spoon
- Colander
- Potato Masher
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 60g / 4 tbsp Butter, leave at room temp (see notes)
- 80ml / 1/3 cup Double/Heavy Cream, leave at room temp
- 60g / 2oz Cream Cheese, leave at room temp
- 1.2kg / 2.6lb Floury Potatoes, peeled & diced into 3-4cm chunks (Maris Pipers/Russets)
- 2 1/2 tsp Salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste
To Serve
- 1 tbsp Butter, melted
- 1-2 tsp finely diced Fresh Chives
Instructions
- Add the potato chunks to a large saucepan of cold water with 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to the boil. Cook for 12–15 minutes, or until knife tender, then drain. Leave them to sit and steam in the colander for 1 minute.
- Meanwhile, put the butter and cream into the pan the potatoes were cooked in and stir to melt the butter and warm the cream (the residual heat will be enough for this). Add the potatoes back in and mash until just combined, then add the cream cheese and the remaining salt and pepper. Mash until lump free and smooth, then transfer to a serving bowl.
- Make a few swirls in the top of the mashed potato with the back of a spoon, then serve drizzled with melted butter and sprinkled with fresh chives.
Video
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more?
You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’
For more similar recipes check out these beauties:
Mashed Potato Recipes
- Mustard Mash
- Rustic Skin On Mashed Potatoes
- Boursin Mashed Potatoes
- Cheesy Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Mashed Potato Gratin
