These garlic mashed potatoes get their flavor from 8 whole cloves poached slowly in butter, milk and cream until they're soft enough to crush with a fork. The garlic turns sweet and mellow instead of sharp, and the infused dairy goes straight into buttery Yukon Golds. The whole bowl takes about 45 minutes, and the garlic cooks while the potatoes simmer.
Poached, roasted or raw: which garlic works best?
Garlic changes completely depending on how it's cooked, and mashed potatoes show every difference. Raw garlic is hot and sharp, and it gets harsher the longer the potatoes sit. Gentle heat tames it. Poaching whole cloves in the butter and dairy you're already warming gives you clear garlic flavor with no sting, and nothing extra to wash.
| Garlic method | Time | Flavor | Amount for 3 pounds of potatoes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw, finely grated | None | Sharp and hot, grows harsher | 1 to 2 cloves at most |
| Poached in butter and dairy | 15 minutes | Sweet, mellow, clearly garlicky | 8 cloves |
| Roasted whole head | 45 to 60 minutes at 400°F | Caramel and nutty, very soft | 1 to 2 heads |
| Garlic powder | None | Toasty but flat | 1 teaspoon |
Roasted garlic is a lovely option when the oven's already on for a roast. Cut the top off a head, drizzle it with oil, wrap it in foil and bake it until the cloves are golden and spreadable, then squeeze them into the warm dairy.
Why Yukon Golds make creamier garlic mashed potatoes
Potatoes fall somewhere between starchy and waxy, and that decides the texture of the mash. Yukon Golds sit in the middle. They have enough starch to turn fluffy and absorb butter, and enough moisture to stay naturally creamy and dense. Their thin skin and yellow flesh also taste buttery before you add any.
Russets are the starchiest. They make the lightest, fluffiest mash, but they soak up water while boiling and can turn grainy or dry unless you add a lot of dairy. Red potatoes are waxy, so they stay firm and are better smashed with their skins on than whipped smooth. A half and half mix of Yukon Golds and russets gives you fluffiness with a creamy body.
Whatever you choose, cut the potatoes into even 2 inch (5 cm) chunks. Small pieces cook faster but absorb more water, and uneven pieces leave you with some falling apart and others still hard in the middle.
Is cold water really better than boiling water?
For potatoes, yes. Dropped into boiling water, the outside of each chunk cooks quickly and starts to fall apart while the center is still raw. Starting in cold water lets the heat move in gradually, so the whole piece reaches tender at about the same time.
Cover the potatoes with cold water by about an inch, add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, and bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Then lower it to a steady simmer. A hard boil knocks the chunks around and breaks up their edges. Most batches take 15 to 20 minutes once simmering.
- Not ready: a paring knife meets resistance in the center.
- Ready: the knife slides in and the chunk slips off without lifting.
- Overcooked: the edges are crumbling into the water.
Salting the water matters more than salting at the end. Potatoes absorb it as they cook, so they're seasoned all the way through rather than just on the surface.
Ricer, masher or mixer?
Potato cells are packed with starch. Mash them gently and the cells separate, giving a fluffy, creamy result. Work them too hard and the cells burst, releasing sticky starch that turns the bowl gluey. Each tool lands somewhere on that scale:
- Potato ricer or food mill: the smoothest result with the least risk. The potato passes through once, with no overworking, and comes out fine and fluffy.
- Hand masher: a little more rustic, with a few small lumps. Mash just until smooth enough, then stop.
- Hand mixer: fine for 20 to 30 seconds on low, but it's easy to overdo.
- Food processor or blender: don't. The blade tears the cells apart in seconds.
Fold in the warm garlic dairy in two or three additions with a spatula rather than beating it in. Cold dairy cools the potatoes and makes them absorb less, so keep it hot. These potatoes go with almost any roast or braise, and they're especially good under red wine braised short ribs, where they catch every bit of sauce.
How far ahead can mashed potatoes be made?
Up to 2 days. Mash them as usual, spread them in a buttered baking dish, cool them, and refrigerate them covered. To reheat, dot the top with butter, pour 1/4 cup of warm milk over, cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once. Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge; see how long leftovers last for other dishes on the table.
On the day, you can hold them warm for a couple of hours in a slow cooker set to warm, with a splash of milk stirred in every 30 minutes. A covered bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water also works. Don't leave them sitting on the buffet, though. The USDA danger zone guidance says food shouldn't sit between 40°F and 140°F for more than 2 hours.
Serve them next to pan seared pork chops with the pan juices spooned over, or alongside a roast chicken.
The recipe
Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Garlic Poached in Butter and Cream
Ingredients
For the potatoes
- 3 pounds (1.4 kg) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch (5 cm) chunks
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt for the cooking water, plus more to taste
For the garlic dairy
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white or black pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives, for serving
Instructions
- Start the potatoes. Put the potato chunks in a large pot and cover them with cold water by about 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Simmer until tender. Lower the heat to a steady simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until a paring knife slides into the center of a chunk with no resistance.
- Poach the garlic. While the potatoes cook, combine the garlic, butter, milk and cream in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat at a bare simmer for about 15 minutes, until the garlic crushes easily against the side of the pan, then mash the cloves into the dairy with a fork and keep it warm.
- Drain and dry. Drain the potatoes well and return them to the empty pot over low heat. Shake the pot for 1 to 2 minutes, until the surfaces look dry and chalky and no water pools at the bottom.
- Rice the potatoes. Press the hot potatoes through a ricer back into the pot, or mash them with a hand masher until smooth.
- Fold in the dairy. Fold the hot garlic dairy into the potatoes in 3 additions with a spatula until creamy. Season with the pepper and more salt to taste, then top with chives and serve hot.
Cook's notes
- For roasted garlic instead, roast 1 to 2 whole heads at 400°F for 45 to 60 minutes and squeeze the cloves into the warm milk and cream.
- Swap half the milk for chicken broth for a lighter mash, or stir in 1/2 cup of sour cream at the end for tang.
- Leftover mash makes good potato cakes: form patties, dust them in flour and fry in butter for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes questions
Why are my mashed potatoes gluey?
They were overworked. When potatoes are beaten too long or blitzed in a food processor, their starch cells burst and release sticky starch. Use a ricer or hand masher, fold the dairy in gently, and stop as soon as they're smooth. Waterlogged potatoes make it worse, so drain them well and let them steam dry for a minute or two.
Should you peel potatoes for mashed potatoes?
For a smooth, creamy mash, yes. Skins leave brown flecks and chewy bits, and they won't pass through a ricer. Yukon Golds have thin skins, so leaving them on works if you prefer a rustic, smashed texture with a hand masher. Scrub them well first, and cut away any green patches or sprouting eyes before cooking.
How much garlic is too much in mashed potatoes?
With poached or roasted garlic, it's hard to overdo it. Gentle cooking takes away the sharp bite, so 8 to 12 cloves for 3 pounds of potatoes still tastes mellow. Raw garlic is a different story; more than 1 or 2 cloves turns harsh and lingers. Start with 8 poached cloves and taste before adding more.
Do I need heavy cream for mashed potatoes?
No. Cream makes them richer and silkier, but whole milk with a little extra butter gives a lighter mash that's still creamy. Half and half sits in between. For a dairy free version, use olive oil and warm unsweetened oat milk or chicken broth. Whatever liquid you choose, heat it before folding it into the potatoes.
Keep cooking
