The BEST Mashed Potatoes Recipe (Step-By-Step)

I've officially cracked the code on the most creamy Mashed Potatoes recipe on the planet! You're welcome. It involves a little thing called Mascarpone cheese (don't let the name scare you off) which is my key ingredient to get these potatoes extra fluffy and creamy. Yes there is stuffing, yes there is the turkey brine, but this might be the most important dish for your thanksgiving table.

Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes in a bowl with diced chives.

Why I Love This Recipe

Mashed Potatoes are an essential part of Thanksgiving! They're right up there with a Herb Roasted Turkey. As "important" as the turkey might be, we really need to really honest with ourselves... it's all about the potatoes and the gravy. This Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes recipe is a game changer as they are fluffy, laced with cheese and taste like heaven... but imagine them doused with a giant spoonful of the Gravy from the Herb Roasted Turkey with some cranberry sauce!!!! It's like the most amazing date you've ever gone on in your life. Cheese, herbs, potatoes, and more cheese... I mean, what else in life could you possible ask for? Let's cover the FAQ's for this mashed potatoes recipe?

Ingredients & Substitutions

An overhead shot of all the ingredients for this dish. A bowl of heavy cream, a bowl of salt and pepper, a bowl of unsalted butter, a bowl of cubed yukon gold potatoes, a bowl of mascarpone cheese, a bowl of chives, a bowl of garlic, and a bowl of shredded parmesan.

Yukon Gold Potatoes
Heavy Cream – You can also use whole milk.
Unsalted Butter
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Mascarpone Cheese
Garlic Cloves
Salt & Pepper
Chives

How to Make Mashed Potatoes

A large pot filled with the cubed potatoes that have been boiled.

Step 1: Peel and dice potatoes, making sure all are in about 1 inch cubes. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to medium low to maintain a rolling boil. Cook until potatoes are fork tender and you can easily pierce them with a fork when touched.

A large pot filled with the potatoes after they have been mashed with a potato ricer.

Step 2: Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain off the water. Place the diced potatoes through a ricer and then place back into the warm pot. Alternatively, if you don't have a ricer, mash the potatoes with a masher and place back into the warm pot

A glass bowl of the mashed potatoes with the marscapone cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, and butter.

Step 3: Add the cream, butter, Parmesan, mascarpone and garlic and stir to incorporate.

The finished dish of mashed potatoes sitting in a glass bowl with chopped up chives.

Step 4: Season with salt and pepper and fold in the chopped chives before serving.

Tips & Tricks

Do I need a potato ricer?

You don't NEED ricer, but it certainly makes it easier and smoother. I have this ricer and honestly it makes the best mashed potatoes and it's inexpensive! It's going to make your life easier, it's going to make your potatoes perfectly smooth and it's going to give you a slight arm workout which, in my mind, is much appreciated considering the amount of calories I consume at Thanksgiving dinner.

What makes this homemade mashed potatoes recipe so creamy?

For me it's all about the Mascarpone cheese. It's my secret to the best mashed potatoes on the planet. If you can't find mascarpone cheese, cream cheese is a great substitute.

Can I make this mashed potatoes recipe ahead of time?

This mashed potatoes recipe is great to make ahead and hold really well, just skip the chives until you're ready to serve. I like to make these a day ahead of time if I'm pressed on time, and re-heat them in a crockpot before dinner.

FAQs

How do you make simple mashed potatoes?

Good ingredients to start. Yukon Gold Potatoes and Mascarpone cheese. I also like to mash my potatoes with a potato ricer to get them extra fluffy and creamy. Otherwise if you stick to the recipe I list out below you really can not go wrong.

What is the trick to good mashed potatoes?

Russet or Idaho potatoes are ideal for fluffy mashed potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes are a favorite choice because of their creamy texture and buttery flavor.
Starting Cold: Begin by placing your potato chunks into cold, salted water. Then bring the water to a boil. Starting with cold water ensures the potatoes cook evenly.
Cook Until Tender: Potatoes should be fork-tender when done. Overcooking can cause them to become waterlogged, while undercooking can lead to lumps.
Drain Well: Once cooked, drain the potatoes very well. Any excess moisture can lead to watery mashed potatoes.
Mashing Technique: Use a potato masher or a potato ricer for the fluffiest result. Avoid using blenders, food processors, or hand mixers as they can overwork the potatoes, leading to a gluey texture.

Why do people add milk to mashed potatoes?

Creaminess: Milk contributes to the creamy texture of mashed potatoes. When the potatoes are mashed, their cells rupture, releasing starch. The fat and liquid in milk help create a smooth, creamy consistency that's both rich and satisfying.

Flavor: Milk, especially if you're using full-fat or even cream, adds a subtle richness and depth of flavor to mashed potatoes.

What is Mascarpone?

Mascarpone is basically a very soft Italian Cream Cheese and the hero ingredient for my favorite mashed potatoes recipe. Lets dive in.

How long do I boil potatoes?

Depends on how you cut the potatoes? For this mashed potatoes recipe I cut them into large chunks about 1-2 inches and those typically take 15 minutes to boil. You'll know when they are done when you can easily pierce them with a knife and the knife goes right through. Be careful not to over-boil the potatoes!

What is the best potato for mashing?

This mashed potatoes recipe calls for Yukon gold. If I could recommend one thing, its that you make your mashed potatoes with this type of Potato. They are available at every market and they are my favorite potato to use for this recipe because they don't dry out when boiled and they are a bit creamier which obviously makes for better mashed potatoes.

4 of My Favorite Spins on Mashed Potatoes

4 different dishes of mashed potatoes. One dish is bacon and scallion mashed potatoes, one dish is herby olive oil mashed potatoes, one dish is cacio e pepe mashed potatoes, and one dish is white cheddar mashed potatoes.

Bacon and Scallion - add 4 strips of cooked and crumbled bacon and 4-5 thinly sliced scallions.
Herby Olive Oil - add 1 cup of chopped parsley and chives and fold in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.
White Cheddar - fold in 1-2 cups of shredded white cheddar
cacio e pepe - add some black pepper and some pecorino

More Thanksgiving Recipes

PS – are you thinking of putting this on your Thanksgiving menu? Check out the full What’s Gaby Cooking menu here along with the master prep schedule to keep things organized and on track!

And if you need more Thanksgiving Ideas check out this roundup of 80+ Thanksgiving Recipes and Ideas