This easy recipe for Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes transforms plain russet potatoes into everyone’s favorite side dish with flavorful roasted garlic, sour cream, heavy cream, and lots of butter.
These Homemade Mashed Potatoes are the Ultimate Comfort Food.
Creamy, buttery mashed potatoes are one of the most quintessential comfort foods. They’re a year-round favorite and a must-have for holidays and Sunday dinners. And they’re the ultimate crowd-pleasing side dish. But what if I told you we could make classic mashed potatoes even better with roasted garlic? Rich and savory with a mellow, caramelized flavor, roasted garlic adds the perfect kick to regular mashed spuds. Let’s learn how to make them.
What are the Best Potatoes to Mash?
For creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes, I like to use russet potatoes. They are the clear winner for mashing since they are starchier than waxy potatoes (like Yukon Golds or Baby Potatoes). High-starch potatoes equal fluffier mashed potatoes.
How to Roast Garlic?
Roasting garlic transforms it from harsh and spicy to soft, mellow, and sweet. I recommend roasting more than one bulb at a time. Use leftovers spread over crackers and crusty bread, or toss it with your favorite pasta sauce. Here’s how to roast garlic:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Remove any loose outer layers from the bulb’s paper skin, but leave the bulb intact with all the cloves connected. Slice off the top to expose the tops of the raw cloves.
- Drizzle each bulb with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil and wrap in foil.
- Roast until the cloves are caramel-colored and tender, about 45 minutes.
- Check out this post to learn how to roast garlic, plus more tips!
How to Make the Best Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
The best garlic mashed potatoes should be fluffy and light, extra creamy, and well-seasoned with plenty of garlic flavor.
- Roast the garlic.
- Boil the potatoes. Transfer the peeled potatoes to a large pot filled with cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender, then drain well.
- Add the butter, sour cream, and cream to the boiled potatoes. Add the butter to the potatoes and rest until the butter has melted. Once melted, add the room-temperature sour cream and heavy cream and use a hand masher (or ricer) to mash the potatoes.
- Add the roasted garlic to the potatoes. Peel the roasted garlic and add it to the mash. Continue to mash until smooth and infused with rich garlic flavor.
- Season to taste. Season with salt (and more salt) and black pepper to taste.
Tips for Making Mashed Potatoes
Here are my tips for the absolute best-ever mashed potatoes:
- Cook your potatoes just right. In other words, avoid undercooked “al dente” potatoes and overcooked, water-logged potatoes. You will know they’re ready to drain when a knife slides through without resistance.
- Avoid cold dairy. Best case is to heat the butter, sour cream, and heavy cream gently over medium heat before returning the cooked potatoes to the pot. At the very least, make sure your dairy is at room temperature. Cold dairy results in a gummier texture and will also cool the potatoes down.
- I mash my potatoes with a simple potato masher. Using a good old-fashioned potato masher gives you the most control over the consistency of your mash. If you prefer a super smooth and creamy mash, a potato ricer will provide the best results. An electric mixer is another option, but the potatoes can become easily overworked, resulting in a gluey mash.
- For the best mashed potatoes, add salt. Even with the addition of roasted garlic, mashed potatoes still need a lot of salt.
- Add additional sour cream or heavy cream for a looser mash. I was pretty conservative with the cream and sour cream. For a richer, creamier mashed potato, add a little extra of one or both.
What to Serve with Garlic Mashed Potatoes
These garlic mashed potatoes are delicious alongside various main courses, including fish, shrimp, chicken, and pork chops. It’s fantastic with sauces, gravy, and stews like mushroom gravy, garlic butter, and my personal favorite, Cioppino. More delicious recipes include:
How to Keep Mashed Potatoes Warm?
If you plan to make these roasted garlic mashed potatoes ahead or reheat them from leftovers, stir in a little extra butter, cream, milk, or sour cream to maintain their texture and prevent drying out. Here’s how to keep them warm:
- The slow cooker: Transfer the mashed potatoes to a slow cooker set to the “warm” or “low” setting. Stir occasionally, and add a splash of milk or cream if they start to thicken.
- Double boiler: Transfer the mashed potatoes to a heatproof bowl and place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (making sure the water isn’t touching the bowl). Cover tightly with foil or a lid to retain moisture.
- Oven set to low: Place the mashed potatoes in an oven-safe dish and cover tightly with foil or a lid. Keep warm in an oven set to 200°F (93°C). Stir occasionally.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. Freezing is not recommended, as the texture will likely change after thawing. Reheat over low heat in a medium saucepan with a lid. I usually add a splash of milk or cream to help “loosen” them up.
RECIPE CARD
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 bulb garlic
- 1-2 teaspoon olive oil
- 3 pounds russet potatoes - peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 1 stick unsalted butter - cut into pieces and brought to room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream - at room temperature
- ½ cup heavy cream - at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt - plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper - plus more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Roast the garlic. Remove any loose outer layers from the bulb’s paper skin, but leave the bulb intact with all the cloves connected. Slice off the top to expose the tops of the raw cloves. Drizzle each bulb with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil and wrap in foil. Roast until the cloves are caramel-colored and tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before gently squeezing the roasted cloves from the bulb.
- Prepare the potatoes. Peel the potatoes and chop them into 1-inch chunks equal in size for even cooking. Transfer the potatoes to a large pot and cover with cold water. Season generously with salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes.
- Drain well, then return the potatoes to the pot with the softened butter.
- Mash. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until the butter is incorporated, then add the sour cream, heavy cream, salt, black pepper, and roasted garlic. Continue to mash until combined and the desired consistency is reached.
- Season to taste. Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste.
Jessica’s Notes
- Although I find that mashed potatoes turn out best with russet potatoes, feel free to use other varieties, such as red or Yukon Gold. In this case, be extra careful not to overwork your mash.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave, slow cooker, or stovetop. Add additional milk, cream, or sour cream if your leftover potatoes seem dried out.
- Mashed potatoes NEED salt. Please season to taste.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
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