Our Restaurant Style Mashed Potatoes Recipe is straight from a “secret” family recipe. This mash can be served alongside any of your favorite meals. We serve them up with several comfort food meals, they pair perfectly with our recipe for Coq au Vin. An earthy balance of a true French Classic, these mashed potatoes are the perfect accompaniment.
The best Mashed Potatoes consist of a few ingredients, that result in a decadent creamy, rich mash that remains light and velvety. Our secret? We toss a little nutmeg into this batch, which imparts a deep flavor. Maybe not so much a secret anymore, but for good reason!
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Pro Tips for Perfecting Restaurant-Style Mashed Potatoes
- Potato Selection: Choose starchy potatoes like Russets or Yukon Golds for the creamiest texture.
- Boiling Technique: Cook potatoes in well-salted water until fork-tender but not waterlogged, which can lead to soggy mashed potatoes.
- Dry Potatoes: Drain cooked potatoes thoroughly and return them to the pot over low heat to evaporate any excess moisture.
- Warm Ingredients: Use warm butter, milk, or cream to prevent the mashed potatoes from cooling too quickly.
- Butter and Cream: Don’t skimp on the butter and cream for rich, luxurious mashed potatoes. Adjust the amounts to your taste preference.
- Mashing Method: Use a potato masher, ricer, or food mill for smooth, lump-free mashed potatoes. Avoid over-mixing, which can result in gummy potatoes.
- Seasoning: Season generously with salt and pepper to enhance the flavor. Consider adding roasted garlic, herbs, or grated cheese for extra flavor.
- Texture Adjustment: If the mashed potatoes are too thick, add more warm milk or cream. If too thin, add additional mashed potatoes.
- Taste Test: Always taste and adjust the seasoning before serving. Remember, the key to great mashed potatoes is balance!
- Keep Warm: Keep mashed potatoes warm until serving by placing them in a heatproof dish over a pot of simmering water or in a low oven. Stir occasionally to prevent drying out.
Mastering the Boiling Process for Perfect Mashed Potatoes
Place medium-sized potatoes, unpeeled and uncut, into a sturdy, heavy-bottomed pot. Add enough cold water to cover the potatoes by about an inch, and generously sprinkle with Kosher sea salt. Keeping the potatoes whole ensures they absorb less water during boiling, preserving their flavor. Cook for approximately 15 minutes until a knife easily pierces through the potatoes when tested. If there’s resistance or crunchiness, continue cooking for a bit longer. Starting with cold water prevents uneven cooking, ensuring perfectly tender potatoes.
Warm the cream, butter, and nutmeg in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on low heat while the potatoes cook.
Drain the potatoes and peel, the skins will slip right off after boiling. Quarter and toss back into the pot they cooked in.
Optimal Techniques for Mashing Potatoes to Perfection
We use a potato ricer for the perfect velvety consistency in our mash, you can also use a potato masher of course.
Potato Masher: This classic tool allows you to easily mash potatoes to your desired consistency. It’s simple and effective for achieving a rustic texture.
Potato Ricer: A potato ricer produces incredibly smooth and fluffy mashed potatoes by pressing cooked potatoes through small holes. It’s ideal for achieving a restaurant-quality texture.
Food Mill: Similar to a potato ricer, a food mill also produces smooth mashed potatoes by forcing the potatoes through a perforated disk. It’s efficient for larger batches and results in a consistent texture.
Hand Mixer: Using a hand mixer can quickly whip cooked potatoes into creamy mashed potatoes. Be careful not to overmix, as it can lead to gummy potatoes.
Stand Mixer: If you have a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, you can use it to mashed potatoes efficiently. Start at a low speed to avoid overmixing.
Choose the method that best suits your preferences and equipment availability for delicious mashed potatoes every time!
Never, ever use a blender or food processor! And Mixers can also result in the same gluey mess. The science is uncomplicated: Boiled potatoes develop puffed starch cells. When ruptured during mashing, the cells release starch. The more cells are broken the gummier the mashed potatoes become.
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How to Make Restaurant Style-Mashed Potatoes
Restaurant Style Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Our Restaurant Style Mashed Potatoes Recipe is straight from a "secret" family recipe. This mash can be served alongside any of your favorite meals.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Author: Mean Green Chef
Ingredients
- 4 pounds Idaho Russet Potatoes
- 1 cup (240 ml) cream can substitute half & half
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) butter
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- Kosher sea salt to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
Add unpeeled, uncut potatoes medium sized potatoes to a heavy-bottomed pot add cold water till the potatoes are covered by an inch, then add a generous hand of Kosher sea salt.
Cook for about 15 minutes, you will be able to easily pierce the potatoes through with a knife, when they're done. If there's resistance and a crunch then let them cook a little bit longer.
Warm the cream, butter, and nutmeg over low heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add a little of the warmed creamed mixture and begin mashing the potatoes, continue to add the cream mixture until you have reached the desired consistency. Season with Kosher sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
Notes
- Prep time is approximate.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Creative Recipe Inspiration
Check out our other Side Dish Recipe Inspiration! Starting with our Steakhouse Potato Stacks, sliced thin and cooked in a garlic cream sauce.
If you want to step out of the everyday side dish routine then you’ll want to make note of our Minted Peas w Lemon, they go fabulously with so many mains!
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