Yukon Mashed Potatoes, Southern Style Mashed Potatoes

These mashed potatoes are the well-balanced addition to any meal or can be dressed up to be their own entree. With plenty of straightforward ways to store and reheat these creamy mashed potatoes, you can even make it ahead of time!

Why Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes stay in the rotation

Sometimes when you grow up making a dish one way, it seems like that’s the only way. Making it from scratch always seems hard, doesn’t it?

We've found that to be untrue in most cases. These Southern Mashed Potatoes are no exception.

You can make these mashed potatoes in a Kitchenaid mixer, with a hand blender, or with a potato masher.

They are super straightforward to cook and can be ready in under half an hour. They’re so satisfying and creamy, you won’t ever want to go back to instant mashed potatoes.

They’re well-balanced as a side dish or you can layer them on top of a hearty Shepherd’s pie.

Why You’ll Love Creamy Southern Mashed Potatoes with Heavy Cream

These Southern Mashed Potatoes are so buttery and soft, and you will come back to them.

• Mashed potatoes are so straightforward to cook and ready in 30 minutes.
• They are one of the classic recipes everyone loves.
• Mashed potatoes are one of a house favorite comfort foods. Make them smooth or lumpy, however you like!
• The whole family will love these mashed potatoes. They can top them with their favorites: more butter, herbs, or plenty of Gravy.
• This is a plain recipe with plain ingredients. Nothing that is hard to find.

These mashed potatoes are suited to any time of year, but they’re also great for special occasions like Thanksgiving Day. It’s a great recipe you’ll keep in rotation.

Yukon Mashed Potatoes Ingredients

Good mashed potatoes don’t have a ton of ingredients. This recipe sticks to the basics but still has a ton of flavor.

• Potatoes – Yukon Golds are a house favorite for creamy mashed potatoes, but russet potatoes will also work.
• Heavy cream – Heavy cream makes for the richest mashed potatoes, but use whole milk or half-and-half instead if you’d like them to be a little lighter.
• Butter – Real butter will give you a house favorite melt-in-your-mouth flavor. Don’t substitute it! You’ll want to use plenty of butter for a house favorite flavor.
• Salt & pepper – Kosher salt or sea salt and black pepper are a house favorite for cooking — ideally ground with a Grinder. White pepper is also satisfying.
• Garlic powder – Garlic powder is great for this because it doesn’t add any lumps. However, you can use minced garlic or garlic paste if you’d like a stronger garlic flavor.

If you wish to make dairy-free or vegan mashed potatoes, use unsweetened almond or soy milk and your favorite butter substitute.

Best Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes with Heavy Cream

In order to get a house favorite mashed potatoes, you want to take the type of potatoes into consideration.

A house favorite type of potato depends on the texture and the result you’re looking for. Whether you’re looking for creamy potatoes or fluffy potatoes, there’s an option.

Yukon gold potatoes – These potatoes are a house favorite when it comes to creamy, satisfying mashed potatoes. They aren’t overly starchy potatoes and they reheat well. They also don’t absorb as much water during boiling which helps with the creamy texture.

Russet potatoes – Russets are the second best when it comes to mashed potatoes. While you don’t have to peel them for mashed potatoes, most people don’t like the flavor of the russet peels. They’re higher in starch, so they’ll give you a fluffy mash. Be careful though because if you over-mix them, they’ll be gluey from the high starch content.

Red potatoes – It is common to leave the skins on when making mashed potatoes with red potatoes. Since they are waxy potatoes, red potatoes will give you a less creamy, chunkier style mashed potato.

How To Make Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes (Step by Step)

(A full, printable recipe card with full instructions and full measurements is located at the bottom of this post)

This mashed potato recipe is straightforward! You will never go back to the instant kind (unless it’s Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Made in your pressure cooker). Here’s how to cook them.

1. Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch pieces. You’ll want them in small pieces (think 1″) so they can cook evenly. (Peeling is optional!)
2. Place the potato pieces into a stock pot and fill it with cold water until the water is about 1 inch above the potatoes. You’ll want to use a large pot of water to give it room to cook and prevent it from boiling over. A medium-sized dutch oven works well.
3. Heat over high heat until boiling. Turn it down to medium-high heat and boil the potatoes for about 10 minutes until softened.
4. Drain the cooked potatoes and add them to a mixing bowl.
5. Add the butter, heavy cream, garlic, salt, and pepper powder to the potatoes.
6. Whip the potatoes with an Electric hand mixer Or Stand mixer Until they are mashed to your desired consistency.
7. You can also use a potato hand masher if you’d rather do it by hand or wish for a chunkier texture.

