Recently my sister asked me to make mashed potatoes for a BBQ she was hosting. And of course, I never make anything basic, so on my IG stories I asked you for all your best mashed potato recipes/hacks. And you really came through!
This recipe is a combined effort between all of us. You told me your favourite ways to make a mashed potato and this is a combination of all those recipes! Mellow roasted garlic infuses the creamy mash. And you can make this healthier by making it ahead of time! This is not a quick one. But that flavour is worth all the patience! And the oven does most of the heavy lifting. So really, this is a great hands off make ahead meal.
How to make a healthier mashed potato
First secret to making mashed potato is to make ahead, if you can. Cooking and then cooling a potato actually makes it healthier for you! The cooking and cooling process actually converts the starch in a potato to a resistant starch which digests differently than a freshly cooked potato starch. Resistant starches feed your gut bacteria, the starch also doesn’t affect blood glucose as much, so is better for diabetics. Once cooled, you can totally reheat to eat and the taste will be just as good, but you get the benefit of all that resistant starch! So yes. If you can, allow the mashed potatoes to come to room temp or chill overnight for best (and healthiest) results!
To peel or not to peel a potato?
Ah the age old debate. This one comes down to personal preference. I like the texture of potato skins. I also prefer a slightly lumpier mashed potato. I also like that the skin has additional nutrients in it. But if you prefer a smoother mashed potato, peel them after boiling (the skin will slide right off!).
What Type of Potato is best for Mashed Potatoes?
A classic russet potato is great for mashing or whipping. I personally prefer the golden colour and almost creamy texture of a yukon gold potato. It almost seems like a buttery potato without the butter. Or go for a mix of both for the perfect colour and texture for your mashed potatoes.
Season Liberally
Now is not the time to be stingy. Potatoes need all the salt and pepper. Be liberal with your seasoning to bring out the best flavour in your potatoes.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
A number of you also mentioned that the IP method for making mashed potatoes is also amazing. Just wash & peel potatoes and cut into large chunks. Add to the Instant Pot with enough water to cover them. Cook on manual pressure for 8 minutes. Quick release the steam and drain the potatoes, then continue to season and mash following the recipe below. This can all be done in the IP and served immediately, or transfer to a casserole and allow to cool before baking to get the benefit of those resistant starches!
Do you have any other mashed potato secrets? Tell me below!
The Best Garlicky Mashed Potatoes (Paleo, Veg, DF, GF)
Ingredients
For Mashed Potatoes
- 15 medium potatoes – russet or yukon gold (or a mixture of the two) is recommended (approx 5 lbs.)
- 1/2 cup herb and garlic cream cheese (or 1 package boursin or vegan cream cheese)
- 1 cup sour cream (or yogurt – dairy free works too)
- 1/4 cup butter (or vegan butter or olive oil)
- 2-3 tsp flakey salt (more to taste)
- 1-2 tsp ground black pepper (more to taste)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary or chives, finely chopped (optional)
For Roasted Garlic
- 2 heads garlic
- 1 tbsp oil
- pinch flakey salt
Instructions
Roast the Garlic
- Pre-heat oven to 400F.
- Chop the top off the garlic bulbs ,just enough to expose the cloves. Leave the skin on, but rub off any loose skin. You want to keep the bulb whole for roasting, but remove any loose bits of skin.
- Place the bulb on a piece of aluminum foil large enough to wrap the whole bulb. Sprinkle about 1/2 tbsp of oil on each bulb and loosely wrap in foil. Make sure the foil is sealed.
- Place the foil wrapped bulbs on a baking sheet in the oven for 40-45 mins. (You can do this while other items bake in the oven too).
- When done, take a peek inside the foil. The flesh of the garlic will have started to turn golden brown and softened to an almost butter like consistency.
- Once it is cool enough to handle, gently squeeze the flesh out of the bulb into a small bowl. Set aside. This can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week.
Make the Mashed Potatoes
- Wash the potatoes and chop into two or three large pieces. (I like to leave the skin on, but if you want to peel them, I recommend peeling after boiling so the skin just slides right off)
- Place in a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil on high, and cook until the potatoes and easily pierced with a fork. (For IP method see recipe notes below).
- Drain and peel if desired (I leave the peel on). Place the boiled potatoes in a large bowl.
- Add the cream cheese, sour cream, butter, fresh herbs, if using, salt and pepper. Mash to desired consistency. For a creamy smooth mashed potato mash using a paddle attachment in a mixer. I like a chunky mashed potato, so I prefer to hand mash. Taste as you go and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer to a large casserole dish, sprinkle with paprika and more chopped fresh herbs. Set aside to cool to room temperature for at least 1 hour or refrigerate overnight. You can skip this step and cook right away too.
Bake the Mashed Potatoes
- If the potatoes were chilled in the refrigerator, allow the dish to come to room temp for 30 minutes before baking. Otherwise go straight to baking:
- Preheat oven to 350F (176C).
- Cover the casserole dish with foil. Bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for additional 20 minutes uncovered.
- Serve immediately.
One thought on “The Best Garlicky Mashed Potatoes (Veg, GF, DF, Paleo)”