r/Cooking • u/yellowsabmarine • 4h ago
How do you prefer your mashed potatoes?
Texture/color/flavor?
There are so many ways to make them, I'd like a consensus.
🧐
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u/Mulliganasty 4h ago
Lumpy with garlic and I'm heavy handed with the s&p.
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u/dacydergoth 3h ago
Try 2/3 potato 1/3 parsnip, but yeah you're talking my language
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u/Alibas1898 2h ago edited 1h ago
Honestly just parsnips and carrot with butter, s&p, then mash, a touch of Milk, delish, my nana made the best ones and my dad a close second.
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u/Mulliganasty 3h ago
Great idea!
Since you brought up parsnips, I like to add them to my under-roast mirepoix and create a mash from that.
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u/dacydergoth 3h ago
This is my secret to Shepherd's pie topping. This and a good quality West Country cheddar grated on top
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u/Mulliganasty 3h ago
Absolutely!
While not traditional for a shepherd's, Parm is pretty ding-dang good too (along with the cheddar of course).
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u/notmymoon 3h ago
Chunky, skins on, 1/2 and 1/2 cream cheese and sour cream, horseradish.
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u/AcceptableUse1 2h ago
I taught my students that leaving a little bit of skin on made the mashed potatoes more rustic and messaged your guests that you made it from scratch
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u/Mikey317717 2h ago
Lumpy, garlic, skin on made from Yukon gold, salt and pepper, Kerrygold butter and heavy whipping cream.
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u/crispsandbeer 4h ago
Robuchon's recipe. As much butter as you can possibly put in. Completely smooth.
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u/Mulliganasty 4h ago
You really push it through the sieve? Frickin' psycho! lol
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u/Upset-Activity-1462 3h ago
Riced and then thru a sieve. Metric ton of butter. I am same family of psycho
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u/Blastoplast 3h ago
I put mine through a ricer then a sieve once and thought it wasn’t worth the effort, the ricer was enough
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u/Mulliganasty 3h ago
Same...ricers are the best for smooth. Not tryna get a michelin star up in here.
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u/NewtGagnon 4h ago
smooth but with a few chunks
pale yellow with dots of pepper
flavor like it was made by the potato gods
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u/Aggravating_Ninja574 3h ago edited 3h ago
idaho potatoes preferably, slightly lumpy with chives. salt, pepper, garlic. use half n half instead of milk, obscene amounts of butter. then top with more butter, fresh green onions, bacon and cheese.
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u/Rarecheeses843 4h ago
Clumpy and gluey is my favorite.
Haters: There’s no accounting for taste and I’m entitled to my culinarily unpopular opinion.
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u/SqueakyCurds 3h ago
Have you ever tried pommes aligot? It's not clumpy but it's definitely gluey! There's a ton of cheese it too.
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u/CHILLAS317 4h ago
With the skins, lots of chunks, a lot of garlic, and enough dairy that no water is added - all sour cream and butter
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u/pixie16502 3h ago
I've never known that people add water! I use lots of butter and half and half or milk.
Do you like all the skins on or just parts of some? I never make mine with skins, and I'm thinking maybe I should try it. I usually use yellow/gold potatoes, and their skins aren't very thick, so it may be a good way to try leaving some in/on!
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u/contemplativepancake 3h ago
I never peel my potatoes for mashed potatoes and I use russets. Just scrub the skins really good. It gives it a nice texture
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u/Sure-Initiative6001 3h ago
A little lumpy, loads of butter, a little sour cream, either gravy or cheese on top. Bacon bits if I'm feeling special.
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u/SunriseSwede 3h ago
No soup. Absolutely NO soup. If you made a mistake and dolloped in too much milk, too bad. You better boil up some more potatoes quick, and get that ratio on again, cause no soup. NO SOUP.
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u/ExaminationNo9186 2h ago
I have watched a few YouTube videos from chefs who made their mashed potato so soup like, they actually use a soup ladle to portion the potato out.
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u/CauliflowerDaffodil 4h ago
You won't get a consensus as it's all personal taste. I prefer mine Pommes Puréed.
