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Perfect mashed potato

Perfect mashed potato

Egg free
Gluten free
Nut free
Peanut free
Sesame free
Soy free
Wheat free
Shellfish free
Seafood free
No added sugar
Vegetarian
2 serves veg or fruit

This creamy, fluffy mashed potato recipe is a must-have side dish for easy weeknight dinners.

Serves6
Cook time20 minutes
Prep time10 minutes

Ingredients

1kg brushed potatoes, peeled, quartered
1/3 cup (80ml) thickened cream
1/4 cup (60ml) milk
50g butter, chopped

Nutritional information

Per serve: Energy: 803kJ/192 Cals (9%), Protein: 3g (6%), Fat: 12g (17%), Sat Fat: 8g (33%), Sodium: 14mg (1%), Carb: 16g (5%), Sugar: 2g (2%), Dietary Fibre: 2g (7%).

Check ingredient labels to make sure they meet your specific dietary requirements and always consult a health professional before changing your diet. View dietary information here.

Percentage Daily Intake information on our recipes is calculated using the nutrition reference values for an average Australian adult.

Method

Step 1
Place potato in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and cook for 15 mins or until potato is very tender.
Step 2
Drain in a colander and set aside for 5 mins for the steam to evaporate from the potato – this makes it less watery. If the potato is too wet at this stage, you could end up with a very watery mash. Meanwhile, bring the cream and milk almost to the boil in a saucepan over medium heat.
Step 3
Return potato to the pan and use a potato masher, fork or potato ricer to mash until smooth. Mash in the butter – it should be melted and absorbed before you add the liquid. Add the cream mixture and mash until smooth. Place over low heat and cook, stirring, for 2-3 mins or until mash is heated through.

Recipe tip

Start with a floury potato or an all-rounder such as a Red Royale. Floury potatoes are drier and mash more easily than waxy varieties like kipfler potatoes.

COOK. STORE. SAVE.
Clever storage: Store leftover mashed potato in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Mashed potato recipe

Creamy, buttery and so simple to make, mashed potato is a side dish everyone should learn how to make. Made from just four ingredients you’re likely to have on hand, it’s the perfect accompaniment to stewed meats, roast chicken, saucy meatballs or garlic prawns. Ready in just 30 minutes, this popular and budget-friendly mash potato recipe can be dressed up with the addition of fresh chives or crispy bacon.

The best potatoes for mash

When selecting your variety for the best mash potatoes, opt for floury or all-rounders, such as Australian Red Royale, Dutch Cream or Coliban potatoes. Other potato options can include Sebago or Russet. Waxy potatoes like Kipfler won’t work as well, as they hold their shape better, resulting in a chunkier mash.

Tips for how to make mashed potato

For the fluffiest, creamiest mashed potatoes there are a few tips and tricks you can follow. Before boiling, quarter your potatoes uniformly for an even cook and to help remove excess starch, which can cause mash potatoes to become gluey. Don’t be tempted to cut them too small, as the potato can absorb too much water, making the mash gluggy. Once the potatoes are very tender, drain and set aside for roughly 5 minutes. The goal here is for as much steam as possible to evaporate from the cooked potatoes, drawing out moisture.

The best mashed potato recipe in 30 minutes

For the best results, use a potato masher or potato ricer tool to crush, mash and evenly break down cooked potatoes. If you don’t have either on hand, a fork can work just as well to create a smooth, lump-free consistency. When it’s time to add the remaining ingredients to your potato mash, chop the butter into small pieces to help it melt into the potatoes. Once fully absorbed, you’ll know it’s time to add the thickened cream and milk. From here, return the potatoes to a low heat and feel free to season your potatoes to taste.

Love this mashed potatoes recipe?

For more easy side dishes to pair with a main course, try these simple maple carrots, 5-ingredient roasted paprika baby potatoes, chilli roasted pumpkin or classic roast potatoes with oregano, fetta and lemon.

FAQs

0:00

Now, if I was a potato, I would be quite offended if you called me a side dish because quite often

0:04

the potato is the star of the meal, and I'm going to show you how to roast them, do a creamy bake,

0:10

a beautiful fancy hasselback potato, even a potato salad can be absolutely fantastic with

0:16

great Aussie grown potatoes, you are in the right place. The first thing you need to do is choose

0:23

the right potato for the right dish. So I'm going to use this beautiful creme gold to make a creamy

0:30

baked potato. Now, the reason the creme gold is the perfect potato for this dish is because it's

0:35

starchy, so it actually thickens up that cream as it cooks down. It also absorbs flavour really

0:40

well. Peel and slice your potato into slices about this thick. We start with thickened cream and some

0:46

milk, garlic and some fresh thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Now, the great thing about this

0:52

potato dish is it takes a while to make, so you can make it well in advance. Get yourself a nice

0:58

big, heavy baking dish just like this one. A quick layer of potatoes on the bottom. No one's going

1:02

to be seeing these bottom layers, so you can make 'em as fancy as you want, or you can just throw it

1:07

down. Get yourself a handful of tasty cheese. So you can either use a vintage cheddar or Gruyere,

1:13

pour over a thin layer of that cream mixture. In between layers, kind of push down on those

1:19

potatoes like that. Now the reason, of course, that you layer these potatoes with the cheese

1:24

and the cream is so that it cooks nice and evenly, and when you cut through it later on,

1:28

that cheese will be beautifully dispersed all the way through. As you get towards the top,

1:32

you can start making these just a little prettier. Knowing that these first couple of layers are the

1:38

ones that people are going to see. 180 degrees for about an hour, don't cover it just straight

1:43

in the oven. The potatoes are done. They've been in for just on an hour. Look at that gorgeousness.

1:50

What could you serve this with? Anything. You could serve it with a piece of grilled fish. You

1:54

could serve it with some roast beef. That's the great thing about potatoes. They make everything

1:58

more delicious. The best part is this is just one incredible potato dish. I've got lots to show you.

2:08

My next potato of choice is the brush potato. Now this is kind of a baked potato, the hasselback,

2:13

but it's much, much more beautiful and it's way more tasty than just a simple baked potato. Here's

2:19

what you do. I want it to have a nice flat edge. So pick the prettiest side and then just trim off

2:24

just a little bit. Cut through the potato, but not all the way through. So here's the trick.

2:28

You get yourself a couple of wooden spoons. Put one on either side, and then you can just

2:32

cut straight on through about a centimetre apart from each other. The last little slice, don't go

2:37

all the way to the bottom. Just cut into it just a little. You can see how it's going to open up

2:42

as it cooks into the melted butter. We put some crushed garlic and a little bit of fresh thyme.