Welcome to Garlic Mashed Potato Paradise!
Are you ready to create the most heavenly garlic mashed potatoes you’ve ever tasted? This isn’t just any ole recipe we’re about to unlock the secrets to creamy dreamy spuds that’ll steal the show at any meal.
Whether you’re pairing them with a juicy steak, roast chicken, or meatloaf, these smooth potatoes are about to become your new favorite side dish. Get ready to impress your family, wow your dinner guests and elevate your cooking game!
So, grab your potato masher and let’s dive in. Your taste buds are in for a treat!
Choosing and Preparing Potatoes
Let’s start with the basics picking the perfect spuds and getting them ready for their starring role on your plate.
- Pick the best potatoes: Use Yukon Gold for creamy garlic mashed potatoes or Russet for fluffy ones. You can also mix both kinds for great results.
- Mix potato types: Combine Russet and Yukon potatoes to get the best texture and flavor in your garlic mashed potatoes.
- Easy peeling trick: Cut off the top and bottom of the potato, then peel the sides. It’s faster than peeling the whole potato at once.
- Keep potatoes from turning brown: After peeling, put them in cold water. This stops them from changing color and washes off any dirt.
For the perfect garlic mashed potatoes, select 2 lbs of red potatoes for their creamy texture. Thoroughly wash these flavorful spuds and chop them into 1.5-inch pieces for even cooking. Keep the nutrient rich skins on to add a rustic touch to your garlic mashed potatoes.
Cooking Methods
Now that we’ve got our potatoes prepped it’s time to cook them to perfection. Trust me, these little tricks will make a world of difference in your garlic mashed potatoes!
- Start with cold water: Always put potatoes in cold water and then heat it up. This helps them cook evenly and not get too watery.
- Add salt to the water: Put salt in the water when boiling potatoes. This makes your garlic mashed potatoes taste better all the way through.
- Check if they’re done: Poke the potatoes with a fork. If they break apart easily, they’re ready to mash.
- Dry the potatoes: After boiling, drain the water and put the pot back on low heat for a few minutes. This gets rid of extra water.
Start your garlic mashed potatoes by placing the cut potatoes in a large pot and covering them with cold water. Enhance the flavor by adding a generous pinch of salt to the water. Bring the potatoes to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until they’re fork-tender, which typically takes about 15-20 minutes. Once cooked, drain the potatoes and return them to the pot, ready for mashing.
Garlic Enhancement
Alright, let’s talk about the star of the show – garlic! We’re about to take your garlic mashed potatoes from good to absolutely irresistible with these flavor-boosting tips.
- Add garlic while cooking: Put crushed garlic cloves in the water with the potatoes or roast a whole head of garlic for stronger flavor in your garlic mashed potatoes.
- Make garlic oil: Cook garlic in oil on low heat for about 25 minutes. This makes the garlic soft and adds flavor to your mashed potatoes.
To create the signature flavor of garlic mashed potatoes, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Prepare two whole heads of garlic by cutting off the tops to expose the cloves. Drizzle the exposed garlic with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 30-40 minutes until the cloves are soft and golden. Once cooled, squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves to infuse your mashed potatoes with rich, mellow garlic flavor.
Mashing and Mixing
The moment of truth has arrived! It’s time to transform those cooked potatoes into a creamy, dreamy side dish. Follow these steps, and you’ll be well on your way to garlic mashed potato heaven.
- Don’t overmix: Mash the potatoes gently. If you mix too much, they can get sticky.
- Use a special tool: A food mill or ricer can make your garlic mashed potatoes very smooth.
- Add things slowly: Put in warm cream, butter, garlic oil, sour cream, salt, and pepper a little at a time. Stir gently with a rubber spatula.
For the creamiest garlic mashed potatoes, add the roasted garlic cloves, 1/2 cup softened butter, 1/2 cup buttermilk, and 1/4 cup sour cream to the cooked potatoes. Gently mash the mixture with a potato masher or ricer, being careful not to overmix, to achieve the perfect consistency for your garlic mashed potatoes.
Enhancing Creaminess and Flavor
Think your garlic mashed potatoes are good now? Just wait until you try these tricks to make them even creamier and more flavorful. Your taste buds will thank you!
- Warm up the milk and butter: Heat these before adding them to your garlic mashed potatoes. Cold milk can make potatoes gummy.
- Make them extra creamy: Use heavy cream instead of milk or add some sour cream at the end for creamier garlic mashed potatoes.
- Fix if too thick: If your mashed potatoes are too thick, add more oil or sour cream until they’re just right.
The secret to irresistible garlic mashed potatoes lies in the combination of butter, buttermilk, and sour cream, which adds luxurious creaminess and complex flavor to the dish.
Final Seasoning and Serving
We’re in the home stretch now! Let’s make sure your garlic mashed potatoes look as amazing as they taste. These final touches will have everyone at the table asking for seconds.
- Taste and adjust: Try your garlic mashed potatoes and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Make them look nice: Use a spoon to make little valleys in the potatoes. Melted butter will flow into these, making them look and taste great.
- Add a topping: Sprinkle some cut-up chives on top. This makes your garlic mashed potatoes look pretty and taste even better.
Garlic Mashed Potato Recipe
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Potato masher or ricer
- Oven
- Aluminum foil
- Colander
Ingredients
- 2 lbs red potatoes
- 2 whole head of garlic
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Olive oil for roasting garlic
- Optional: Chives for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Cut the top off the garlic heads, exposing the cloves.
- Drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 30-40 minutes until soft and golden.
- Let cool, then squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves.
- Wash the red potatoes and cut into 1.5-inch pieces (leave the skin on for added texture and nutrition).
- Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add a generous pinch of salt.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until fork-tender (about 15-20 minutes).
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.
- Add the roasted garlic cloves, softened butter, buttermilk, and sour cream.
- Mash gently with a potato masher or ricer, being careful not to overmix.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Transfer to a serving bowl.
- Top with a pat of butter and sprinkle with chopped chives if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Make-Ahead and Reheating Tips
Life can get busy, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on delicious garlic mashed potatoes. Here’s how to prep ahead and reheat like a pro, so you can enjoy this comfort food anytime!
- Make early: You can make garlic mashed potatoes up to two days before you need them. Keep them in the fridge in a baking dish.
- Reheat in the oven: Heat them at 350°F with some butter on top. It takes about 20-30 minutes.
- Freeze for later: Let them cool, put them in a container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge the night before you want to eat them.
- Reheat on the stove: Put some garlic mashed potatoes in a small pot with a bit of butter or milk. Heat slowly until hot.