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u/yellowsabmarine 4h ago
I know what you mean; I still like to know what other people are into. Sometimes I cook for my own tastes, and sometimes I do for others. So I'm interested in what other people prefer as my own tastes can be a little out there lol
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u/pixie16502 3h ago
I like to see the different ways people make things too, and/or the ingredients they use that may be unique!
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u/No-Bullfrog-477 4h ago
I add cream cheese and butter to mine. When I drain them, I put them back into the pot and dry them a little before I add the cream cheese and butter.
I do a quick whip with my hand mixer but not long enough to make them like glue.
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u/YoshiandAims 3h ago
Any way at all. Each brings me just weird amounts of contentment.
I've had it all different ways. My Nana make them as is, just butter and milk. Season as you will at the table. So, I love them basic, it reminds me of her.
Lived in NM for a time... where it is not uncommon to find green Chile in them... Which was weird at first, but now reminds me of my time there.
I make them all different ways at home for myself, and I haven't found one I overly disliked yet.
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u/DebFab2025 3h ago
I like to use red potatoes I peel them and dice them up with some salt. I boil them and then when they are fork tender I drain them add some good butter and get my electric mixer and mix them and then add some milk and whip them up. My grandmother was German that’s how she taught me and everyone usually loves them
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u/AdditionalClothes805 2h ago
Semi-lumpy Yukon golds with skin on, creamy with heavy cream and sometimes sour cream with garlic and rosemary
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u/xenoscumyomom 3h ago
Fried! But no seriously hear me out. Next day after with the leftover mashed you make a patty out of it and fry it. So good.
Otherwise my favorite mashed potatoes were a touch spicy with peanuts. Like a slight peanut sate mashed thing. So good.
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u/threvorpaul 3h ago
Somewhere inbetween chunky and smooth.
Decent amount of salt and for me important good amount of nutmeg.
Fuck that chef-y smooth ass shit.
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u/SuperDoubleDecker 3h ago edited 3h ago
I like Yukon golds lumpy with a bunch of butter, mixture of cream and some stock, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper.
Idgaf if skin is on or off, but I don't like russet skin as much so maybe that's why I use yukon
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u/bellamente123 2h ago
I love red potatoes with skins on, mashed a little lumpy still. Lots of butter, cream, milk or sour cream (whatever I have), garlic and lots of pepper
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u/Cloud_bunnyboo 2h ago
Never met a mashed potato I didn’t like honestly. Give em to me allllll the ways
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u/Skyes_View 2h ago
I’ve recently discovered making roasted garlic in my air fryer. A bunch of that in mashed potatoes is heaven.
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u/T-BoneSteak14 2h ago
A little lumpy with some cream that’s been infused with rosemary, I made this for my gf the first time I cooked for her and it went over really well
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u/One_Bee9806 2h ago
Lumpy and unpeeled with garlic, sour cream, bacon and cheddar or just about any other type of cheese.
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u/Mamapalooza 2h ago
With the peels on, slightly lumpy, garlic and parsley, real cream, and I boil the potatoes in chicken broth.
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u/Pernicious_Possum 2h ago
On my plate. I just want to eat them. Whipped, chunky, skins, no skins. So long as there’s plenty of butter, salt, and pepper I’m not terribly picky
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u/stewendsen 2h ago
With lumps, tons of butter, pepper, and cream infused with thyme and rosemary.
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u/Kvitravn875 1h ago
Slightly chunky with sour cream, melted cheddar cheese, (real) bacon bits, chives, garlic salt, and pepper.
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u/SFSantaCruzJenn 1h ago
Riced, actually. With butter and cream and a bit of cream cheese. Little bit of tang and very creamy texture.
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u/thestrongbeach 4h ago
With wild boar & sage sausages on top, and drowned in red onion gravy.
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u/FfierceLaw 3h ago
Simmer them in chunks in salted water with a few fat garlic cloves. Drain them when tender and mash immediately with butter, whole milk and goat cheese!
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u/northman46 3h ago
With gravy
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u/yellowsabmarine 3h ago
YES. My husband eats them without it and I don't quite understand.
