Buttery Mashed Potatoes Recipe

If there's one thing better than mashed potatoes, it's definitely buttery mashed potatoes, and recipe developer Ting Dalton is definitely fond of the perfectly savory potato-filled side dish. "It's the perfect accompaniment to so many dishes, and we love to eat it with stews or dishes with sauce, so the potato can mop it up," she says. "However, there are varying degrees of richness in mashed potatoes — and the best for me is when it's full of lovely butter, and some warm milk."

You can definitely count on these potatoes to rank pretty high on the richness scale, which makes them an ideal side dish for steak, chicken, fish — just about anything. And, like Dalton said, they're especially good with a saucy dish, so you'll be in for a savory treat if you pair these potatoes alongside an easy beef stew or salisbury steak. Whichever way you pair these potatoes, you can't go wrong with the simple buttery goodness. 

Dalton describes this recipe as "simplicity at its best," and a glance at the recipe list proves that sentiment. All you need to make these mashed potatoes are the potatoes themselves ("Best potatoes are Yukon or russets," per Dalton), butter, milk, and salt. 

"If you really wanted to make this recipe even more creamy, you could add cream instead of milk," Dalton suggests. "Or if you wanted to add some more flavoring, add some mustard, or even a sprinkle of your favorite cheese like Parmesan or cheddar." 

Add the peeled and diced potatoes to a large pot, and add enough water to cover them. Add in 1 tablespoon of salt, then bring the water to a boil. Boil the potatoes for 10 minutes, and make sure that they're cooked through by poking a potato chunk with a fork. If it's soft and easily pierced, the potatoes are done. Be sure not to overcook the potatoes, otherwise they'll become too watery.

Once the potatoes are done cooking, drain them into a colander, and let them sit for a couple of minutes.

Return the potatoes to the pot, along with the heated milk, butter, and remaining salt. Then, using either a potato masher or fork, mash up the potatoes into a smooth consistency. You may also want to use a spoon, at some point, to mix all of the ingredients together. "It's important to mash the potato with a masher or fork, or if you had a potato sieve, you could scrape the potato through it to get an even smoother finish," Dalton explains. "Never blend potato though, as this will release starch, and make it gloopy, gluey, and not nice to eat."

Make sure that the milk and butter are fully incorporated, and no lumps remain, then your potatoes are ready to serve.

Transfer the mashed potatoes to a serving bowl or dish them onto plates. You can optionally top them off with more butter, or garnish with chopped herbs like chives, thyme, or parsley. 

If you aren't able to finish the potatoes all in one sitting, Dalton notes that they "can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months."