Why You Should Never Boil Mashed Potatoes in Water (and the Best Recipe Instead!)

Prep the potatoes: Peel and cut the potatoes into even 1½-inch chunks. Uniform size ensures they cook evenly.
Add ingredients to the pot: Place potatoes in a large pot with milk, cream, butter, and salt. The liquid should just cover the potatoes.
Simmer gently: Bring to a slow simmer over medium heat — avoid aggressive boiling to ensure the potatoes cook evenly and absorb the creamy liquid.
Cook until tender: Simmer for 20–25 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Mash the potatoes: Remove from heat and mash with a potato masher, ricer, or hand mixer — depending on your preferred texture.
Adjust consistency: Add more warm milk if needed to reach the desired creaminess. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Serve: Spoon into a serving bowl and top with a pat of butter that melts into the hot, fluffy surface.

More flavor: The potatoes absorb milk and butter instead of bland water, intensifying the taste.
Ultra-creamy texture: Cooking in dairy ensures rich, smooth, and luscious mashed potatoes.
Restaurant quality at home: This simple method delivers results worthy of any fine-dining table.

Warm your dairy: When adding extra milk or cream, make sure it’s warm — cold liquid can make the potatoes gummy.
Don’t overmix: Over-mashing releases starch, resulting in gluey potatoes. Stop when smooth and fluffy.
Infuse flavor: For garlic lovers, simmer a few cloves of garlic along with the potatoes for subtle roasted depth.
Make-ahead option: Keep mashed potatoes warm in a slow cooker on low heat until serving time.