Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Bring rich, savory flavor to your table with these roasted garlic mashed potatoes! Roast the garlic the day before or use the one that you stuffed the turkey cavity on Thanksgiving. Choose Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes for the perfect creamy base, and add a touch of sharp cheese and sour cream to make this side dish unforgettable.
Best Potatoes for Mashing
For fluffy mashed potatoes, Russet or Idaho potatoes are the best choice—it’s the same reason fast-food restaurants use them for French fries. If you want a firmer, waxy potato for roasting, soups or salads, go with red or Purple Peruvian potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes offer a buttery flavor and creamy texture, making them a versatile option that sits between Russets and reds. They’re great for boiling, mashing, baking, soups, and even fries. For this recipe, choose either Russet, Idaho, or Yukon Gold.
Why This Recipe Works?
- It has extra layers of savory flavor from roasted garlic, hard cheese, and sour cream. I used a blend of Asiago, Parmesan, and Romano for this recipe, but using just one type of hard cheese will still add fantastic flavor. If you’re unsure which hard cheeses work well, check out more options at castellocheese.com.
- No special equipment is required! While a potato ricer gives the fluffiest, creamiest texture, you can also use a simple masher, a fork, or even a large wooden spoon with great results. I used my KitchenAid mixer, but I’ve also done this with a fork and wooden spoon.
- It’s customizable. If chives aren’t your favorite, try swapping them for thyme or sage. For the best flavor, cook these herbs in butter first, instead of adding them fresh like chives.
Simple Steps for Mashed Potatoes
- Start by roasting the garlic. Slice the top off each garlic head or cut it in half. Drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and bake for about 50 minutes, or until very soft. If you already have roasted garlic from making turkey, feel free to use that! Check out my video to see how I roast garlic in my maple butter turkey.
- Wash and scrub the potatoes well before peeling and cutting them..
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the potatoes over medium heat for about 25 minutes, or until they’re fork-tender.
- Drain the water, then mash the hot potatoes and roasted garlic together in the same pot
- Stir in the butter and cheese while the potatoes are still hot. Alternatively, you can melt the butter before adding it.
- Mix in the milk, sour cream, ground pepper, and salt. Top with fresh herbs like chives or thyme.
- Enjoy on its own or with gravy! Try it with my gluten-free turkey gravy recipe.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Reheating
Make Ahead: If your oven will be busy on the day of the feast, roast the garlic a day in advance. Store the roasted garlic in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Get it ready for the next day!
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Storing and Reheating: Store leftover mashed potatoes in an airtight container and reheat them in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- 1 pot
- 1 tin foil
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- 1 tsp olive oil (drizzle on the garlic before roasting)
- 3 lb potatoes (Russtet, Idaho, or Yukon)
- ½ cup butter (1 stick)
- ½ cup hard cheese (such as parmesan or pecurino)
- 1½ cup milk
- ¼ cup sour cream (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp chives (chopped)
Instructions
- Roast the garlic: Preheat the oven at 400 ℉. Slice the top off each garlic head or cut it in half. Drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and bake for about 50 minutes, or until very soft.
- Wash and scrub the potatoes well before peeling and cutting them.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the potatoes over medium heat for about 25 minutes, or until they’re fork-tender.
- Drain the water, then mash the hot potatoes and roasted garlic together in the same pot.
- Stir in the butter and cheese while the potatoes are still hot. Alternatively, you can melt the butter before adding it.
- Mix in the milk, sour cream, ground pepper, and salt. Top with fresh herbs like chives or thyme.
- Enjoy on its own or with gravy!
