How to Make Homemade Mashed Potatoes
Peel the potatoes., Wash the potatoes., Cut the potatoes.Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the potatoes into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks., Transfer the potatoes to a large saucepan and cover with water., Boil the potatoes., Reduce heat and cook 15 to 20...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Peel the potatoes.
Use a vegetable peeler or small, smooth paring knife to remove the skin from the potatoes.
Start at one end of the potato.
Dig the blade just beneath the surface of the skin and apply light yet steady pressure as you drag the blade down the length of the potato.
Repeat until all the skin is removed from the potato and until each potato is peeled.
If desired, you can use potatoes that still have some or all of their skin.
The skin of the potato actually has nutritional value, and keeping it can add an interesting dimension of texture to your mashed potatoes.
Make sure, however, that the potatoes are scrubbed well if you intend to keep the skin. -
Step 2: Wash the potatoes.
If the potatoes are peeled, all you need to do is rinse them under cool, running water, gently scrubbing the flesh with your fingers to remove any lingering dirt left behind by the skins.
If you kept the skins on the potatoes, you will need to scrub the skins with a vegetable brush under running water.
The potatoes are sufficiently clean once the water runs clear and all major clumps of dirt have been removed. , Cut each potato in half and each half into quarters.
If these pieces are still too large, continue cutting them down to size until they are all roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm). , Add about 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt to the water, as well.
The salt is not strictly necessary for cooking, but adding salt to the water as the potatoes cook allows it to permeate the potatoes more thoroughly, drawing out more of the potatoes' natural flavor.
You only need to add enough water to just barely cover the potatoes.
The level of potatoes and water should not take up more than 3/4 of the saucepan, however.
If the level is too high, water will splash out, leading to less effective cooking and a more hazardous situation.
Transfer the potatoes and water to another saucepan if necessary to avoid this situation. , Bring the pot of potatoes up to a boil over medium-high to high heat.
Leave the saucepan uncovered as you boil the potatoes.
You do not need to stir the potatoes as they cook.
Depending on how much water you used and how hot your stove gets, this step usually takes anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. , Cover and continue cooking until the potatoes reach medium softness.
The potatoes are done once tender.
You should be able to stick a fork through the largest of chunks without any resistance.
A foam will naturally gather on top of the water as the starches break down.
To manage the simmer more effectively, skim this foam off with a large serving spoon once it covers the entire surface of the water.
You may need to do this multiple times during the boiling process. , Place the butter in a microwave-safe dish and add the cream.
Microwave on half or medium power in 20 second intervals, stirring well after each, until the butter is completely melted.
Proceed slowly to avoid heating the butter and cream too quickly.
The two ingredients can also be combined and heated over the stove.
Place them in a small saucepan over medium-low to medium heat and melt the butter completely, stirring the mix occasionally. , Cautiously pour the contents of your large saucepan through a large colander, retaining the potatoes while discarding the water they were cooked in.
You can return the potatoes to the large saucepan afterward or transfer them to a clean, large bowl with a wide mouth. , Pour the cream and butter mixture into the bowl of potatoes. , Use a manual potato masher to smash the potatoes down and mix in the cream-butter combination.
Continue mashing until the potatoes are mostly smooth with a few chunks.
Alternatively, skip the potato masher and use an electric mixer.
An electric mixer creates mashed potatoes with a slightly chunkier texture.
Continue beating the potatoes until they begin releasing naturally from the beaters., Use a strong metal spoon to press down on any remaining chunks of potato.
Slowly add the milk until you reach your desired consistency.
Note that you should avoid over-beating your potatoes, since doing so will cause them to develop a paste-like texture. , Mix the salt and pepper in with a spoon and serve warm.
Other seasonings, like parsley or paprika, can also be added as desired. , If you're especially short on ingredients, use a simplified mashed potato recipe.
All you really need for homemade mashed potatoes are potatoes, milk, and butter.
Salt can still be added to taste. , To draw out the flavor of the butter, replace the cream or milk with chicken broth.
This allows the taste of the butter to become a more prominent flavor. , Garlic and mashed potatoes are a classic flavor combination, and you can prepare your own homemade garlic mashed potatoes simply by adding cloves of garlic to the recipe. , You can experiment with your own combination of herbs if you have a pretty good sense of taste, but if you need some guidance or a place to start, try adding a little thyme and dried mint to your mashed potatoes. , Poppy seeds have a natural sweetness, so adding ground poppy seed to your mashed potatoes is a good way to balance out the heartiness of the dish. , This is a traditional Irish mashed potato recipe that mixes potatoes with cabbage.