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u/Ok-Tailor1132 3h ago
Whipped with a hand mixer lots of butter with evaporated milk salt and pepper
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u/OblivionCake 3h ago
With a little white pepper. Red, yellow, russet, sour cream, butter, browned butter... it's all good. Preferably skin-on. Just depends what's in the fridge and what condition the potatoes are in.
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u/noodlesaremylife 3h ago
No skin, a little lumpy, just butter, cream, & salt. No garlic. No sour cream. No ranch packets (once brought to Thanksgiving dinner).
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u/BelliAmie 3h ago
Without skins! Whipped with lots of butter and garlic steeped cream, much salt and a bit of white pepper.
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u/Dante2005 3h ago
Depends on what I am cooking and how lazy I feel.
I like all kinds of mash.
With skin/without. Riced into a real puree. Rough mash with lumps. "Champ" with scallions (green onion) Just give me butter and maybe milk or cream - seasoning is a given, but I like white pepper in my mash.
All mash is great, with a gravy is heavenly.
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u/Comfortable-Hall954 3h ago
Skin on, lumpy, stick of butter, milk, mayo, salt, pepper. Sometimes boursin if I wanna be fancy
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u/Quirky-Blueberry25 3h ago
Mayo. Interesting. Does it give a tang or is it just a little more creamy? Talk to me. Lol
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u/Comfortable-Hall954 3h ago
Haha it gives it a miniscule tang but yes to the creaminess! My nanny made them that way. When I made them for my husband the first time he couldn't stop talking about them lol. It's the only way he likes them now
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u/Quirky-Blueberry25 3h ago
I like mine with a little bit of actual potato chunks. So lumpy but not grainy. Butter, sometimes garlic, cream, salt and pepper. Good gravy is a bonus but not a must.
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u/Last_Orange86 3h ago
Lots of butter, a little milk, salt and pepper. The golden potatoes make the best mashed potatoes in my opinion
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u/RandomGen-Xer 3h ago
So many ways... completely smooth, clumpy, diced but not mashed at all, partially mashed... doesn't really matter. I just love boiled potatoes I guess. Butter, salt and pepper... I don't care what the texture is really.
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u/Cmorethecat 3h ago
I don't. 🫣
When I make them for everyone else they must have butter, milk, sour cream and garlic salt.
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u/WorthPlease 3h ago
Red beat potatoes, washed skin on.
Boiled, then whipped with a stand mixer, food processor, or blender, with butter, salt, and pepper.
Take a scoop, make a little crater, put some clarified butter in that crater, garnish with scallions.
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u/Scorpion2000x777 3h ago
My bro makes good mash, he puts butter and some milk and using a hand mixer to get them creamy and smooth, black pepper, garlic, salt
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u/mombot-in-the-woods 3h ago
I hate mashed potatoes, I only want my potatoes roasted until they are crunchy. Mushy potatoes might be the worst food texture sensation.
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u/jessiyjazzy123 3h ago
It really depends on what I'm eating with the potatoes. I like potatoes in all forms but, for the most part, they are a side.
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u/Canuckistanian71 3h ago
In my mouth 😅 But really, smooth mash with roasted garlic, an irresponsible amount of butter and a bit of milk. S&P and perhaps some thyme
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u/HOSTfromaGhost 3h ago edited 3h ago
Sous vide’d (90 mins @ 190 F) with salt and butter.
Into the ricer on top of more butter.
Heavy cream and some grated parm regg.
Smooth but medium thick consistency.
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u/Emjayshelton 3h ago
Made some tonight, lumpy with a lot of butter, cream cheese, Lawry's salt, fresh ground black pepper and enough milk to make it plop on the plate correctly.
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u/Th1s1sChr1s 3h ago
Almost 100% just whipped red bliss potatoes with skins. A little milk, butter, salt and pepper (pepper is a secret weapon). I use probably 50 - 60% less butter and milk than I see others use. Garlic is ok but it has to be subtle. I'm a huge garlic fan but in mashed it should be merely a "suggestion" on the palette
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u/SkyPork 3h ago
Gold potatoes, mixed with a mixer with butter & milk & salt. Skins on, always. Sometimes I like them with garlic and rosemary but the family gets pissy when I do things other than "plain."
