11 Of The Best Ever Mashed Potatoes Recipes
What’s Thanksgiving (or any holiday meal) without mashed potatoes? These 11 Mashed Potatoes Recipes offer up all the comfort food vibes with plenty of variety from smooth and silky to fully loaded. Whatever your style, we’ve got you covered.
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Every Thanksgiving we look forward to the same foods, the perfect roast turkey, creamy pumpkin pie, and of course, mashed potatoes.
If your family leaves a little room for experimentation then maybe you’re willing to try something new or perhaps you’ve just never made them before and you’re looking for the best way to make them. Either way we’ve got you.
These 11 versions run the gamut from classic to cheesy and everything in between. There’s so many good options, you might even be tempted to make two mashed potatoes recipes on Thanksgiving day!
11 Of The Best Mashed Potatoes Recipes
1. Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Spanish Chorizo and Poblanos from ¡Hola! Jalapeño
This recipe starts off familiar (russet potatoes, a couple of garlic cloves, salted water) but quickly becomes something extraordinary (and a bit spicy) when it is finished off with small pieces of crisped Spanish chorizo, sautéed jalapeños, and charred poblano peppers. You could even mix in cream cheese to make them extra rich.
Serving suggestion: These go great with pan seared fish and asparagus.
2. French-Style Mashed Potato Puree Recipe from Salt and Wind
This recipe is for those who like our mashed potatoes decadent. It is based on the famous French Chef, Joel Robuchon’s potato puree where the ratio of potato to butter is 2:1. You don’t have to be a math whiz to know that 2 pounds of potato to 1 pound of butter is a lot of butter. Yukon golds are naturally creamy on their own but adding an outrageous amount of butter and milk makes them extra rich, luscious and ultra creamy potatoes. Make these mashed potatoes ahead and keep them warm in the slow cooker!
Serving suggestion: Serve these super rich potatoes with my red wine braised beef—yum!
3. Easy Vegan Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes from Brown Sugar and Vainilla
You can use either Russet or Yukon gold potatoes for this recipe. They start off the same as regular mashed potatoes but you combine the potatoes, cold water, garlic, olive oil, and salt and bring to a boil in the Instant Pot. These homemade mashed potatoes cook up super quick—like ready in 15 minutes and only use 5 ingredients, which you probably already have in your pantry!
Serving suggestion: Turn these into a vegan main with sautéed Mediterranean veggies on top.
4. Smooth and Creamy Mashed Potatoes from Sweet Tea and Thyme
In addition to simple ingredients like butter and milk, there’s a secret ingredient that gets whipped into the hot potatoes in this recipe that makes them super smooth and creamy. You’ll have to check it out to see what I mean but I’m very intrigued. Have you tried this method?
Serving suggestion: Serve these velvety potatoes with my 5-spice beef kabobs.
5. Rosemary and White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes from All The Healthy Things
Garlic mashed potatoes are pretty standard, but garlic mashed potatoes with rosemary, sharp white cheddar, and sour cream?! Yes, yes, and yes! This crowd-pleasing version has an abundance of flavor and would go great with Thanksgiving turkey, cranberries, turkey gravy, and all the other sides.
6. Mashed Potatoes For Two
The best potatoes but in a scaled down recipe that makes two generous servings. This easy recipe combines heavy cream, cooked potatoes, and a dollop of sour cream for tang. It’s one of the best small-batch potato recipes perfect for an intimate weeknight dinner or smaller gathering.
Serving suggestion: For a super cozy meal, serve these potatoes with roasted pork shoulder with root vegetables and mustard sauce.
7. Mashed Red Potatoes from Jessica Gavin
Here the Yukon golds get swapped for buttery red potatoes. This is the best mashed potatoes recipe for red potato lovers. It leaves the skin on for color and nutrients in a more “smashed potato” style. Red potatoes are so naturally flavorful on their own and this recipe really lets them shine. It has a no-stress ingredients list, the butter and half-and-half enhances the natural flavor and texture of the red potatoes, creating the nice fluffy texture we all crave.
Serving suggestion: Try these with my Spanish pork meatballs with tomato-saffron sauce.
8. Cheddar Chipotle Mashed Potatoes from Presley’s Pantry
Lots of flavor come together in one large pot with these potatoes. Everything gets mashed in the same pot you cook the potatoes in with a potato masher—easy! Starring russet potatoes they have the velvety texture we dream about. Then you get a touch of tang from Cheddar cheese, sweetness from the garlic, and a kick of smoky heat from chipotle chiles. Goes great with everything from Salisbury steak to roast chicken.
9. Creamy Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower From Mom’s Kitchen Handbook
Mashed potatoes can be made with many types of potatoes but a combination of potatoes and cauliflower is a lighter option. Flavored with smashed garlic, olive oil and fresh herbs this is a good option for anyone who likes their comfort foods on the healthier side.
Serving suggestion: These would go great with my favorite fried chicken recipe.
10. Spinach Parmesan Baked Mashed Potatoes from The Nutmeg Nanny
Oh the luxury! Along with the traditional whole milk and butter mixture is the best mashed potato recipe with spinach, parmesan cheese, and topped with crispy fried onions. They are almost too good and will absolutely be a hit at this year’s Thanksgiving table. With the craziness of Thanksgiving prep they can be made up to a day in advance (or make with leftover mashed potatoes) and then baked right before you eat. The crispy edges are my favorite part!
11. Layered Mashed Potato Casserole from Foolproof Living
It’s a two-for-one potato situation (aka a perfect world)! As a self-proclaimed Thanksgiving side dish connoisseur, I like to keep my sides separate but sometimes, rules are meant to be broken. This casserole layers sweet potatoes and Yukon golds which both get mashed separately and then combined in the casserole dish. Perhaps the best part about this casserole is that you can make them even a day before the feast!
More Thanksgiving Recipe Inspiration
- Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Walnuts (like pumpkin pie, but so much easier)
- Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts (classic, simple side dish)
- Warm Wild Rice Salad (with roasted carrots and honey-tahini dressing)
- Easy Cornbread Recipe (for serving as a side or making cornbread stuffing)
- Super Moist Pumpkin Walnut Bread
- How To Tell If Fresh Cranberries Are Bad
- Best Spice Rub For A Smoked Turkey
So Which Of These Mashed Potatoes Recipes Will You Try First?
When you decided I want to see it! Let me know by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @katesbestrecipes so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) !