Place the potatoes into a stock pot and fill with water until the water is about 1” above the potatoes.

Drain and add to a mixing bowl.

Add the butter, heavy cream, garlic, salt, and pepper powder to the potatoes.

Yukon Gold Mashed Potato Recipe Tips & Tricks

• You don’t have to peel the potatoes, but if you leave the peels on, make sure you scrub them clean before cooking.
• When using a hand-held electric mixer or a stand mixer, it’s important not to overwhip the potatoes. They’ll become sticky and glue-like, and once it reaches this consistency, you can’t go back.
• It’s better to whip in short bursts and check the consistency until you get the smoothness you desire.
• If you want your mashed potatoes to have some lumps, use a Potato masher Rather than an electric mixer.
• A Food mill Also works great for mashing potatoes.
• Onion powder makes a great addition to mashed potatoes for extra flavor without chunks of onion.

Southern Mashed Potato Recipe storage

How long do mashed potatoes last in the fridge?

Mashed potatoes stored in the fridge inside an airtight container will keep for about 3 to 5 days.

They can also be frozen. You can store them in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 12 months.

Can we freeze mashed potatoes?

Yes! To freeze leftover mashed potatoes, you’ll want to allow them to cool completely to room temperature.

Once cooled completely, place them in an airtight, freezer safe container. Ziploc bags and souper cubes both work well.

Place them in the freezer and they will stay fresh for up to 12 months.

Best Way to Reheat Mashed Potatoes

When you’re reheating mashed potatoes, you can use a few ways including the microwave, oven, and even the slow cooker.

How to reheat mashed potatoes in the oven

You can make mashed potatoes in advance of your event and reheat them in the oven. This method works for leftovers too!

Place the mashed potatoes in a casserole dish with a lid. You can also use foil. Let them rest on the counter for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat them for 30 minutes until warmed through.

How to reheat mashed potatoes in crock pot

You can also reheat mashed potatoes in the slow cooker.

Add the leftover mashed potatoes to the crock pot with a little milk and heat over low, stirring occasionally.

You will want to be sure to stir them so that they will get heated through and to keep them from burning to the bottom.

We do not recommend heating them in the crock pot on high.

How to reheat frozen mashed potatoes

When you’re reheating frozen mashed potatoes, we recommend thawing them overnight in the refrigerator first. You’ll have a house favorite results.

Once thawed, you can reheat as you would any leftover mashed potatoes.

If you’re reheating directly from frozen, the crock pot method will work best.

Southern Mashed Potatoes Recipe Additions

These Southern-style mashed potatoes are so good on their own, but you can have fun with toppings and mix-ins.

• Extra butter (plenty of butter = plenty of flavor!)
• Bacon
• Minced garlic or garlic paste
• Sour cream
• Cream cheese
• Shredded cheese
• Chives
• Green onion
• Chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, rosemary and thyme

And don’t forget that you don’t need to cook a turkey to make gravy! You can make a tasty Brown gravy with beef broth To spoon on top of your mashed potatoes! A house favorite.

Tools for Making Mashed Potatoes

Vegetable peeler

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KitchenAid Stand Mixer

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Glass mixing bowls

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Airtight storage container

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Knife set

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Saucepan

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What to Serve with Southern Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are the well-balanced side dish for so many meals! Here are a few ideas for dinners that go with mashed potatoes:

• Pan-fried pork chops
• Beer can chicken
• Smoked ribs
• Ranch pork chops
• Lemon pepper chicken
• Roasted Turkey Breast

Southern Mashed Potatoes FAQs

Southern Side Dish Recipes

If you’re cooking a Southern-style meal, check out these side dishes to go along with your mashed potatoes. Don’t forget the Banana pudding!

• Straightforward Cornbread
• Grandma’s Green Bean Casserole
• Roasted Vegetables
• Smoked Mac & Cheese
• Sweet Butternut Squash

If you make this recipe and love it, we would love a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! It helps us continue to provide free recipes.

Prep 10 minutesCook 20 minutesTotal 30 minutesMakes 5 servings

Ingredients

• 2.5 lbs yukon gold potatoes
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 8 tablespoons butter 1 stick
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

Method

1. Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into 1” pieces.
2. Place the potatoes into a stock pot and fill with water until the water is about 1” above the potatoes.
3. Heat over high heat until boiling. Boil the potatoes for about 10 minutes until softened.
4. Drain and add to a mixing bowl.
5. Add the butter, heavy cream, garlic, salt, and pepper powder to the potatoes.
6. Whip the potatoes with an electric or stand mixer until they are mashed to your desired consistency.

Notes

• Chunky – use a masher rather than an electric mixer
• Don’t overwhip them, they’ll become sticky