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Perfectly Fluffy Mashed Potatoes

These perfectly Fluffy Mashed Potatoes are made with russet potatoes, butter and milk for light, fluffy potatoes worthy of a spot on the holiday dinner table.

A large dish filled with an easy mashed potato recipe

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Mashed potatoes are perhaps the most quintessential side dish for holidays and Sunday dinners. Mashed potatoes and gravy, mashed potatoes and meatloaf, mashed potatoes and turkey…the list goes on. In short, mashed potatoes are the perfect side for nearly anything.

Everyone has their favourite way to enjoy mashed potatoes, some like mashed potatoes that are a little lumpy, others very smooth and creamy. Some add lots of seasonings and others keep it simple. Not a fan of simple potatoes then this Loaded Potato Salad is perfect for you!

A red dish containing russet mashed potatoes

But for me, the absolute best mashed potatoes are fluffy russet mashed potatoes. With a light texture, just enough butter to add some fluffy, and a splash of milk for creaminess, these are the ultimate mashed potato recipe. Even better, there’s no cream or cream cheese involved, just butter, milk and salt. 

These fluffy potatoes are guaranteed a spot on my holiday table and once you try them, I think you’ll see why!

Ingredients for a homemade mashed potato recipe

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Russet potatoes – While you can use almost any type of potatoes to make mashed potatoes, I find russet to be the best in making fluffy mashed potatoes. They don’t absorb as much water as other potatoes, which is important for creating the proper texture.
  • Salt – Added to the boiling water to season the potatoes while cooking.
  • Butter – Because butter makes everything better and gives this fluffy mashed potato recipe it’s flavour and creaminess.
  • Milk – 2% or whole milk works best. The milk helps make the super creamy texture. 1% or Skim milk tends to be more watery and while they will work you may lose some of the fluffiness you are after.

If you would like to make fluffy vegan mashed potatoes instead simply swap out the milk for almond milk and the butter for vegan butter. I wouldn’t recommend coconut oil because it may give these potatoes a strange flavour.

How to Make Fluffy Mashed Potatoes

  1. Peel and quarter the potatoes. Rinse in cold water to remove the starch.
  2. Boil with the salt until fork tender, then drain and rinse again to remove excess starch. The starch causes mashed potatoes to become thick and gummy, so removing as much starch as possible is key to perfectly fluffy mashed potatoes.
A strainer filled with cubed potatoes
  1. Once rinsed, use a potato ricer to get a fine mash to them. I got my ricer on Amazon for about $20 so you don’t need to spend much. You can also use a traditional potato masher if you wish.

I would recommend the type with the waffle-like base over the ones that are more like a zig-zag. The waffle type tends to give a finer mash which is important for making mashed potatoes fluffier.

cooked potatoes going through a potato ricer into a pot
  1. Melt the butter and milk over low heat in a small pot on the stove or the microwave.
  2. Fold the melted butter and milk mixture into the riced potatoes. Be sure to not overmix, as that can also create a gummy texture causing the potatoes to lose their fluffy texture.
  3. Season with salt and pepper as you wish!

I personally don’t add salt and pepper to my potatoes because I almost always eat russet mashed potatoes with some sort of gravy that already has seasoning.

And because my kids have different tastes. My daughter is all about the salt and my son flattens his potatoes out on his plate and then adds what seems like a blanket of pepper over top. He is a pepper fanatic!

A pot of vegan mashed potatoes with a wooden spoon

Can you make these mashed potatoes vegan?

Yes, you can easily make this mashed potato recipe vegan by turning them into almond milk mashed potatoes! Simply swap the regular milk for almond milk, use vegan butter and voila! Vegan mashed potatoes. 

Can you freeze mashed potatoes?

Yes, you can freeze homemade mashed potatoes. Just allow them to cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag.

You can also flash freeze them in individual servings using a cookie scoop then transfer the servings to an air-tight container or freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge then reheat in the microwave.

Can dogs eat mashed potatoes?

Dogs can eat mashed potatoes but only if they are not seasoned and have very minimal milk and butter. It’s not recommended to feed them large amounts, of course, but a small portion of mashed potatoes won’t hurt them. 

Easy homemade mashed potatoes in a red dish on a table.

More Potato Recipes:

A red dish containing russet mashed potatoes

Perfectly Fluffy Mashed Potatoes

Alisa Infanti
Fluffy Mashed Potatoes are made with russet potatoes, butter and milk for light, fluffy potatoes worthy of a spot on the holiday table.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Holiday, North American, Thanksgiving
Servings 6 servings
Calories 297 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lb russet potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup 2% or whole milk
  • 6 tbsp butter

Instructions
 

  • Peel and quarter potatoes then rinse in cold water to remove the starch. Add the potatoes to a large pot and fill with water until the water is 2" above the potatoes roughly.
  • Add the salt to the water and boil uncovered until fork-tender and then rinse again in a large strainer to remove excess starch.
  • Use a potato ricer to finely mash the potatoes back into the pot. 
  • In a small pot over low heat melt the butter and warm the milk together.
  • Fold the melted butter mixture into the potatoes mixing only as much as needed to combine. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 282gCalories: 297kcalCarbohydrates: 41.6gProtein: 6gFat: 12.5gSaturated Fat: 7.9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.6gMonounsaturated Fat: 3.2gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 124mgPotassium: 1015mgFiber: 5gSugar: 3.8gVitamin A: 437IUVitamin C: 44.8mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 1.78mg

Notes

Vegan Option:
To make vegan mashed potatoes replace the milk with almond milk and the butter with vegan butter.
 
 
Please Note:

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    You’re convincing me I need a ricer to make mashed potatoes like this! Simple recipe but great texture.

5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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