Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Published: Jul 7, 2020 / Updated: Jun 8, 2023 / 61 Comments

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These garlic mashed potatoes are creamy, comforting, and easy to make. Restaurant-style mashed potatoes are totally doable in your own kitchen!

You may also like my Make Ahead Creamy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (Creamy & Garlicky) for similar recipes with different cooking methods.

the best garlic mashed potatoes in a beige bowl with plenty of butter on top!

Why you'll love them

In my opinion, when you're making mashed potatoes, this ain't the time to go easy on the butter or cream. I remember Bobby Flay saying the same thing, and I was happy that he agrees with me. 😉 Ever wonder why mashed potatoes taste so good at steakhouses? They are absolutely loaded with butter and cream. So don't skimp on them, whatever you do!

There are, of course, many ways to make mashed potatoes from scratch, but my all-time favorite is to use cream, making it the ultimate side dish that goes with practically everything. The classics really never fail. If you're wondering how to make garlic mashed potatoes, you've come to the right place. I like to keep it simple since you can never go wrong with a tried and true method.

What you'll need

Potatoes - I usually like Russets for mashed potatoes, but Yukon Gold are a close second if they're unavailable
Heavy cream - for that signature creamy texture
Butter - what makes really good mashed potatoes special
Garlic - it's way easier to mince garlic with a garlic press vs. chopping it since you don't even need to peel the cloves first
Salt & pepper - it's important to be generous with salt especially to bring out the flavors

Pro tips

When I make mashed potatoes, I always add garlic. My mom did it that way, and it just tastes right to me. I used four fairly normal sized cloves of garlic. I notice garlic cloves are getting bigger and bigger these days, but I didn't use the huge ones.
With that said, you can add as little or as much garlic as you want. I tried to make this recipe not too garlicky since not everyone is a massive garlic lover like me, but you can definitely taste it. My little trick is to slightly cook the garlic in the butter and cream mixture to take the edge off so you don't have that stronger raw garlic taste.

boiling potatoes and making creamy mixture in a saucepan

How to make garlic mashed potatoes

This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

Clean and peel the potatoes, and cut them into thirds. Boil them in a pot of salted water.
While they're boiling, add the ingredients for the cream mixture to a small pan. Warm through until the garlic cooks a little.
Thoroughly drain the potatoes, and return them to the pot. Pour in the cream mixture slowly, and mash using a handheld potato masher until smooth without overworking them. Top with extra butter and chopped parsley or chives if desired.

Substitutions and variations

Starchy potatoes like Russets or Yukon Gold make the best mashed potatoes. You can use other varieties like red potatoes; just take extra care not to overwork them since they can end up gluey.
You can definitely include potato skins if you want. It's totally up to you. You could even peel a couple of the potatoes and leave the others as-is. Just be sure they're scrubbed clean beforehand.
I don't recommend substituting the butter or cream for lower fat alternatives. It just won't taste nearly as good! However, you could even add a bit more of each than I recommend if you really want to go all out.

What to serve with them

I highly recommend serving my popular Creamy Garlic Chicken with mashed potatoes. Throw in a salad with my Easy Caesar Dressing, and it's an amazing homemade meal!
If you're cooking this for the holidays, you'll want to make it with my Easy Roast Turkey and classic side dishes like Green Bean Casserole.

garlic mashed potatoes in a yellow Le Creuset pot

Leftovers and storage

They're best fresh, but leftover mashed potatoes will keep for a few days in an airtight container in the fridge.
I reheat them on a low heat and add a splash more cream and then mash them again to restore them to their former glory.

More delicious mashed potato recipes

close-up of creamy garlic mashed potatoes in a serving bowl

I hope you'll love this garlic mashed potatoes recipe as much as I do! Questions? Made it? Tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram, and leave me a comment below. 🙂