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Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

Perfectly creamy and fluffy mashed red potatoes bursting with garlic flavor. Made with just 5 ingredients in 30 minutes. These are the perfect easy side dish to serve at your next holiday gathering or Sunday dinner! 

Don’t miss my crock pot mashed potatoes, roasted red potatoes and creamy mashed potatoes, too!

Mashed red potatoes in a bowl.
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Ingredients for Mashed Red Potatoes

Red mashed potatoes are seasoned, boiled, and mashed together in a matter of minutes. This is the perfect weeknight side dish that can go with any dinner!

Pouring salt into pot of red potatoes.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Red potatoes: Make sure to wash the red skin potatoes well before using. You can peel them or keep the skins on if preferred. I like the texture that the red skins add to the dish.
  • Butter: Melt the salted butter before using. If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt to taste. I also like to add a slice of butter on top before serving.
  • Sour cream: This gives them that super creamy texture, with a hint of tang.
  • Milk: This also adds to the creaminess. For an even richer flavor, you can use heavy cream instead.
  • Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves add the best flavor. The whole cloves cook in the same pot as the potatoes, making them super easy to mash.

Favorite Dishes to Serve With

This is a great side dish to serve at a holiday dinner, alongside your favorite comfort meal, or with a big juicy steak!

How to Make Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

If you can boil water, you can make this easy mashed red potato recipe! It is that simple and easy to make. Mashed red potatoes are a comforting side dish that everyone loves to have at the dinner table.

Mashing red potatoes in a pot.
  1. Boil. Add the diced potatoes and garlic cloves into a pot of boiling water and cook until they are fork-tender. Drain and then place back into the pan.
  2. Mash. Pour in the melted butter, milk, and sour cream. Mash everything together using a potato masher or hand mixer in a large bowl. For an even creamier consistency, mix in one to two spoonfuls of heavy cream. Mix until desired consistency.
  3. Serve. Enjoy plain, with homemade gravy or your favorite cheese melted on top.
Mashed red potatoes in a white bowl.

Cooking Tips

Follow these quick and easy tips to help cooking your red potatoes even easier.

  • Salt in water. Add a Tablespoon of salt to the pot of water. It will add a nice depth of flavor to the potatoes while they cook.
  • More garlic. Add the garlic cloves to the water as well so they can cook and mash very easily. You could also roast the garlic in the oven if you prefer a more caramelized flavor.
  • Extra creamy. To take them up a notch, try using heavy cream and mixing in freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this garlic mashed potato recipe vegan?

Yup. Replace the butter with vegan butter and substitute the sour cream and milk with plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk.

Can I use any other type of potato?

If you would prefer not to use red potatoes, you can swap them for Yukon gold potatoes, but you may have to adjust the amounts of the other ingredients. Russet potatoes are a popular potato but it has a different flavor and texture that doesn’t fit well like the red and gold potatoes do.

What are red potatoes and what makes them different from other potatoes?

Red potatoes are known for their red, thin texture. They are softer compared to other potatoes. They are usually small to medium size in the grocery store.

Do I need to peel red potatoes for mashed potatoes?

No need to peel the potatoes ahead of time. Because red potatoes have a thin skin of red potatoes it is nice to leave it on and mash them together.

Garlic red mashed potatoes in white bowl.

5 star review

“An absolute must make! My daughter loves anything mashed potatoes, she’ll be in for a delicious surprise! I might add just a bit of feta, she loves that too!”

-Petro

Storing and Reheating

The mashed red potatoes recipe is so simple to store.

  • Making ahead of time: Place in a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat by poking lots of holes in the plastic wrap and microwave at medium-high power for about 14 minutes.
  • Leftovers: Let the mashed red potatoes cool before storing the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Use them to make potato pancakes.
  • Reheat: Warm up in the microwave, stovetop, or oven until they are warmed through. It should not take too long to reheat.

Love potato side dishes? Add potatoes au gratin, hasselback potatoes recipe and grilled potatoes to your menu!

More Potato Side Dishes You’ll Love

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Mashed red potatoes in a bowl.

Mashed Red Potatoes

5 from 20 votes
↑ Click stars to rate now!
Author: Jamielyn Nye
Perfectly creamy and fluffy mashed red potatoes bursting with garlic flavor. Made with just 5 ingredients in 30 minutes. These are the perfect easy side dish to serve at your next holiday gathering or Sunday dinner! 
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8

Video

Ingredients 

  • 2 ½ pounds red potatoes , quartered
  • ¼ cup salted butter , melted
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup warm milk , or heavy cream
  • 2-3 garlic cloves , peeled, more or less as desired
  • Kosher salt , to taste
  • Ground black pepper , to taste

Instructions

  • In a large pot of water, stir in 1 Tablespoon salt and bring to a boil over medium heat. Place potatoes and garlic cloves in the pot and cook 20 to 30 minutes, or until a fork inserts easily. Drain and place back in pot. Let steam evaporate.
  • Add the melted butter, sour cream, and milk. Mash with a potato masher. If you want them extra creamy, use an electric mixer. Add 1 to 2 Tablespoons of heavy creamy if you would like them even creamier.
  • Season with salt and pepper. Serve while warm. Enjoy plain, or with gravy or melted cheese on top.

Notes

Peels: You can leave the skins on the potatoes, if preferred. 
Optional toppings:
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Green onions
  • Melted butter
  • Homemade gravy, of course
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 670mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 244IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!

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