The Best Mashed Potato Recipes: 5 Top-Rated (and different!) Versions You Need to Try
- The Chef & The Dish
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
There’s one thing I will forever associate with my childhood, and that’s mashed potatoes. Yes, the founder of a cooking school is about to wax poetic about the humble potato, because it is, without question, the most important dish of my youth.
It’s Jenn here, the founder of The Chef & The Dish, and as the holidays roll in, I always get a little more sentimental. This time of year makes me crave all the simple joys—slow mornings in pajamas, unhurried cups of coffee, long talks with family, good food warming the house, and the gentle luxury of letting the day stretch on without rushing to meet it.
But above all, this time of year brings back one dish that means “home” like nothing else: mashed potatoes.
Growing up, there was one side dish my dad made that was always my favorite. Mashed potatoes. With our German heritage, mashed potatoes had a magical way of fitting into every dinner. Bratwurst? Naturally, mashed potatoes. Stuffed pork chops? The perfect partner, mashed potatoes. A “hot hamburger” with gravy? What else is there except… mashed potatoes. One of my favorites - Swiss Steak, always with mashed potatoes. It's the flavor of my childhood, the flavor that brings me home in every sense of the word.
And my dad’s are simply the best. Creamy yet slightly chunky, buttery but never overpowering, and full of honest potato flavor. Sour cream? Stop, that's for baked potatoes only. There's never cheese. And dear God, never, ever garlic. That's a cardinal sin to my father. These are potatoes, not butter and garlic with a hint of potato. They taste like comfort, conversation, and belonging. They taste like home. And so…
If mashed potatoes weren’t the flavor of your childhood, maybe it’s time to find the ones that will be. Below, are some of the best mashed potato recipes on the internet, each wildly different, each beloved for its own reasons. Try a few, find your favorite, and discover the version that will become your family’s “this tastes like home.”
And yes, my dad’s simple mashed potato recipe is at the bottom of this post! As far as I’m concerned, there’s no recipe on earth that comes close.
The 4 Most Popular (and Completely Different) Mashed Potato Recipes on the Internet
To help you on your quest for mashed-potato destiny, I’ve pulled together four very different recipes—each with its own philosophy, method, and iconic fan base.
1. The Ultra-Creamy, Restaurant-Style Mashed Potatoes
Recipe: Joel Robuchon–Inspired Mashed Potatoes
Why It’s Popular: This is the world-famous mashed potato style created by Chef Joël Robuchon—known for being one of the richest, silkiest mashed potatoes ever made. The secret? A shockingly high amount of butter whipped into extremely fine, sieved potatoes. Then warm milk is added to create a velvety, almost soufflé-like texture.
2. The Classic American “Holiday Table” Mashed Potatoes
Recipe: Ree Drummond’s Perfect Mashed Potatoes
Why It’s Popular: Ree’s recipe is beloved because it’s everything American comfort food should be—creamy, buttery, and made with cream cheese for extra tang and silkiness. It’s made ahead-friendly, perfectly crowd-pleasing, and always delicious the next day.
3. The Skin-On, Rustic, Chunkier Mashed Potatoes
Recipe: Ina Garten’s Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Why It’s Popular: If you like mashed potatoes with character, this is your recipe. Ina keeps the skins on (Yukon Golds work best), roasts the garlic, and mashes everything by hand for a rustic, hearty feel. These are the mashed potatoes for people who want a “just came from a farmhouse kitchen” experience.
4. The Dairy-Free, Light & Flavor-Packed Mashed Potatoes
Recipe: Bon Appétit’s Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
Why It’s Popular:This version swaps heavy dairy for good olive oil, which gives the potatoes a lighter, fruitier, more Mediterranean flavor. They’re perfect for people who are dairy-free, vegan, or simply prefer potatoes that aren’t quite so rich.
What Makes the “Perfect” Mashed Potatoes?
While everyone has different preferences, great mashed potatoes usually come down to:
✔ The Right Potato
Russets = fluffy and light
Yukon Golds = buttery and creamy
✔ Proper Cooking
Always start potatoes in cold water so they cook evenly.
✔ The Right Fat
Butter, cream, olive oil, sour cream—choose your style and commit.
✔ Texture Preference
Smooth? Rustic? Chunky? There is no wrong answer—only your answer.
✔ Salt (More Than You Think)
Most mashed potatoes fall flat because they aren’t salted enough.
And now... for the real deal, honestly the best mashed potatoes on the internet...
The moment I’ve been waiting to share. The potatoes of my childhood. The ones that taught me how food connects us to people, places, and memories. These are my dad’s mashed potatoes, simple, imperfect, and absolutely perfect.
Dad's Mashed Potato Recipe
(we don’t use recipes in my house… so this is the best I’ve got.)
Ingredients:
4 large Russet Potatoes
½ stick of butter
About ½ to ¾ cup 2% milk
Salt, a fair bit
Instructions:
Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes.
Place in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil.
Cook until fork-tender.
Drain, then place the pot back on the stove for a minute to let excess water steam off.
Add the butter—just break it into big, unapologetic chunks.
Pour in about ½ cup of milk to start. You don't want these liquidy or thin.
Add salt, a good layer of salt across the top of the potatoes.
Mash with a potato masher, not a ricer. These are mashed potatoes—you want some chunks!
The key here is not over-mashing. Too smooth and the potatoes get gluey and lose that magical potato-ness. Leaving a few small chunks is a celebration of the humble potato itself. Those pure bites of potato flavor? They’re heaven. They’re childhood. They’re home.
Mashed potatoes seem simple… but they’re deeply personal. They can taste like childhood, comfort, holidays, joy, or simply “this moment right now.” Whether you prefer them silky-smooth, rustic, buttery, or olive-oil light, there’s a mashed potato out there waiting to become your family’s signature. Try a few. Taste them all. And maybe, just maybe, my dad's recipe will become the one that feels like home to you, too.
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