Sides / Potatoes & sweet potatoes
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
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Garlic cooks right in the pot with the potatoes and comes out sweet and mellow, ready to mash with warm cream and plenty of butter. Set the bowl on the table and a spoon is already on its way.
The short version
Simmer Yukon Gold potatoes with whole garlic cloves for 15 to 20 minutes, drain and dry them in the pot, then mash with butter and warm cream. Don't use a blender, and don't add cold dairy.
What makes ours better
small changes, very loud compliments
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Simmer the garlic with the potatoes. Garlic cooked in the water turns soft, sweet and mild, with no separate pan and no risk of burning it. It mashes right in.
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Dry the potatoes in the pot. Two minutes over low heat after draining steams off the surface water, so the potatoes take up more butter and cream and the mash comes out fluffy, not gluey.
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Warm the cream and melt the butter first. Cold dairy cools the potatoes and mashes unevenly. Warm cream and melted butter blend in fast, so you mash less and avoid gumminess.
What you need
check the pantry before you promise anyone
- Yukon Gold potatoes2 pounds
- Garlic6 cloves
- Heavy cream or half-and-half½ cup
- Unsalted butter6 tablespoons
tap each one as it goes in. no double-salting.
Steps
apron on. phone down. mostly.
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Cut and cover
Put the potatoes and whole garlic cloves in a large pot. Cover with cold water by 1 inch and stir in the tablespoon of salt. Cutting the potatoes to a similar size means they finish at the same time.
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Simmer until very tender
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to a steady simmer. Cook until a knife slides through a chunk with no resistance and the edges start to crumble, 15 to 20 minutes.
About 18 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Warm the dairy
While the potatoes cook, warm the cream and butter together in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter melts. Keep it warm, not boiling.
Cold cream makes mashed potatoes stiff and cools them off. Warm dairy folds in more easily.
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Drain and dry
Drain the potatoes and garlic well in a colander. Return them to the empty hot pot over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking the pot, until steam stops rising and the surface looks floury.
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Mash
Mash with a masher or push through a ricer, working the garlic in with the potatoes. Pour in the warm cream and butter a little at a time and fold with a spatula until creamy.
Mash by hand. A blender or food processor breaks down the starch and turns potatoes to glue.
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Season and serve
Stir in the salt and pepper, then taste and add more if it needs it. Serve right away with the chives on top. If the potatoes seem stiff, add another splash of warm cream.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- Yukon Gold potatoes give the creamiest result. Russets are fluffier and need a little more cream; red potatoes stay too firm and waxy.
- For stronger garlic, use 8 cloves, or finish with a spoonful of roasted garlic. See our fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes for the plain version.
- To keep them hot for up to 30 minutes, cover the pot and set it over the lowest heat, or put it in a 200°F oven.
- Storage. Refrigerator, 4 days in a covered container. Reheat in a saucepan with a splash of milk over low heat, stirring often, or in the microwave in 1-minute bursts. Freezer, 2 months.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
Can I make garlic mashed potatoes ahead?
Yes. Make them up to 2 days ahead, refrigerate, and reheat in a slow cooker or a covered baking dish at 350°F with a splash of milk and a few pats of butter, stirring once or twice.
Why are my mashed potatoes gluey?
Overmixing, or using a blender or food processor, breaks the starch down. Mash by hand or rice them, and stir only until combined.
Should I use roasted garlic or boiled garlic?
Boiled garlic in the pot is the easy route and tastes mild and sweet. Roasted garlic is deeper and sweeter but takes 40 extra minutes; use it if you are already roasting something.
What potatoes are best for mashed potatoes?
Yukon Golds for a creamy, buttery mash. Russets for a lighter, fluffier one. Skip waxy red potatoes, which turn pasty.
Can I use milk instead of cream?
Yes. Whole milk gives a lighter mash. Warm it with the butter, and use a splash more if the potatoes seem stiff.
From the table
Made it? Tell me how it went, and who went back for seconds when they thought nobody was looking.
Made it?
tell me the truth, then tell me who had thirds
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Published October 29, 2026.