November = Thanksgiving and at Thanksgiving you have to have mashed potatoes. Many will argue that Thanksgiving has to have turkey, but I grew up a turkey hater (until I had a deep fried turkey) so I understand their perspective. The Thanksgiving turkey can easily be substituted for a Thanksgiving ham or a Thanksgiving roast. Regardless of the main protein (you can even have a tofurkey!), I find that mashed potatoes is always on the menu.
I like mashed potatoes that are creamy, but they still have to have some texture/resemblance of it’s original potato form. Hand mashing a potato gives you a smooth potato, with the perfect chunk, and additions of sour cream, cream cheese, and heavy cream give a little acidity and creaminess that keeps you reaching for more!
Ingredients
Potatoes – I used a mix of Yukon gold and red potatoes to add to the texture difference. If you want a smoother, creamier mash, I would only use the Yukon gold.
Dairy – The sour cream gives the potatoes a distinct tang, the cream cheese adds a really nice creaminess, and the heavy cream helps thin out the potatoes so the mash isn’t too chunky. If you don’t like sour cream or cream cheese, substitute with an equal portion of heavy cream.
Dill – I like dill to add some freshness, but if you would prefer something else, I’d recommend some green onions or chives to finish your potatoes.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- potato masher
Ingredients
- 3 pounds potatoes
- 1 tbsp salt + extra
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup cream cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp dill
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and cut into golf ball sized chunks. Keep them approximately the same size as each other. Put cut potato chunks to soak in water to rinse starch and prevent oxidation.
- In a pot of boiling water, add 1 tbsp of salt and cut and peeled potatoes.
- Boil for 15-20 minutes until a knife passes through the potatoes cleanly.
- Strain potatoes from water and return to warm pot. The warm pot will evaporate any remaining liquid on the potatoes.
- Mash potatoes alone until they are broken up into smaller chunks.
- Add sour cream, cream cheese, heavy cream, and black pepper and continue mashing until desired texture is observed.
- Taste and add more salt as needed.
- Stir in one teaspoon of fresh chopped dill and serve!
Need inspiration for more sides? Try Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Pesto Roasted Potatoes.