The Best Light And Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
Moms old fashioned Light And Fluffy Mashed Potatoes. Made with russet potatoes, melted butter, half & half, and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. That’s it! Delicious on their own or dressed with your favorite gravy.
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These Light And Fluffy Mashed Potatoes are simple and have a true potato flavor. What I mean by that is- the potato flavor itself hasn’t been masked by other flavors such as garlic, cream cheese, sour cream, etc. And while all those flavor enhancers are wonderful, sometimes the simple taste of the great spud itself is what I’m after.
When I make mashed potatoes for special occasions, especially ones where gravy comes into play, these Light And Fluffy Mashed Potatoes are my go-to. They are truly the best!
Let’s get started and talk about the most important part of this recipe.
The Potatoes:
I find that russet potatoes are my favorite when it comes to light and fluffy mashed potatoes. This is due to the high starch content. Yukon gold potatoes are a medium starch and lend a creamier, more buttery consistency. They are both perfect for mashing but have slightly different results. You can use either potato for this recipe, or a combination of both. Just know that Yukon potatoes will be less fluffy and more on the dense side. More about potato types here.
Melted Butter vs Cold Butter:
Okay. There’s definitely different opinions about using melted butter vs cold butter in mashed potatoes. I’ve done it both ways many times over and the only real difference I notice, is I have to let the cold butter soften a bit before I start the mashing process. You’ve probably noticed the milk solids and fat separate when the butter is melted? If you give it a little stir just before adding it to the potatoes, it will distribute evenly just fine. In my own experience, either one will work and produce the same results.
Milk, Heavy Cream, and Half & Half:
These are basic liquids used in mashed potatoes to not only help aid in the mashing process, but to add a bit of creaminess to the taters. I tend to use milk when I don’t have half & half, and heavy cream when I want decadent mashed potatoes (which are usually a good excuse to go all out during the Holidays). If you’re dairy free, chicken or vegetable stock will work as well.
Ingredients For Light And Fluffy Mashed Potatoes:
- Russet potatoes
- Butter (salted or unsalted)
- Half & half
- Salt and pepper
Substitutions:
Yukon gold potatoes is a good swap-in for the russets. Milk (preferably 2%) heavy cream, and if you’re dairy free, chicken or veggie stock work great.
How To Make Light And Fluffy Mashed Potatoes:
Step 1. Prepare potatoes by peeling, rinsing, then dicing into 2 inch pieces.
Step 2. Add potatoes into a large pot and fill with cold water about 1-inch above potatoes. Add a good pinch of salt to the water and stir.
Step 3. Place on stove and bring to a boil. Once boiling, set a timer for 10 minutes. Cook until fork tender, not mushy.
Step 4. Drain cooked potatoes in a colander and add them straight back to the hot pan.
Step 5. Add melted butter and half & half. Mash potatoes until preferred consistency. If it seems dry, add more liquid as needed. Be careful not to over mash. It should be fluffy like pillowy clouds.
Step 6. Season to taste with salt & pepper and serve immediately or keep warm until ready to eat.
Tips:
Mashed Potatoes are the easiest side dish known to man. There are a few things to remember when preparing them so they come out perfectly light and fluffy.
- Start with cold water– Make sure to start with cold water before cooking. This will ensure the potatoes cook evenly.
- Cooking time- There is a fine line between underdone potatoes and ones saturated in water. As a rule of thumb, I start checking for doneness at the 10 minute mark. If a fork easily slides through the potato, it’s done. You’ll know it’s overcooked if the potatoes break apart and basically disintegrate in the water. No Bueno!
- Keep cooked potatoes hot- Make sure to mash potatoes very soon after they’re cooked. If the potatoes cool off too much, they’ll be less fluffy and creamy.
- Mashing methods- I personally like to use a good ol’ trusty potato masher (specifically one with holes). This method allows me to control the texture and ensure I don’t overmix them. I also like to use a food mill or potato ricer. This takes a little more time but if you want your potatoes smooth like butter, this is the way to go. A hand mixer is another way to get fluffy mashed potatoes, but as a caution, it’s easy to overmix resulting in gummy potatoes.
- Taste and season- In that order. You can’t un-season once you’ve added in the salt and pepper. Taste first, then season to you’re liking. You may need to do this a few times, and boy would that be a shame. 😉
- Adding milk or stock- Depending on how many potatoes you’re cooking you will need to adjust the liquid quantity. Start with a few splashes of milk or stock before mashing and go from there. Too much liquid will cause the potatoes to be soupy; not enough will leave them dry and stiff.
What To Serve With Mashed Potatoes:
- Simple Roasted Chicken
- Island Slow Cooker Chicken
- Ground Turkey Meatloaf with Brown Sugar Glaze
- Irish Stew over Mashed Potatoes
- Pot Roast with Mushroom Gravy
Let’s eat!🤍
Light and Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- 1 large stock pot
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled, rinsed, and cut in 2-inch pieces
- 6 tbsp melted butter
- 1/3 cup half & half
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add potatoes and a good pinch of salt to a large stock pot. Fill with cold water about 1-inch above the potatoes.
- Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 10 minutes.
- Drain cooked potatoes in a colander then add them to a large bowl or back in the stock pot.
- Add melted butter and half & half. Mash potatoes until preferred consistency. If it seems dry, add more liquid as needed. Be careful not to over-mash. It should be fluffy like pillowy clouds.
- Season to taste with salt & pepper and serve immediately or keep warm until ready to eat.
Notes
- Start with cold water– Make sure to start with cold water before cooking. This will ensure the potatoes cook evenly.
- Cooking time- There is a fine line between underdone potatoes and ones saturated in water. As a rule of thumb, I start checking for doneness at the 10 minute mark. If a fork easily slides through the potato, it’s done. You’ll know it’s overcooked if the potatoes break apart and basically disintegrate in the water. No Bueno!
- Keep cooked potatoes hot- Make sure to mash potatoes very soon after they’re cooked. If the potatoes cool off too much, they’ll be less fluffy and creamy.
- Mashing methods- I personally like to use a good ol’ trusty potato masher (specifically one with holes). This method allows me to control the texture and ensure I don’t overmix them. I also like to use a food mill or potato ricer. This takes a little more time but if you want your potatoes smooth like butter, this is the way to go. A hand mixer is another way to get fluffy mashed potatoes, but as a caution, it’s easy to overmix resulting in gummy potatoes.
- Taste and season- In that order. You can’t un-season once you’ve added in the salt and pepper. Taste first, then season to you’re liking. You may need to do this a few times, and boy would that be a shame. 😉
- Adding milk or stock- Depending on how many potatoes you’re cooking you will need to adjust the liquid quantity. Start with a few splashes of milk or stock before mashing and go from there. Too much liquid will cause the potatoes to be soupy; not enough will leave them dry and stiff.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 5 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 300 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 15.9g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat 10g | 50% |
| Cholesterol 43mg | 14% |
| Sodium 118mg | 5% |
| Total Carbohydrate 36.3g | 13% |
| Dietary Fiber 5.4g | 19% |
| Total Sugars 2.7g | |
| Protein 4.4g | |
| Vitamin D 10mcg | 48% |
| Calcium 41mg | 3% |
| Iron 1mg | 7% |
| Potassium 948mg | 20% |
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