Nothing says comfort food like a bowl of buttery, creamy Yukon gold mashed potatoes. And if you've ever wondered how to achieve that restaurant-level smoothness, the secret is in choosing the right potato. Yukon gold potatoes have a naturally buttery flavor and velvety texture making the best potatoes for mashing.
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Whether you're prepping for a weeknight dinner or planning a holiday feast, this guide will show you exactly how to get those fluffy, rich mashed potatoes every time. Plus, I've included make-ahead instructions, so your potatoes are as stress-free as they are delicious!
Why Yukon Gold Potatoes Are the Best for Mashing
Yukon Golds hit the sweet spot between waxy and starchy potatoes, giving them a smooth, almost buttery texture when mashed. You don't have to peel your potatoes if you want to save time, but our house likes a smooth mashed potato.
Unlike russet potatoes, which can fall apart, or red potatoes, which tend to stay chunky, these beauties yield the perfect creamy consistency. Their natural flavor is so rich that you could almost skip the butter, but who would want to?
Ingredients
Yukon potatoes - Peeled and chopped into equally sized chunks, Yukon's are essential for this recipe because of their high starch content, but any potato will work for these mashed potatoes they may just result in a different texture.
Unsalted butter - Room temperature, cut into cubes. I like unsalted so I can adjust the amount of salt added, but salted will work too if that's all you have. Just adjust the salt measurement provided. Why not just use melted butter? Well by letting the butter melt gradually as you stir the potatoes, it evenly coats the hot potato starch resulting in a creamier texture. Also, melted butter has separated milk solids and fat creating a less consistent texture and less pronounced buttery flavor.
Half & Half - Most recipes call for using equal parts heavy cream and whole milk, but I figure let's cut down our ingredient list and just use half & half, which is already equal parts milk and cream.
Coarse Kosher salt - Coarse salt is my default salt for all my recipes, so if you are using a fine salt you may cut the measurement in half to start.
Fresh cracked black or white pepper - I prefer freshly cracked black pepper verses ground pepper since it has a more complex flavor, but either will work perfectly.
Cream Cheese - Adds a nice creamy texture and smoothness without watering down the mashed potatoes.
Sour cream (optional) - For a subtle tang and added creaminess, a delightful addition that gives "sour cream and onion" vibes to your taters. Another equally delicious addition would be cream cheese.
Chives (optional) - Take the "sour cream and onion" all the way by adding some fresh chopped chives or green onion.
Instructions
Boil the Potatoes
Start by placing the peeled and chopped Yukon Gold potatoes into a large pot filled with enough cold water to cover the potatoes. Adding cold water ensures even cooking. It's important all your potato chunk are roughly the same size for even cooking, and be sure to salt the water to get the potatoes seasoned from the start.
Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Make sure they are completely soft, otherwise you'll get lumpy mashed potatoes.
Drain and Dry the Potatoes
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them in a colander. Return the drained potatoes to the pot and place it over low heat for 1-2 minutes to dry them out. Stir occasionally to let the steam escape-this step ensures your potatoes stay fluffy instead of watery.
Mash the Potatoes
The picture above shows the three most common potato mashers. The squiggly line masher produces the lumpiest mash potato consistency, in my opinion. When I don't feel like getting out my ricer, my go to masher is the OXO Smooth Potato masher. For ultra-smooth mashed potatoes, pass the cooked potatoes through a potato ricer or food mill. If you prefer a bit of texture, you can use a classic potato masher. Just remember: no food processors or blenders-they'll turn your potatoes gluey!
Incorporate the Butter
Add the butter cubes while the potatoes are still hot, stirring with a wooden spoon gently until the butter melts completely. This step gives the potatoes a luxurious richness and silky texture.
Add the Warm Dairy
Slowly pour in the warm half & half, stirring as you go. This will help the potatoes absorb the liquids evenly. Adjust the amount based on your desired consistency.
Season and Finish
Stir in salt, pepper, and any additional seasonings. For a bit of tang, add sour cream-this is optional but highly recommended for that final touch of creaminess. Serve in a large bowl, garnished with some fresh chives!
Make Ahead Instructions
These potatoes can be made ahead and reheated without compromising their fluffy, creamy texture. Here's how:
Store Them Properly
Once the mashed potatoes are ready, let them cool to room temperature. Transfer them to a buttered casserole dish or airtight container and cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Store in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can freeze the mashed potatoes, which I recommend using a small container where you can just plop them in a saucepan to reheat when ready.
