Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

If you’ve browsed lots of different recipes for creamy mashed potatoes with heavy cream and garlic, you’ve seen varying methods for preparing the garlic: roasting a whole head, boiling whole cloves, or even mincing and adding it raw. By contrast, this easy recipe calls for just two cloves of garlic, sauteed and caramelized in butter. This approach both enhances and mellows the garlic, while the caramelization process also dials up the flavor of the butter. The heavy cream is then heated in the same pan, saving you time and dishes.

Starting the potatoes in cool water then bringing them to a simmer allows for more even cooking. After draining the potatoes, don’t skip the step of returning the pot to the burner for a minute or so. The heat evaporates excess water so that the potatoes will readily absorb the cream and butter and still stay fluffy, not soggy.

What Kind of Potatoes to Use

There’s a wide variety of potatoes to choose from, but most can be divided into one of three categories: starchy, waxy, or all-purpose.

Starchy potatoes (such as russets or Idaho potatoes, aka baking potatoes): This recipe calls for russets, a variety that’s high in starch and low in moisture, resulting in fluffy mashed potatoes. Using other varieties of potatoes will give your mashed potatoes different textures.

Waxy potatoes (such as red potatoes, fingerlings, or new potatoes): Waxy potatoes contain less starch and are a little sweeter in flavor and firmer in texture. They will give you heavier mashed potatoes that can be creamy at best and gluey at worst, we don't recommend them for mash.

All-purpose potatoes (such as Yukon gold, white potatoes, or purple potatoes): Striking a balance between starchy and waxy, all-purpose potatoes work well for just about any recipe. They’ll result in smooth, creamy mashed potatoes. Because all-purpose potatoes have thin skin, some cooks prefer to leave the skin on when making mashed potatoes. Try this approach if you like a rustic presentation with more variation in color and texture. (Just remember to scrub those potatoes well!)

Tools and Techniques for Mashing Potatoes

Do you already have a go-to method for mashing potatoes? This recipe calls for a heavy whisk to do the job, but there are several other tools that work just as well.

• Potato Masher: Get an arm workout and avoid extra dirty dishes while you’re at it by using a manual potato masher directly in your potato cooking pot. Avoid over-mashing: once the lumps are gone, switch to a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to mix in milk, butter, and seasonings.
  
• Potato Ricer: This tool resembles a gigantic garlic press. You squeeze the cooked potatoes through it a scoop at a time, resulting in a light, smooth, consistent texture. Once the potatoes are riced you can mix in other ingredients with a spoon or an electric mixer.
• Electric Mixer: For the creamiest mashed potatoes, you can’t beat an electric mixer. You can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (avoid the whisk) OR handheld mixer. But don’t get carried away! As soon as the potatoes are smooth and other ingredients are incorporated, turn off the mixer. Overmixing will turn the potatoes heavy and gummy.
  

Why You Should Never Use a Food Processor or Blender to Make Mashed Potatoes

The blades will rupture the potatoes’ starch cells and you’ll end up with a bowl of something resembling wallpaper paste.