Other ingredients, like onion, garlic, and bay leaf, are also commonly added. , This unusual combination adds a little sweetness to the mashed potatoes, but it also makes the dish more savory., Wasabi is a hot Japanese spice made from horseradish.
Adding wasabi powder or pre-mixed wasabi to your mashed potatoes is a great option for someone who finds normal mashed potatoes a little bland. , Believe it or not, the purple potato is a natural potato variety.
These potatoes can be mashed like most other varieties.
Complete the flavor by stirring in fruity olive oil instead of butter.
You can also garnish the potatoes with violet flowers. , Steaming preserves more water-soluble nutrients than boiling.
Simply peel and chop potatoes as usual before steaming them in the top portion of a two-section steamer.
Mash the potatoes once they reach medium softness. , Since this method is so simple and deals with minimal heat, it is a good choice to use when teaching your kids to cook.
Chop your potatoes and microwave them as though cooking microwave-"baked" potatoes.
Pull medium-soft potatoes out of the microwave and mash as desired. , Add whole, halved, or sliced potatoes to the pressure cooker with adequate water.
Cook the potatoes for several minutes.
Slices potatoes may take as little as 2 1/2 minutes, while whole potatoes may take 15 minutes.
Mash the softened potatoes as usual after pulling them out of the pressure cooker. , Place the potatoes in a pot of water and boil them over a fire until they become medium-soft.
You could also bake the potatoes if using a coal fire.
Mash the potatoes using a manual masher or the bottom of a clean, heavy can. -
Step 3: Cut the potatoes.Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the potatoes into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks.
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Step 4: Transfer the potatoes to a large saucepan and cover with water.
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Step 5: Boil the potatoes.
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Step 6: Reduce heat and cook 15 to 20 minutes.As soon as the water begins to boil
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Step 7: reduce the heat to medium or medium-low
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Step 8: dropping the water to a simmer.
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Step 9: Warm the cream and butter.
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Step 10: Drain the potatoes.
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Step 11: Add the cream and butter to the potatoes.
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Step 12: Mash the potatoes with a potato masher.
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Step 13: Beat the potatoes further with a metal spoon.
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Step 14: Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Step 15: Follow an even simpler recipe.
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Step 16: Highlight the buttery richness of mashed potatoes.
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Step 17: Make garlic mashed potatoes.
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Step 18: Flavor your mashed potatoes with herbs.
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Step 19: Add poppy seeds to your homemade mashed potatoes.
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Step 20: Prepare colcannon.
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Step 21: Add sweet and sour sauce to the potatoes.
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Step 22: Give your mashed potatoes an added kick with wasabi.
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Step 23: Make purple mashed potatoes.
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Step 24: Prepare homemade mashed potatoes with a steamer.
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Step 25: Microwave your mashed potatoes.
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Step 26: Cook the potatoes in a pressure cooker.
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Step 27: Enjoy mashed potatoes cooked over a campfire.
Detailed Guide
Use a vegetable peeler or small, smooth paring knife to remove the skin from the potatoes.
Start at one end of the potato.
Dig the blade just beneath the surface of the skin and apply light yet steady pressure as you drag the blade down the length of the potato.
Repeat until all the skin is removed from the potato and until each potato is peeled.
If desired, you can use potatoes that still have some or all of their skin.
The skin of the potato actually has nutritional value, and keeping it can add an interesting dimension of texture to your mashed potatoes.
Make sure, however, that the potatoes are scrubbed well if you intend to keep the skin.
If the potatoes are peeled, all you need to do is rinse them under cool, running water, gently scrubbing the flesh with your fingers to remove any lingering dirt left behind by the skins.
If you kept the skins on the potatoes, you will need to scrub the skins with a vegetable brush under running water.
The potatoes are sufficiently clean once the water runs clear and all major clumps of dirt have been removed. , Cut each potato in half and each half into quarters.
If these pieces are still too large, continue cutting them down to size until they are all roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm). , Add about 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt to the water, as well.
The salt is not strictly necessary for cooking, but adding salt to the water as the potatoes cook allows it to permeate the potatoes more thoroughly, drawing out more of the potatoes' natural flavor.
You only need to add enough water to just barely cover the potatoes.
The level of potatoes and water should not take up more than 3/4 of the saucepan, however.
If the level is too high, water will splash out, leading to less effective cooking and a more hazardous situation.
