The best garlic mashed red potatoes are luxuriously creamy and comforting, thanks to fresh garlic, thyme, butter, and heavy cream. These mashed potatoes keep the skins on for color and texture, striking a balance between simple and flavorful. Whether you’re serving a holiday feast or a weeknight dinner, this easy recipe produces restaurant-quality mashed potatoes right at home.
Mashed potatoes spark endless debate — smooth or chunky, plain or packed with add-ins, butter or cream cheese. This garlic mashed red potatoes recipe aims for a happy middle ground: rich and savory, with a gentle garlic and thyme infusion that complements roasts, turkey, ham, and most holiday mains.
What Are the Best Potatoes for Mashing?
Red potatoes are my pick here: they’re buttery and hold their shape well, and the skins add a pleasant color and bit of texture when left on. If you prefer a slightly richer, creamier mash, Yukon Golds are an excellent substitute. Whichever variety you choose, leave the skins on for flavor and to save prep time.
Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes Ingredients
- Red potatoes (about 3 lbs)
- Unsalted butter (1 stick, plus extra for serving)
- Heavy cream (about 1 1/2 cups)
- Garlic cloves (3–5, or more to taste)
- Fresh thyme sprigs (leaves removed; 1 tablespoon worth)
- Kosher salt (2–4 teaspoons, to taste)
- Freshly cracked black pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon)
How to Make Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes
- Boil the potatoes: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Scrub and cut the red potatoes into roughly 1-inch pieces. Add them to the boiling water and cook until fork-tender, then drain well.
- Infuse the cream: While the potatoes cook, combine the butter, heavy cream, garlic, and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan. Heat over medium until it just begins to simmer, then reduce to low and cook gently for 8–10 minutes to infuse the cream with garlic and thyme.
- Whip the potatoes: Transfer the drained potatoes to a large bowl. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer on low, begin to beat the potatoes while slowly pouring in the warm cream-and-butter mixture. Mix until the potatoes are whipped and smooth, then season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Start with 2 teaspoons of salt and adjust as needed.
- Serve: Serve warm, topped with an extra drizzle of melted butter and a few thyme sprigs if desired.
Mashed Potato Variations
- Roasted Garlic: Roast a whole head of garlic and mash the softened cloves into the potatoes instead of raw cloves for a mellow, caramelized garlic flavor.
- Sour Cream: Reduce heavy cream to 3/4 cup and stir in 3/4 cup room-temperature sour cream for tang and extra creaminess; finish with chopped chives if you like.
- Cream Cheese: Replace part of the cream with 1/2 block room-temperature cream cheese for a richer, slightly tangy finish.
- Cheesy: Fold in 1 cup shredded cheese (Cheddar, Gruyère, Parmesan, or Pecorino) until melted and well combined.
- Herb-forward: Add a sprig of rosemary with the thyme while infusing the cream; remove stems before mixing so only the soft leaves remain.
Tips for the Best Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes
- Salt the cooking water well: Potatoes absorb salt while boiling, so a well-seasoned pot improves the overall flavor.
- Don’t overcook: Cook until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork; overcooking can make them waterlogged.
- Keep warm: If you need to hold mashed potatoes for a while, place the serving bowl over a warm water bath (bain-marie) to maintain temperature without drying them out.
- Adjust texture gently: Use a mixer on low and add the cream gradually to avoid overworking the potatoes and making them gluey.
Recipe Details
Yield: serves 6–8. Prep time about 10 minutes, cook time about 20 minutes. Course: Sides. Cuisine: American. Keywords: creamy garlic mashed potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes with skin, garlic mashed red potatoes.
Notes
Yukon Gold potatoes make a great substitute if you prefer a slightly creamier texture. For a lighter version, use a combination of milk and less butter, though the final result will be less rich.
If you make this garlic mashed red potatoes recipe, please consider leaving a comment and sharing how you served them. Enjoy!