Recipe video above. This is my essential mashed potato recipe I make 362 days of the year*. It's a must-have at holiday gatherings and Sunday Suppers, and it's the mash you've seen smothered by sauces and gravies in hundreds of recipes on my website! Easy, creamy, buttery, rich but not insanely so (we have Paris Mash for that). Serve with everything. (*The other 3 days of the year I make Paris Mash, KFC Potato and Gravy, and Creamy Cauliflower Mash)
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Course: Sides
Cuisine: Universal, Western
Keyword: Creamy Mashed Potato, mashed potato
Servings: 6
Calories: 208cal
Author: Nagi
Ingredients
1.5 kg / 3 lbpotatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm/1” cubes(Preferably Sebago, Russet or Maris Piper, Note 1)
Place in a large pot with 1 tbsp salt. Add water so it’s 10cm / 4” above potatoes.
Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat so it’s simmering rapidly. Cook 15 minutes or until potatoes are very soft (jab with fork to test, they should fall apart).
Drain well, return into pot. Leave for 1 minute, shaking pot every now and then, to encourage evaporation of water.
Add Flavourings then mash well, using milk to make it looser if desired.
DO NOT use: a beater, stick blender, food processor or blender. You can pulse with a stand mixer or handheld mixer but be cautious, stop as soon as it's creamy (potatoes will quickly go from perfect to gluey using appliances).
Transfer to serving bowl, make pretty swirls across the top and drizzle over butter. Sprinkle with chives then serve!
MAKE AHEAD / KEEPING WARM - choose:
30 minutes or less - Cover bowl tightly with cling wrap and keep in a warm place (like near the stove), will stay warm for 30 min. Gently stir before serving.
Up to 2 hours, over hot water - place bowl with mash over a pot of boiling hot water (turn stove on every now and then to keep water hot) or keep about 3 cm / 1" water gently simmering. Bowl should not touch water.
Up to 4 hours, slow cooker warm seeting - press baking paper/parchment paper onto potato surface, then cover tightly with foil. Keep in slow cooker on WARM setting (60C/140F or less).
1. Potatoes - floury and all rounder potatoes work best:
Australia - the cheap dirt-brushed potatoes sold “everywhere” (called Sebago) are terrific all rounders
US: Russet ideal
UK: Maris Piper
2. Handheld beater or kitchen stand mixer - use with caution as beating potato activates starch which turns it gluey (it’s horrid!). Beating will make the mash smoother but a more dense creaminess. Will never be 100% smooth - potato will turn to glue first.Ultra smooth mash - the only way to make mash 100% smooth is to push it through a sieve which is how restaurants do it,. It’s special equipment, and it’s a pain in the ass to do!Ultra Creamy Paris Mash - see this recipe (it’s based on Guillaume’s famous recipe). It uses an insane amount of butter - and it's incredible!