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Best Creamy Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes - A Favorite Recipe for Thanksgiving Dinner

Updated on November 19, 2017
Victoria Lynn profile image

Watching her mom as a kid, Vicki came by cooking easily. She likes experimenting with different recipes, including healthy and easy!

I love these mashed potatoes!

I love potatoes. And aren’t mashed potatoes just divine? I have vamped mine up over time to make them tastier as time goes by. There are several influences that have given me ideas over the years that are integrated into this recipe, some of which are just my own experiments.

My mom would always pile her mashed potatoes high in a bowl that seemed too small. This photo reminds me of that time.
My mom would always pile her mashed potatoes high in a bowl that seemed too small. This photo reminds me of that time. | Source

Influences on my Mashed Potatoes Recipe

1) AQ Chicken Restaurant’s Mashed Potatoes—These mashed potatoes at the two-of-their-kind restaurants in Northwest Arkansas serve their mashed potatoes with the skins on. When I noticed this more than ten years ago, I was excited to try it. I grew up peeling potatoes alongside with my mom, and I hated it. I was delighted to discover that there might be another option. If the skins on the potatoes are relatively smooth, and you brush them clean, then they do fine when cooked along with the potatoes. Just cut off the bad spots, scrub the skins, rinse, and you’re good to go! Plus, much of the nutrition is in the skins, so that's a plus!

2) Cooking with Friends by Amy Lyles Wilson: Inspired by the popular situation comedy on NBC, Monica’s mashed potatoes are called, “Mashed Potatoes for the Broken Hearted.” While my recipe differs from hers, I was inspired by the title, by the go-ahead that it was okay for my mashed potatoes to be as decadent as possible.

3) My love of garlic—Of course, I will add garlic to this recipe. Of course, of course, of course. But, of course, that is optional for you.

Okay, let’s move on to the recipe. If you love mashed potatoes, then you’ll love this recipe.

Ingredients

6 Yukon Gold potatoes (preferably—red and russet work fine, too, but the Yukon already have a great buttery flavor)

½ stick butter (real butter)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

½ cup sour cream

¼ milk or more, to desired consistency

Cracked pepper

Sea salt

What to you think of this recipe?

3.8 stars from 9 ratings of Easy Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Instructions

Cut off bad spots on potatoes. Do not skin! Scrub potatoes with brush and then rinse. Cut into several pieces and put in pan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil for about 20 minutes or until soft. Drain water off potatoes. Mash potatoes with masher. I don’t use an electric mixer because I like more of a potato texture (with a few chunks, perhaps) than that smooth whipped taste. You decide for yourself and your family on that. Add ½ stick butter while potatoes are still hot. Mix in with masher. Add garlic, sour cream and milk. Add pepper and salt to taste. I prefer cracked pepper and sea salt. Both have more distinct flavors.

You may want to add or subtract to this recipe. Whether you add more or less garlic, more or less butter, I think you will love this mashed potatoes recipe. It doesn't have a lot of ingredients, but it is so good!

Interesting note: I remember my mom saving the potato juice into a cup when draining the potatoes. I didn't realize why until I was an adult, but now I know. We didn't have a lot of money, and there were four of us kids. It was much cheaper to put the flavored potato water back into the potatoes than to add milk, sour cream, or even butter, which I'm sure we didn't have much of, but most likely only a dab of margarine. I went by the same practice many times before I realized why she had done what she did--and I decided to experiment with more (yeah, more expensive) ingredients.

My mom's mashed potatoes were awesome! And I could eat them simply with potato flavored water poured back in, with a little margarine, salt, and pepper. But it's fun to add some creamy decadence to the mix, as well!

Serves: 4-6 people? My mother always said to use one potato per person, which seems to turn out about right. Some people may eat more than others, though!

Mashed Potatoes or Stuffing?

Who says a person has to choose between mashed potatoes or stuffing or dressing? I think that mashed potatoes and stuffing is a great taste sensation! Sometimes I make both items throughout the year. My recommendation is to make both recipes (preferably mine!) to experience how good both are, and how both mix in with other recipes.

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