Reheating From Fridge
- Stovetop - Reheat the potatoes over low heat in a saucepan with a few tablespoons of milk or cream. Stir gently until warmed through.
- Oven - Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Cover the mashed potatoes with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through. If they seem dry, add a splash of cream or a few pats of butter.
- Microwave - Heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each round. Add a splash of milk or cream to maintain the smooth texture.
Reheating From Frozen
Reheating on the stovetop is ideal for frozen mashed potatoes to get the best texture. In a small saucepan (or large depending how much you're making!), gradually reheat the thawed potatoes over medium heat. Add additional butter or milk as needed.
Tips for Perfect Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes Every Time
- Don't skip the drying step! Removing excess moisture for a couple minutes ensures your potatoes won't turn watery.
- Use high-fat dairy! Half & half and butter make all the difference in achieving that rich, velvety texture. Avoid skim milk or other low fat options.
- Avoid over mixing! Stir gently to prevent the potatoes from becoming gluey and avoid an electric mixer or food processor.
- Always use warm dairy! A cold milk mixture can cause the potatoes to seize and become grainy.
Whether you're whipping these up for a Sunday dinner or getting ahead of your holiday meal or any special occasions, these tips will guarantee the best Yukon gold mashed potatoes every time. The best part? With the make-ahead instructions, you can avoid last-minute stress and focus on enjoying the meal with your loved ones.
Get the Recipe
Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
Whether you're whipping these up for a Sunday dinner or getting ahead of your holiday meal or any special occasions, these tips will guarantee the best mashed potatoes every time.
Ingredients
- 5lb bag Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 2" cubes, peeling is optional
- 2 tablespoons coarse Kosher salt, for boiling water
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened and cut into large cubes
- Fresh black pepper
- ~1 - 2 teaspoons coarse Kosher salt, adjust after tasting
- 1/4 cup sour cream, optional
- Chives, chopped, optional
Instructions
- Place the chopped potatoes into a large pot filled with enough cold water to cover the potatoes and add 1 tablespoon of salt to the pot to make sure the potatoes are seasoned from the start.
- Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Make sure they are completely soft, otherwise you'll get lumpy mashed potatoes.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them in a colander. Return the drained potatoes to the pot and place it over low heat for 1-2 minutes to dry them out. Stir occasionally to let the steam escape-this step ensures your potatoes stay fluffy instead of watery.
- For ultra-smooth mashed potatoes, pass the cooked potatoes through a potato ricer or food mill. If you prefer a bit of texture, you can use a classic potato masher.
- Add the butter cubes while the potatoes are still hot, stirring with a wooden spoon gently until the butter melts completely.
- Add the softened cream cheese and slowly pour in the warm half & half, stirring as you go. This will help the potatoes absorb the liquids evenly. Adjust the amount based on your desired consistency.
- Stir in salt, pepper, and any additional seasonings.
- For a bit of tang, add sour cream-this is optional but highly recommended for that final touch of creaminess. Serve in a large bowl, garnished with some fresh chives!
Make Ahead Instructions
Once the mashed potatoes are ready, let them cool to room temperature. Transfer them to a buttered casserole dish or airtight container and cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Store in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can freeze the mashed potatoes, which I recommend using a small container where you can just plop them in a saucepan to reheat when ready.
Reheating From Fridge
- Stovetop - Reheat the potatoes over low heat in a saucepan with a few tablespoons of milk or cream. Stir gently until warmed through.
- Oven - Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Cover the mashed potatoes with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through. If they seem dry, add a splash of cream or a few pats of butter.
- Microwave - Heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each round. Add a splash of milk or cream to maintain the smooth texture.
Reheating From Frozen
Reheating on the stovetop is ideal for frozen mashed potatoes to get the best texture. In a small saucepan (or large depending how much your making!), gradually reheat the thawed potatoes over medium heat. Add addition butter or milk as needed.
Notes
It's important to taste the mashed potatoes before serving to adjust the saltiness. If you are using a regular table salt or fine salt, you may need to cut the salt in half so it's not too much.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One Pan
- Cuisine: American
Looking for more side dishes? Check out some of my favorite!
Liz says
So yummy! My go to mashed potato recipe.