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These garlic mashed potatoes are creamy, garlicky, and the perfect side for Thanksgiving and Christmas! It’s made with soft fluffy potatoes, garlic infused heavy cream, and finished with a drizzle of sauteed garlic butter for extra garlic flavor!
If you’re a garlic lover, you’ll love these creamy garlic mashed potatoes! It’s made with Yukon gold potatoes, garlic infused heavy cream, then finished with a drizzle of garlic butter!
It’s great for the holidays since this can be made ahead of time and frozen. Garlic mashed potatoes are one of our go to recipes for Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Garlic butter mashed potatoes make an excellent side for any meal because it can be served with steak, chicken, seafood, or pork.
I recommend using creamer potatoes such as Yukon gold potatoes for that creamy texture. But you can also use a combination of Yukon gold and russet potatoes.
Russet potatoes have a lighter, fluffier texture, which when combined with Yukon gold potatoes, give you the best mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Yukon gold and russet potatoes – I prefer the creaminess of Yukon gold potatoes but you can use a combination of half russet potatoes and half Yukon gold for lighter, fluffier mashed potatoes that are still creamy.
Garlic – I used 6 cloves or garlic but use as much or as little as you’d like. You can also use roasted garlic if you have that ready.
Heavy cream – Heavy cream makes this rich and creamy but if you prefer something lighter, replace half the amount with milk, stock, or half and half.
Butter – Butter is a must for any mashed potatoes. Reserve a few pats of butter to place on top right before serving.
Herbs & flavorings – I used chives but you can use green onions, onion powder, garlic powder, or dried herbs such as parsley, thyme, or basil.
How to Make Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Wash and peel the potatoes then cut them into 1 inch pieces for faster cooking. Cover with water and boil until fork tender, about 10 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes very well then place them back into the hot pot to get rid of excess water. Mash the potatoes using a potato ricer, masher, fork, or whisk.
- In a sauce pan, make the garlic butter by sautéing garlic with butter and vegetable oil. Reserve a tablespoon for later. Add the heavy cream into the sauce pan and heat until warm and infused with garlic flavor. Add the garlic cream to the potatoes and mix through.
- Transfer the garlic mashed potatoes to a serving bowl and drizzle with the reserved garlic butter. Garnish with chopped herbs and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Variations
- For skin-on mashed potatoes, be sure to remove any eyes or sprouts and scrub the skin well.
- Substitutes for heavy cream – For a lighter taste, replace a portion of the heavy cream for milk, half and half, or stock. Add less liquid if you prefer thicker mashed potatoes. If you prefer thinner mashed potatoes, add more liquid depending on your preference.
- Drain potatoes well – You want to drain the potatoes well so they absorb more of the cream and butter. If the potatoes cool down, heat the pot on low heat while adding the ingredients.
- Cheesy garlic mashed potatoes – Add parmesan cheese or other cheeses after adding the warm garlic cream. This will help the cheese melt into the mashed potatoes.
- Roasted garlic mashed potatoes – Mash the roasted garlic into a paste and add to the cream to infuse it with garlic flavor.
Make Ahead and Freeze
Freeze: Transfer the mashed potatoes to an airtight, freezer safe container. Place a layer of plastic wrap on the surface pressing against the potatoes. Freeze for up to 2 months. For easier thawing, divide into separate containers.
Thaw: The day before, place the potatoes in the fridge to thaw overnight.
Reheat
Oven: Transfer mashed potatoes to a casserole dish and heat in a preheated 350 degree F oven until heated through, about 20 minutes. Stir halfway through.
Stovetop: Add mashed potatoes to a large pot heated over medium low heat. Continue to stir until heated through.
Microwave: Place mashed potatoes in a large microwave safe bowl. Cover and heat on 50% power until warmed through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir halfway through.