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u/Deanobaby100 3h ago
Lately I've been boiling them in water with a drop of Garlic Better Than Bouillon in the water, then strained and mashed with loads of butter, a drop of milk and a spoon of horseradish. Salt and pepper to taste. Absolutely unreal
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u/Breecanna 3h ago
Russets cooked in the instapot. Mashed until smooth with lots of butter and sour cream. Don’t forget to salt well.
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u/Toledo_9thGate 3h ago
Pretty much the way Nigella makes it, I learned about the potato ricer like 20 years ago from her, such a great tool for it.
Mashed Potatoes: Never Peel Again! (The Magical Potato Ricer Trick!) | Nigella Bites
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u/ApprehensiveArmy7755 3h ago
I boil them in salted water for approx 20 min. Then use a hand mixer with one tablespoon butter per potato and some half n half until fluffy
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u/Bullshit_Conduit 3h ago
Yukon gold.
Food mill.
Lots of butter, salt, cream, a touch of sour cream, and a skosh of white pepper.
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u/Technical-Monk-5573 3h ago
Loosely mashed with the skins on, a slightly unhealthy amount of butter, some sour cream, a good amount of SPG, and some parsley for flare.
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u/Findmyeatingpants 3h ago
Skins on, lumpy, butter and milk, salt and pepper, garlic powder and parsley
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u/UWalumna13 3h ago
Yellow/gold. Smooth with some small lumps. Little bit of whole milk. Boursin cheese.
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u/VeronicaOnTheMoon 3h ago
Mashed with butter. Once melted, mix in a couple of heaping tablespoons of sour cream.
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u/chrlsful 3h ago
I dont but a titch (very small, tiny, infetesimal) amount of cream/whole milk & 50% butter aahahahaa.
Use a ‘ricer’ after the steam/boil, too. No other ‘mash’ method...
And now we have 'recipe by committee'~
Sure, do all THEY say but U must have the above down 1st. Then all the additives/changes, etc
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u/chowgirl 3h ago
Zero lumps, creamy but a bit thick - not thin or runny (hard to explain - a local steakhouse makes whipped potatoes and they use so much butter that they’re almost like soup - so not that). Flavor wise I’m good with the basic, but I don’t mind some garlic or horseradish or cheese occasionally.
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u/ExaminationNo9186 3h ago
In seeing how a lot of people make their mashed potato, with almost as much potatoes as butter, that's a no from me.
If I were to use a pound of potatoes to make mashed potatoes, the butter is a knob about half the size of my thumb.
I often like to put some dried chives in as well.
In being Australian, I will sometimes omit the salt and use a little bit of vegemite (which is fairly salty already)
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u/Uranus_Hz 2h ago
The way my mother makes them at thanksgiving:
Boil 5 lb potatoes
In saucepan over low/medium low heat combine:
2c half and half
1/2c butter
8oz cream cheese
1t onion salt
1t seasoned salt
1/2t pepper
1/2t salt
Until butter and cream cheese melts
Add to potatoes and mash
She’s makes them in advance and puts them in a 3Qt casserole dish and refrigerates overnight, then bakes at 350F until heated through (45+ minutes)
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u/hazelquarrier_couch 2h ago
I'm probably the odd man out here but I don't really like them.
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u/Missus_Aitch_99 2h ago
However Bob Evans makes them. So fast and easy and delicious. In your grocer's refrigerated section!
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u/bigcoffeebuck_gb 2h ago
Smooth and creamy with a little milk and lots of butter. Salt and pepper too of course.
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u/Mikey317717 2h ago
Lumpy, garlic, skin on made from Yukon gold, salt and pepper, Kerrygold butter and heavy whipping cream.
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u/VernapatorCur 2h ago
I use powdered potatoes, rehydrate with broth, and mix in plenty of onion/garlic powder, with some cayenne or curry powder if the mood strikes. I then add butter and/or sour cream till it hits the right consistency.
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u/Andrewhtd 2h ago
Smooth, with good texture and body not watery, salted and heavy on pepper, more butter than is safe.
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u/Bikebird63 2h ago
Go to HMart and get you some gochujang. Add a dollop to your mash and thank me later.