Transfer the potatoes and water to another saucepan if necessary to avoid this situation. , Bring the pot of potatoes up to a boil over medium-high to high heat.
Leave the saucepan uncovered as you boil the potatoes.
You do not need to stir the potatoes as they cook.
Depending on how much water you used and how hot your stove gets, this step usually takes anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. , Cover and continue cooking until the potatoes reach medium softness.
The potatoes are done once tender.
You should be able to stick a fork through the largest of chunks without any resistance.
A foam will naturally gather on top of the water as the starches break down.
To manage the simmer more effectively, skim this foam off with a large serving spoon once it covers the entire surface of the water.
You may need to do this multiple times during the boiling process. , Place the butter in a microwave-safe dish and add the cream.
Microwave on half or medium power in 20 second intervals, stirring well after each, until the butter is completely melted.
Proceed slowly to avoid heating the butter and cream too quickly.
The two ingredients can also be combined and heated over the stove.
Place them in a small saucepan over medium-low to medium heat and melt the butter completely, stirring the mix occasionally. , Cautiously pour the contents of your large saucepan through a large colander, retaining the potatoes while discarding the water they were cooked in.
You can return the potatoes to the large saucepan afterward or transfer them to a clean, large bowl with a wide mouth. , Pour the cream and butter mixture into the bowl of potatoes. , Use a manual potato masher to smash the potatoes down and mix in the cream-butter combination.
Continue mashing until the potatoes are mostly smooth with a few chunks.
Alternatively, skip the potato masher and use an electric mixer.
An electric mixer creates mashed potatoes with a slightly chunkier texture.
Continue beating the potatoes until they begin releasing naturally from the beaters., Use a strong metal spoon to press down on any remaining chunks of potato.
Slowly add the milk until you reach your desired consistency.
Note that you should avoid over-beating your potatoes, since doing so will cause them to develop a paste-like texture. , Mix the salt and pepper in with a spoon and serve warm.
Other seasonings, like parsley or paprika, can also be added as desired. , If you're especially short on ingredients, use a simplified mashed potato recipe.
All you really need for homemade mashed potatoes are potatoes, milk, and butter.
Salt can still be added to taste. , To draw out the flavor of the butter, replace the cream or milk with chicken broth.
This allows the taste of the butter to become a more prominent flavor. , Garlic and mashed potatoes are a classic flavor combination, and you can prepare your own homemade garlic mashed potatoes simply by adding cloves of garlic to the recipe. , You can experiment with your own combination of herbs if you have a pretty good sense of taste, but if you need some guidance or a place to start, try adding a little thyme and dried mint to your mashed potatoes. , Poppy seeds have a natural sweetness, so adding ground poppy seed to your mashed potatoes is a good way to balance out the heartiness of the dish. , This is a traditional Irish mashed potato recipe that mixes potatoes with cabbage.
Other ingredients, like onion, garlic, and bay leaf, are also commonly added. , This unusual combination adds a little sweetness to the mashed potatoes, but it also makes the dish more savory., Wasabi is a hot Japanese spice made from horseradish.
Adding wasabi powder or pre-mixed wasabi to your mashed potatoes is a great option for someone who finds normal mashed potatoes a little bland. , Believe it or not, the purple potato is a natural potato variety.
These potatoes can be mashed like most other varieties.
Complete the flavor by stirring in fruity olive oil instead of butter.
You can also garnish the potatoes with violet flowers. , Steaming preserves more water-soluble nutrients than boiling.
Simply peel and chop potatoes as usual before steaming them in the top portion of a two-section steamer.
Mash the potatoes once they reach medium softness. , Since this method is so simple and deals with minimal heat, it is a good choice to use when teaching your kids to cook.
Chop your potatoes and microwave them as though cooking microwave-"baked" potatoes.
Pull medium-soft potatoes out of the microwave and mash as desired. , Add whole, halved, or sliced potatoes to the pressure cooker with adequate water.
Cook the potatoes for several minutes.
Slices potatoes may take as little as 2 1/2 minutes, while whole potatoes may take 15 minutes.
Mash the softened potatoes as usual after pulling them out of the pressure cooker. , Place the potatoes in a pot of water and boil them over a fire until they become medium-soft.
You could also bake the potatoes if using a coal fire.
Mash the potatoes using a manual masher or the bottom of a clean, heavy can.
About the Author
Melissa Clark
Brings years of experience writing about DIY projects and related subjects.
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