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More recipes:
Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Garlic Butter
Ingredients
- 3 lbs potatoes, Yukon gold, creamer, russet potatoes
- 1⅓ cups heavy cream, start with less, adjust to your liking
- 1 Tablespoon chopped herbs, chives, green onions, or parsley
- salt & pepper, to taste
Garlic Butter
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
Instructions
- Prep and boil potatoes: Wash and peel the potatoes then cut them into 1 inch pieces. Cover with water and boil until soft and fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain very well and place back into the hot pot to remove excess water. Mash the potatoes using a potato ricer, potato masher, or other tool. See Note 2.
- Make garlic butter and cream: Heat a sauce pan over medium low heat and add the garlic, butter, and vegetable oil. Saute until garlic is soft and fragrant, about 1½ to 2 minutes. Reserve a tablespoon of garlic butter for later. Add the heavy cream to the sauce pan and heat until cream is warm and infused with garlic flavor. Do not boil the cream.4 Tablespoons butter, 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil, 6 cloves garlic, 1⅓ cups heavy cream
- Add remaining ingredients: Add the garlic cream to the potatoes and mix until smooth and creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Note: Start with ⅔ of the amount of cream and add more if you want a smoother consistency. See Note 3 for more details.
- Serve: Spoon mashed potatoes into a serving bowl and drizzle with the reserved garlic butter. Garnish with herbs and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- I recommend using Yukon gold potatoes or other creamer potatoes for the best texture. But you can use a combination of half russet potatoes and half Yukon gold for lighter, fluffier potatoes that are still creamy.
- Tools for mashed potatoes – If you don’t have a potato masher, you can use a potato ricer, fork, whisk, stand mixer (if the motor is powerful enough). Note: if using a potato ricer, pass the potatoes through right after boiling (before adding garlic cream).
- Heavy Cream – Adjust the amount of cream based on your preference for how smooth you want the mashed potatoes. If you want a smoother/thinner consistency, add more cream. If you want stiffer/thick mashed potatoes, start with 2/3 of the amount. For a lighter taste, replace a portion of the heavy cream for milk, half and half, or stock.
Make ahead and Freeze:
- Freeze: Transfer the mashed potatoes to an airtight, freezer safe container. Place a layer of plastic wrap on the surface pressing against the potatoes. Freeze for up to 2 months. For easier thawing, divide into separate containers.
- Thaw: The day before, place the potatoes in the fridge to thaw overnight.
Reheat:
Oven: Transfer mashed potatoes to a casserole dish and heat in a preheated 350 degree F oven until heated through, about 20 minutes. Stir halfway through. Stovetop: Add mashed potatoes to a large pot heated over medium low heat. Continue to stir until heated through. If too thick, add milk, stock, or butter if desired. Microwave: Place mashed potatoes in a large microwave safe bowl. Cover and heat on 50% power until warmed through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir halfway through.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
These mashed potatoes were so creamy. I served it as a side dish alongside roasted chicken, and it was a hit with my guests!
What is there not to love! Rich in flavor, and the garlic with the butter are just amazing. Truly a hit with my family, who has asked me to make your garlic mashed potatoes with every meal. Thank you.
This was out of this world good! The garlic butter seriously put it over the top!
We are a garlic-loving family and these mashed potatoes did not disappoint! Definitely making potatoes this was more often now – thanks!
This is one of my kid’s favorite dishes. It is super easy to make and delicious!
Perfect paired with steak!
I loved them, I wanted them a little softer so I added more cream and my family loved them. I served them with a steak and it was perfect. The garlic really made a difference.
I always say no such thing as too much garlic! These were so good! We ended up using a mix of fresh and roasted garlic and it gave the mashed potatoes the most delicious flavor.
This is such a classic side dish! A must-make for Easter dinner. 🙂 My entire family loves this.
Wow! These were some of the best mashed potatoes I have ever had! Thanks for another great recipe.
These mashed potatoes are so creamy and rich. They are perfect with a Sunday roast and a real treat for my family!
These potatoes are a hit every time I make them. Thanks for a great recipe!
We literally can not get enough garlic in our recipes here, so these garlic masked potatoes with garlic butter were the perfect side to our holiday dinner – such a great recipe!
Such a great mashed potato recipe! The garlic flavor was just perfect, and they were nice and creamy.