If you’re looking for the best mashed potatoes recipe, this classic old-fashioned method delivers perfectly creamy, buttery potatoes every time. Made with simple ingredients and traditional techniques, this mashed potatoes recipe creates fluffy, rich potatoes that taste just like homemade comfort food should.
Quick Recipe Overview: Old Fashioned Mashed Potatoes Recipe
⏱ Ready In: About 35 minutes
🍽 Serves: 6 servings
🔥 Calories: ~220 per serving
🧈 Main Ingredients: Potatoes, butter, milk or cream, salt, black pepper
🥗 Dietary Info: Vegetarian, gluten-free
❤️ Why You’ll Love It:
This mashed potatoes recipe uses simple, traditional ingredients to create fluffy, buttery potatoes with rich flavor and the perfect creamy texture. It’s an easy, reliable side dish that pairs beautifully with everything from roast chicken and beef to holiday meals and Sunday dinners.
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“This is the only mashed potatoes we make in our house. Definitely our go-to. The cream cheese is such a game changer. The whole family loves ’em!” – Mattie
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Rich, buttery flavor. This mashed potatoes recipe uses simple ingredients like real butter and warm milk or cream to create deep, comforting flavor just like traditional homemade mashed potatoes.
- Perfectly fluffy and creamy texture. With the right cooking and mashing method, these potatoes turn out light, smooth, and creamy instead of gluey or dense.
- Classic side dish for any meal. This mashed potatoes recipe pairs beautifully with roast meats, gravies, and holiday dinners, making it a reliable go-to comfort food everyone loves.
These creamy mashed potatoes are the perfect side dish for cast iron skillet meatloaf, fried chicken, beef stew, pulled pork roast, and a bunch of other family favorites. You might also want to try turning leftovers into breakfast mashed potato cakes.
Spend a busy day with me momming and getting stuff done – plus making my husband’s grandmother’s meatloaf recipe and mashed potato recipe.
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Key Ingredients
- Potatoes: Starchy potatoes like Russets make the fluffiest mashed potatoes recipe because they break down easily and absorb butter and cream well.
- Butter: Real butter adds richness and classic flavor, giving the mashed potatoes their smooth, comforting taste.
- Cream: Helps create a creamy texture and blends smoothly into the potatoes without cooling them down.
- Cream Cheese: Makes this from scratch mashed potato recipe extra creamy and adds a slight tang that enhances the buttery flavor while helping create a smooth, velvety texture.
- Salt: Properly salting both the cooking water and the finished potatoes brings out the natural flavor of the potatoes. I use Redmond Real salt in my daily cooking and baking.
- Black Pepper: A little freshly ground black pepper adds subtle warmth and balances the richness of the butter and cream.
Step-By-Step Instructions for Making Mashed Potatoes
Step 1 – Peel, dice, and boil the potatoes. Peel potatoes, cut into even chunks, and place in a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil, then cook until fork-tender.
Step 2 – Drain the potatoes. Drain well, then return potatoes to the hot pot for 1–2 minutes to steam off excess moisture (this helps keep them fluffy).
Step 3 – Add remaining ingredients and mash. Add butter, cream, cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Mash or mix until creamy and smooth, adding a splash more warm liquid if needed.
Step 4 – Serve. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve hot with an extra pat of butter or gravy if desired.
Old Fashioned Mashed Potatoes Recipe FAQs
The secret to a creamy mashed potatoes recipe is using starchy potatoes (like Russets), draining them well, then mixing in cream, cream cheese, and plenty of butter while the potatoes are still hot.
The best potatoes for a mashed potatoes recipe are starchy Russet potatoes for fluffy results, or Yukon Gold potatoes for a naturally buttery, creamy texture. You can also use a mix of Russets and Yukon Golds for the best of both.
To keep a mashed potatoes recipe from turning gluey, avoid overmixing and don’t use a blender or food processor. Mash by hand or use a ricer, and add warm dairy gradually. Overworking the potatoes releases too much starch, which makes them gummy.
Yes, you can make a mashed potatoes recipe ahead of time. Store mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days, then reheat gently on the stovetop or in the oven with a splash of milk or cream and an extra pat of butter to restore the creamy texture.
Expert Tips
- Cut potatoes evenly. Dice potatoes into similar-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate and mash smoothly without lumps.
- Salt the cooking water well. Potatoes absorb flavor while they cook, so generously salting the boiling water helps season the potatoes from the inside out.
- Use warm dairy. Always warm the milk or cream before adding it to the potatoes. Cold liquid can cool the potatoes and prevent them from becoming creamy.
- Add butter before the milk. Mixing butter into the hot potatoes first coats the starch and helps create a richer, smoother texture.
- Don’t overmix. Overworking the potatoes releases too much starch, which can make mashed potatoes gluey instead of fluffy.
- Add cream cheese for extra richness. A small amount of cream cheese gives this mashed potatoes recipe a velvety texture and subtle tang that balances the butter.
Storage
Once the pasta is completely dry, store it in an airtight container, like a Ziploc bag, in a cool, dry, dark place for up to a couple of months. Hanging pasta dries quickly, usually in a day or two, while pasta twisted into nests will take a few days longer. The pasta is fully dry when it breaks easily.
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Old Fashioned Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Peel, dice, and boil the potatoes. Peel potatoes, cut into even chunks, and place in a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil, then cook until fork-tender.
- Drain the potatoes. Drain well, then return potatoes to the hot pot for 1–2 minutes to steam off excess moisture (this helps keep them fluffy).
- Add remaining ingredients and mash. Add butter, warm milk/cream, cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Mash or mix until creamy and smooth, adding a splash more warm liquid if needed.
- Serve. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve hot with an extra pat of butter or gravy if desired.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Best potatoes to use: Russet potatoes produce the fluffiest mashed potatoes because of their high starch content, but Yukon Gold potatoes can also be used for a naturally buttery flavor and slightly creamier texture.
- Avoid gluey potatoes: Mash by hand or use a potato masher or ricer. Avoid blenders or food processors, which can overwork the starch and make mashed potatoes gummy.
- Adjust consistency easily: If the potatoes are too thick, add a little more warm milk or cream until the desired creamy consistency is reached.
- Make ahead option: Mashed potatoes can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of milk or cream and a little butter to restore the creamy texture.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!About the Author
Welcome to Hopewell Heights, I’m Steph – seasoned sourdough baker, homesteader, homemaker, homeschooling mom of 5, and creator behind this Heritage American food blog. I hope you enjoy my family’s favorite, from-scratch recipes!
The cream cheese is a game changer! I make these at least once a week, one of our favorite sides!
This is the only mashed potatoes we make in our house. Definitely our go-to. The cream cheese is such a game changer. The whole family loves ’em!