Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Updated October 07, 2024
Quick Summary
Roasted garlic is the secret ingredient that makes these Mashed Potatoes a dinnertime favorite for everyone who tries it! The perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any meal!
Mashed potatoes are not only a Thanksgiving staple but a year-round favorite! They have a nostalgic quality that turns any meal into something delicious and special.
My version of the perfect mashed potatoes recipe: roasted garlic, half and half, plenty of butter, and a sprinkling of chives. YUM! These mashed potatoes are rich, fluffy, and a family favorite side dish.
How to Roast Garlic
If you’ve never roasted garlic before, you’re in for a real treat. Plain minced garlic is tasty, but roasted garlic has such a delicious flavor and really makes these Garlic Mashed Potatoes a special side.
- Remove the flaky, papery outer layer from the garlic skin. Be careful to not remove all of the garlic skin! This helps the head of garlic to keep its shape.
- Start by slicing off the very tippy-top of the garlic head.
- Drizzle it with olive oil and wrap it in foil.
- Place the garlic on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until everything is tender and fragrant. This should take around 35 minutes and, heads up, it smells incredible. This is when your family starts wandering into the kitchen to ask what’s cooking!
- Pull it out of the oven and let it cool to room temp.
What Potatoes to Use
Higher starch potatoes will make for the fluffiest and smoothest Garlic Mashed Potatoes! Yukon Gold potatoes are my favorite, but Russet will work well too. Red potatoes are waxier and need more mashing to become smooth. I’ve found they aren’t as fluffy that way!
Do you Peel the Potatoes?
This is totally a preference. If you like a chunkier, more rustic mashed potato, you could leave the skins on or do a partial peel. A smoother, more classic side dish of mashed potatoes is made from peeling the potatoes before boiling. I always peel the potatoes for smooth and creamy mashed potatoes!
How to Make Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- While the garlic is roasting, peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Make sure you cut them into pieces that are the same size so they cook evenly.
- Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add ½ teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Continue to simmer until potatoes are fork tender, but not falling apart. Check at 15 minutes to be safe, it might take a little longer. Don’t overcook the potatoes or the end result will be potato paste and nobody wants that:)
- Drain the potatoes, shaking to make sure all of the water is removed.
- Place the drained potatoes back in the pot.
- Remove the outer layer of each roasted garlic clove and add the roasted garlic cloves to the pot with the potatoes. Place the potatoes and roasted garlic through a potato ricer until potatoes are smooth. Using a potato ricer is the KEY to perfectly smooth mashed potatoes! If you don’t have a ricer, you can mash the potatoes and garlic together with a potato masher. I don’t like to use a mixer because it’s too easy to over mix the potatoes.
- In a small pan, warm the half and half and butter together. Stir the mixture into the potatoes until combined. Don’t over mix or your potatoes will get stiff and gummy.
- Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Garnish with fresh chives and serve warm.
Flavor Options
Here are a couple flavors and seasonings you might consider adding into your mashed potatoes! All go well with the buttery, garlic flavor!
- Fresh herbs (chives, rosemary, parsley, and thyme are all good options)
- Smoked paprika
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
- Shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon
- A dash of hot sauce
Make in Advance
You can do almost everything in advance here. Roast the garlic, peel, slice, boil, and mash. Right before you’re ready to eat, warm the half and half and butter together. Stir the mixture into the mashed potatoes until combined. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with green onion, and serve warm!
What Goes Well with Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are everyone’s favorite side dish! They’re delicious with any savory meals and my whole family gets excited when I mention I’m making mashed potatoes as a side. You can serve mashed potatoes with anything, but here are a few favorites:
- Meatloaf
- Turkey
- Prime Rib
- Easy Skillet Chicken Thighs
- Lemon Butter Chicken
- Salmon
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Pork Chops or Pork Tenderloin
How to Reheat
Mashed potatoes are a superstar of the leftover game because they reheat so easily and well! You can reheat mashed potatoes in the microwave, on the stove top in a nonstick pan, in a double broiler, or in the oven!
Don’t over stir when reheating or the mashed potatoes will end up like glue. If they are dry, you can add a splash of half and half. And you can always top with gravy!
More Side Dish Recipes:
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Sausage Stuffing
- Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- The Best Cranberry Sauce
- Roasted Green Beans
- Dinner Rolls
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 small head garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 ½ lbs Yukon gold potatoes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup half and half (or whole milk or heavy cream)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Remove the outer layer of skin from the garlic head, the skin that is flaky and papery. Don’t remove all of the garlic skin because you want the garlic head to keep its shape.
- Slice off the very top of the garlic head. Drizzle garlic with olive oil and wrap in foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake until tender and fragrant, about 35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let the garlic cool to room temperature.
- While the garlic is roasting, peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add ½ teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Continue to simmer until potatoes are fork tender, but not falling apart. Check at 15 minutes to be safe, it might take a little longer.
- Drain the potatoes, shaking to make sure all of the water is removed. Place the drained potatoes back in the pot.
- Remove the outer layer of each roasted garlic clove and add the roasted garlic cloves to the pot with the potatoes. Place the potatoes and roasted garlic through a ricer until potatoes are smooth. If you don’t have a ricer, you can mash the potatoes and garlic together with a potato masher.
- In a small pan, warm the half and half and butter together. Stir the mixture into the potatoes until combined. Don’t over mix or your potatoes will get stiff and gummy. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Garnish with fresh chives and serve warm.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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This looks delicious, surely gonna try this.
How many cloves of garlic are usually in a head?
Usually around 8 to 10. When you roast the garlic, the flavor isn’t as strong. I know it sounds like a lot but the flavor is so good after it’s been roasted…and more mild. You can add in less if you wish!
Any suggestions to make your garlic mashed potatoes dairy free? To make it even harder, I can not include dairy free cream cheese, sour cream or yogurt. Would I ruin the recipe if I used unflavored almond milk?
Thank you. Love your recipes.
You can use unsweetened almond milk. Can you use vegan butter?
Thank you. I was a little nervous forging ahead using unsweetened almond milk without your blessing. Yes I can use vegan butter.
Stay safe.
I love potatoes and surely gonna try this recipe
Doesn’t Say how much cheese is needed
It’s so easy to roast garlic, and it’s such an amazing and tasty addition to mashed potatoes like in this recipe. These mashed potatoes are easy to make for an everyday dinner, and they’re so incredibly delicious they’re an excellent choice for company or special occasions. I served these alongside some grilled steaks, but you can serve them with just about any meat entrée. I used fat-free half & half with excellent results. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!