Classic Herb and Garlic Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Classic Herb and Garlic Creamy Mashed Potatoes are an absolute must. They go with so many meals, and are a staple for comfort food. We love mashed potatoes in our house. Serve them with a roast, top a shepherds pie, make breakfast patties, the options are endless. Making mashed potatoes isn’t hard, but there are a few things I like to do to create easy mashed potatoes that everyone loves. No one loves bland and plain potatoes! It’s all about the additions! These Classic Herb and Garlic Creamy Mashed Potatoes pair perfectly with The Best Red Wine Braised Shredded Beef Brisket recipe! They go perfectly together! Add some tasty Simple Baking Powder Biscuits with Herbs to make a fantastic meal!

What kind of potatoes should I use for these creamy herb and garlic mashed potatoes?

There are a couple of options for mashed potatoes. Russet potatoes work well, but are a bit more powdery, so more liquid is required. I’ve made these ones above with Yukon gold potatoes, and they are lovely and creamy. If I have both kinds of potatoes, I mix them! The Yukon gold have a much thinner peel, so I don’t bother peeling them, but russet potatoes have a much thicker peel and are best peeled for mashed potatoes.

What do I need for this simple mashed potato recipe?

You can whip up mashed potatoes with as little ingredients as you’d like, but for flavourful potatoes, a few extras go a long way.

1. Potatoes – use either Yukon gold or russet. I used Yukon gold here.
2. Butter – A little bit of butter goes a long way in adding tasty flavour to these mashed potatoes.
3. Milk – You can use milk or cream here. Cream will give a more decadent flavour and texture.
4. Garlic Powder – A staple in my mashed potatoes. It adds so much flavour!
5. Dried herbs – I used oregano, but use whatever you have. Thyme and rosemary work really well too, or a combination!
6. Salt and Pepper – This is a must for bringing out the other flavours.

How to make this Classic Herb and Garlic Creamy Mashed Potatoes recipe?

Mashed potatoes can be a super simple side to make. This is how I make my mashed potatoes most of the time. Sometimes I like to whip them in my kitchen stand mixer for an extra fluffy potato.

Start by washing all the potatoes really well if you aren’t peeling them. I keep the peel on my Yukon gold potatoes, but will peel russet potatoes. Once the potatoes are all clean, cut them up in a uniform size. This part is important so that they all cook at the same time.

Add the potatoes to a large pot, cover with water about 1″above the potatoes. Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook until fork tender. They should easily fall apart, if you have to jam the fork in, they aren’t cooked enough yet.

Scoop out about 1 cup of potato water. This helps if the potatoes start to dry out. You can always use more milk instead, but the potato water adds some more starch back in to the potatoes.

Drain the potatoes and either transfer to a bowl, or put them back in the pot. Start mashing the potatoes with a potato masher. Add in the butter and milk. Once the potatoes are all mashed, fold in the herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir it well and then do a taste test. Adjust salt and pepper as needed, and add in more garlic and herbs if you like. If you like more butter, add in a little more, you can never go wrong there!

Serve the potatoes immediately! They will keep warm in a dutch oven quite well. I’ll often make my potatoes a little before everything else is supposed to be ready so I’m not rushing at the end.

Can I make these mashed potatoes ahead of time?

If you’re making a large meal and want to get one side dish out of the way, mashed potatoes hold very well. My trick is, I cook them in a cast iron dutch oven, and I add slightly more milk than I would usually. Once they are all mashed, I close the lid up and leave them in the dutch oven for up to 45 minutes. The extra splash of milk will make sure the potatoes don’t dry out.