These garlic mashed potatoes are light and fluffy potatoes mixed with a generous amount of sauteed garlic. An easy side dish that pairs perfectly with beef, chicken or fish, and is a must-make recipe for a holiday meal.

In my opinion, you can never go wrong with mashed potatoes, especially if there’s garlic involved. Serve your potatoes alongside other delicious side dishes such as roasted green beans and squash casserole, then watch the rave reviews come in!

Garlic mashed potatoes topped with pats of butter and parsley.

Mashed potatoes are popular for good reason – they’re inexpensive, easy to make, and go well with so many different foods. These garlic mashed potatoes take the classic recipe to a new level with plenty of savory garlic flavor.

These potatoes are a perfect side dish recipe for everyday dinners or holiday feasts. Serve these potatoes with Thanksgiving recipe favorites like Cajun turkey, cranberry salad or sauteed green beans.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes Ingredients

To make these creamy garlic mashed potatoes you will need potatoes, butter, garlic, cream, parsley, salt and black pepper.

Diced potatoes in a large blue pot.

How Do You Make Garlic Mashed Potatoes?

It is surprisingly easy to make the creamiest and fluffiest garlic mashed potatoes. Just boil peeled and chopped potatoes in a large pot for a few minutes until they are tender. Drain the water from the pot leaving the potatoes in the pot. Make a savory garlic sauce by melting butter and cooking some minced garlic cloves in that butter.  That garlic and butter goes in with the potatoes. Pour in a little heavy cream and mash those potatoes until they are smooth. Add a little salt and pepper and serve the potatoes with chopped parsley on top.

A potato masher smashing diced cooked potatoes.

Tips For Garlic Mashed Potatoes

  • The easiest way to mash potatoes is with a potato masher. If you want super smooth potatoes, you can also try using a potato ricer. Another alternative is you can beat your potatoes with a hand mixer.
  • Be sure not to mash your potatoes in the food processor. If you try it that way, you’ll end up with gluey potatoes that aren’t pleasant to eat.
  • Mashed potatoes can be made up to 2 days in advance and reheated on the stovetop or in a covered casserole dish in the oven.

Quick Tip

Cut your potatoes into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly.

Spuds with melted butter on top.

Recipe FAQs

What are garlic mashed potatoes.

Garlic mashed potatoes are potatoes cooked until tender and mashed with garlic, butter and cream. They are fluffy and savory potatoes that are great for any meal.

What is the best potato for mashed potatoes?

My go to potatoes for mashing are Russet potatoes because they are high starch potatoes that mash up fluffy and they have a good flavor. Russet potatoes also absorb cream well to make smooth mashed potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes are also a great choice.

How long do you boil potatoes for mashing?

When you boil potatoes for mashing, you want to cook them until they are tender all the way through. Potatoes need to boil for about 20 minutes to become tender. Larger potato pieces may take a little longer to boil. You can check the tenderness by removing a potato and cutting through the middle.

Can you freeze mashed potatoes?

You can freeze mashed potatoes. To freeze mashed potatoes, you can place individual scoops on a sheet pan, and then store the frozen scoops in an airtight container. To reheat scoops of potatoes, thaw them in a refrigerator and then microwave them until hot, about 2-3 minutes per scoop. Stir the potatoes for even heating.

You can also freeze mashed potatoes as a single batch in a container. To reheat a batch of mashed potatoes, thaw them in a refrigerator, put them in a covered baking container and heat them at 350 degrees F. until hot, about 20-30 minutes. You should stir the potatoes to make sure they are evenly heated.

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A plate with garlic mashed potatoes, green beans and sliced turkey.

Flavor Variations

These potatoes are savory and delicious as-is; however, you can customize these potatoes to your taste.

  • Peel: You can make this dish with the peel on the potatoes for extra texture and flavor. However, if you keep the peel you shouldn’t use a ricer to mash your potatoes.
  • Rosemary: Bring extra flavor to you mashed potatoes by cooking two sprigs of rosemary with your garlic and butter. Then remove the rosemary sprigs before adding the butter to the potatoes.
  • Chives: Feel free to sprinkle sliced chives on top of your potatoes. If you want chives throughout the potatoes, simply mix in 1/3 cup of sliced chives after you mash the potatoes.
  • Cheesy: Add 8 ounces of softened cream cheese cubes to make your potatoes creamy and cheesy. You could also stir into the hot mashed potatoes a cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese melts.

This recipe makes it easy to serve creamy and fluffy garlic mashed potatoes. If you want mashed potatoes that will wow your crowd, these potatoes are for you.

More Delicious Side Dishes

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5 from 19 votes

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

AuthorSara Welch
Garlic mashed potatoes topped with pats of butter and parsley.
These garlic mashed potatoes are light and fluffy potatoes mixed with a generous amount of sauteed garlic. An easy side dish that pairs perfectly with beef, chicken or fish, and is a must-make recipe for a holiday meal.
Time
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine American
Serves 10

Ingredients 

  • 4 lbs Russet potatoes peeled and cut into quarters
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 cup heavy cream warmed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions 

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Add the potatoes and cook for 20 minutes or until tender.
  • Drain the potatoes and add them back to the pot.
  • In a small pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 45 seconds, stirring continuously.
  • Add the melted garlic butter and cream to the pot of potatoes.
  • Mash the potatoes until they're smooth and creamy. Stir in the salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.

Notes

  1. Cut your potatoes into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly.
  2. The easiest way to mash potatoes is with a potato masher. If you want super smooth potatoes, you can also try using a potato ricer. Another alternative is you can beat your potatoes with a hand mixer.
  3. Be sure not to mash your potatoes in the food processor. If you try it that way, you’ll end up with gluey potatoes that aren’t pleasant to eat.

Nutrition

Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 448mg | Potassium: 774mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 633IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg

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5 from 19 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Love love love! Use this recipe quite often, add a bit more garlic because weโ€™re garlic lovers. Typically will use russet or small yellow potatoes with the skin left one. Definitely making this tonight to eat with a pot roast. Excited!

  2. I’m excited to try this with heavy cream! I didn’t have it on hand so I used milk instead. Very tasty and a perfect add to DATZoo’s hamburger steak and mushroom gravy recipe!!

  3. 5 stars
    These are my favorite kind of mashed potatoes to enjoy with dinner! Your recipe is spot on delicious; I will have to make these with Thanksgiving dinner too!

  4. 5 stars
    Perfect in every way! Mine and my kids’ favourite way of eating potatoes so beautifully fluffy and flavourful. Garlic butter makes them to die for!

  5. 5 stars
    This Mashed Potatoes looks so creamy and delicious! I’m loving the addition of garlic! I so need to try this!

  6. 5 stars
    I agree you can never go wrong with garlic and potatoes – mashed or otherwise. This is a perfect holiday, no-fuss recipe too.

  7. 5 stars
    Like you, I have a potato masher that I use for mashed potatoes, but I’ve actually found a potato ricer works even better to create that smooth texture. Have you ever tried one? Still like the masher for rustic skin-on potatoes. Love that hefty dose of garlic, too.