Your Thanksgiving dinner wouldn’t be complete without the mashed potatoes—This timeless recipe yields perfectly smooth and creamy mashed potatoes every single time and fragrant roasted garlic and buttermilk do wonders for flavor!
I’m officially fuh-REAKING out. Thanksgiving is only a week away, I’m trying to prepare for a houseful of 20+ people, I’m literally up to my elbows in flour (pie, pie and more pie—stay tuned) and I CAN’T FIND MY TO-DO LISTS!!
I have a borderline-unhealthy obsession with lists. What can I say?
Actually I can say something. (cover your ears)
WHOEVER took my to-do lists has to give them back!! I can’t go through my life without them! Some weird part of me freaks out if I don’t know what’s next on the agenda!!
‘Kay. Rant is over. I’ll hopefully get over this latest drama sometime this year. Let’s talk ’bout the ‘taters.
Sick of Thanksgiving recipes yet? I hope not. We still have a week left before T-day, so there’s more where these came from.
Perfect mashed potatoes are a must on Thanksgiving, and I really couldn’t imagine our food table without ’em…I mean, the turkey would be so lonely without it’s BFF, the spuds.
However…
I’m very particular about how my mashed potatoes are. They have to be PERFECTLY creamy or I’m just not feeling it….
If you want something done right you’ve gotta do it yourself, so I’m now the mashed potato-lady in this house.
Nobody argues with me or my mashed potatoes.
They just shovel.
For the best of reasons too, guys. These potatoes are pretty epic. Hands-down, the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had.
Look at how creamy —> (!!!)
Plan ahead when you’re making these mashed potatoes for T-Day, since it does take an hour to roast the garlic. These potatoes have a whopping 1 whole head of garlic packed inside them. That may seem like too much garlic, but believe me, it’s the perfect amount. The garlic mellows out into a nutty flavor as it roasts and takes the flavor level of these potatoes up to about a 10/10.
Your breath won’t be too pretty, after eating these potatoes but hey! That’s what minty-gum is for right??!
I highly recommend using yukon gold potatoes for these mashed potatoes.Their buttery smooth texture was just MADE for mashed potatoes and I won’t use any other kind of potato other than YGP’s.—Nothing beats ’em in mashed potatoes. They’re a liiiiittle more expensive than russets or red potatoes, but the mashed potatoes they produce is well worth a few extra dollars.
One of my secret ingredients to getting the perfect level of creaminess in these potatoes is buttermilk. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: Buttermilk is just one of those magic ingredients. And it’s key in getting the perfect texture in these mashed potatoes.
Not only does it completely transform the texture of the mash, but it also adds an awesome rich tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with the fragrant roasted garlic. ♥
Boy, oh boy, guys…that bowl of creamy mashed potato goodness is just begging for a faceplant.
And I am more than willing to volunteer my face for the job. ♥
Extra-Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic top cut off
- 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
- 5 lbs Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2 in cubes
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Additional minced parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Brush top of garlic head with olive oil and wrap in tin foil and place in a small baking pan. Roast garlic at 350F 1 hour until garlic cloves are very soft. Unwrap from foil and let stand until cool enough to handle. Finely mince garlic and set aside.
- While garlic is roasting, prepare the potatoes: Place potato cubes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and cover. Let potatoes simmer at low 10 minutes, or until tender.
- Drain water from potatoes and place potatoes back into pot. Toss minced roasted garlic on top of potatoes, cover pot and let stand 5 minutes.
- Mash potatoes, then add butter, parsley, and buttermilk. Using an electric handmixer, beat on medium speed until potatoes are smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper and garnish potatoes with parsley if desired. Serve potatoes warm.
Notes
Sarah’s Time-saving Tip: Prepare these potatoes in the morning, and let them stay piping-hot all day by putting them in the crockpot on warm-temperature. Ta-da!!
Oh, and this cranberry sauce is necessary on top of these potatoes. Don’t judge it ’til you try it. 😉
Michelle @ Modern Acupuncture says
Cannot wait to try these potatoes… love that you include buttermilk. I haven’t used it in my mashed taters before, but this recipe is just too much to resist!
Sarah says
Let me know if you give these potatoes a try, Michelle! The buttermilk adds fantastic flavor!