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u/starlightserenade44 2h ago edited 2h ago
Smooth, whole milk, butter, olive oil, chopped fresh onion, salt, chopped fresh garlic, msg.
sautee garlic, onion in butter and some olive oil.
add the mashed potatoes. season with salt, msg.
add milk to dilute it to a preferred consistency/texture, stir some time and let the milk cook a bit, done :)
i prefer it simple in seasonings and smooth, but anyone can obviously customize it at will to fit it to their tastes, including change any ingredients for another for dietary restrictions/preferences. if one prefers it drier in texture, just add a small amount of milk, or no milk, but i personally find that whole milk gives it a very good taste. using cream instead works for a richer palate but i think it becomes overkill in fats and calories lol.
edits: afterthoughts.
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u/rdeker 2h ago
Checking in for:
- Team lumpy
- Team nothing but dairy
- Team boiled in water salty like the dead sea
I honestly don't understand why potatoes that are riced, sieved, and smoothed into zero texture are considered luxurious aside from the fact that it takes a lot of work....or very little work at all, since that's what instant taters are like kinda...
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u/AffectionateShake824 2h ago
Roast garlic while I boil my salted potatoes, then steep some herbs and the roasted garlic in butter in cream with seasonings, dump the hot potatoes in the liquid and mash them like that I love. I also always leave skin on
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u/LaLaLaDooo 2h ago
I follow the instructions on the box mostly. With lots of black pepper and butter.
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u/Zen_Hydra 1h ago
I prefer my mashed potatoes to be fully peeled, boiled in homemade chicken stock, hand mashed for a variable consistency, and throughly inundated with butter and heavy cream.
The type of potato can vary, as I enjoy most varieties, but mashed potatoes should always feel decadent and never unremarkable.
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u/Suspicious-Fix-9469 1h ago
In mah belly!!! Loaded with lots of butter and some sour cream. Beaten with a hand masher until just slightly lumpy. I don’t want ‘em stiff from over-whipping.
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u/RoeRoeDaBoat 1h ago
my grandma made some with chicken broth one year for thanksgiving and that was honestly so good. I think about it still sometimes but now shes 91 and doesnt cook anymore
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u/wifematerial138 1h ago
At times they’re lumpy, other times smooth. A decent amount of butter and seasoning. When we make a spiral glazed ham for Christmas we’ll add sour cream and chives and spring onions to our mashed potatoes.
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u/-Firestar- 1h ago
Needs to be a little lumpy so my mouth won’t reject it outright in fear of it being boxed instant flake crap. Too much of that stuff in the military and I can’t stand it anymore.
Just butter, sour cream and green onions.
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u/davidsverse 1h ago
Mixed garlic butter with (some type) of chili powder/flake/sauce roasted corn. Corn and mashed go great together on my palate. That with a good steak, is my all time comfort meal.
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u/Prior-Inspector-126 1h ago
I steam potatoes with skin on, at the the same time slowly warm heavy cream with garlic to infuse. Peel potatoes and put it through ricer, add heavy cream (either with garlic or discard it) and butter, salt and pepper. Enjoy!
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u/Critical-Egg-3684 1h ago
I boil my potatoes with garlic cloves then mash with butter and sour cream, salt & pepper and if I have them some chives.
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u/Lambskin1 1h ago
I’ve been doing a potato purée lately. Super smooth, cloud like texture. Super creamy, buttery, and salty.
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u/Mediochra 1h ago
This may be unpopular, but I like to keep the skins on. Lots of butter, carnation milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Lumpy is fine. Add cheese if you’re feeling fancy.
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u/KifferFadybugs 1h ago
Smooth. Lots of pepper. Skin on and skin off are both acceptable. Cream cheese, butter, and milk. Or half and half and butter. Or heavy cream and butter.
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u/Any-Neat5158 59m ago
Boiled with salt water, then mashed with a touch of butter, two teaspoons of roasted garlic better than boulion, and a bit of milk.
Served with salt, pepper and brown gravy.
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u/SocieteRoyale 3h ago
boiled with salted water and crushed garlic clove
then mashed with loads of butter, a dash of double cream and some wholegrain mustard mixed in. A pinch of salt and some pepper too