These creamy garlic red mashed potatoes are the perfect side to any dinner or holiday meal. Made with red potatoes, sour cream, and butter, you know it's going to be fluffy and flavorful.
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Seriously, this is the BEST mashed red potatoes recipe and a perfect side dish to any meal. The results are tasty and flavorful with very minimal effort.
We love mashed potatoes and have so many different variations of them around here, and these garlicky potatoes are among our top 3 favorites. Another option is our Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes.
The addition of garlic to red mashed potatoes is a simple yet brilliant twist on a classic comfort food. The garlic imparts a subtle but enchanting undertone, creating a taste that is creamy, savory, and rich. You're sure to fall in love at first bite!
We use garlic in everything from Soy Garlic Chicken Wings to Sesame Garlic Ramen Noodles, and Garlic Parmesan Roasted Green Beans. There's always room for more.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple and easy. This is a low maintenance side dish that does not require standing over the stove. Perfect for busy days, lazy days, and everything in between.
- Great for guests. These garlic mashed potatoes are an easy way to impress when you are serving company.
- Budget friendly. Red potatoes are often inexpensive, especially in season, and are even easy to grow at home. Using seasonal produce is a smart way to keep grocery costs down.
🛒 Ingredients
Red potatoes. Wash well and peel only if you prefer. I like to remove blemishes and leave the rest of the skin on for added color. Use leftovers in Air Fryer Chicken Thighs and Potatoes or Chicken Leg Sheet Pan Dinner.
Garlic. Fresh garlic cloves are best for this recipe. Jarred minced garlic will not give the same flavor.
Milk. Any milk works, with whole milk being a great option for creaminess. Add as needed to reach the right consistency.
Sour cream. Adds extra richness and a creamy texture.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Buy potatoes in larger bags. Multi-pound bags are usually cheaper per pound and great for meal planning across several dishes.
Use whole garlic cloves. Fresh garlic is inexpensive and adds big flavor without the cost of specialty seasonings.
Stretch with pantry dairy. A mix of milk and sour cream creates creamy potatoes without needing heavy cream.
🥄 Instructions for Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
Step 1: Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil.
Step 2: Wash your red potatoes. Peeling them is optional.
Step 3: Quarter your red potatoes or cut them into 1 ½ inch sized pieces. Peel the garlic cloves.
Step 4: Add your potatoes and garlic to the pot of water and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Step 5: Drain the potatoes into a colander and return the pot to the stove.
Step 6: Add in the butter and sour cream and melt them together. Turn off the heat if you haven't already.
Step 7: Mix until well combined, and the butter has fully melted.
Step 8: Add the potatoes back into the large pot. Use a potato masher to break them down.
Step 9: Continue to mash until the potatoes are nice and creamy. You may need to stir the butter mixture into the potatoes with a wooden spoon.
Step 10: Add in salt and pepper to taste.
Serve warm as a side dish.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Boil garlic with the potatoes. Add peeled whole garlic cloves to the pot while the potatoes cook to infuse flavor and help everything mash together smoothly.
- Leave the skins on. Red potato skins soften as they boil and are barely noticeable once mashed. Leaving them on saves prep time and adds a nice look to the finished dish.
❄️ Storage, Reheating & Make Ahead
Storage: Store leftover Creamy Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of milk or cream if needed to loosen the texture.
Make Ahead: Mashed potatoes can be made 1-2 days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently before serving, adding extra butter or cream as needed.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
These Creamy Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes pair well with roasted chicken, meatloaf, pork chops, steak, or holiday mains. They're also great alongside gravy, green beans, roasted carrots, or a fresh salad.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
These red skin mashed potatoes are gluten-free. There is nothing in the ingredients list that should contain glutens. That said, pay attention to ingredient labels and cross-contamination if you're avoiding it due to an allergy.
Yes, you can reheat your mashed potatoes in a covered pot on the stove over medium heat. If you feel your potatoes are a tad dry, feel free to add in a tablespoon or two of milk or butter to help rehydrate them. Cook until warmed through. About 5 minutes.
If kept in an airtight container, these potatoes can last about 3-5 days in the fridge.
Just about anything! Garlic is a wonderful flavor perfect for pairing with all the great dishes out there, from turkey to beef, chicken, and more. Serve these mashed potatoes up with some homemade Sourdough Gravy for more fun.
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🐝 If you tried this Creamy Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds red potatoes - ($2.75)
- 3 cloves garlic - ($0.24)
- ½ cup unsalted butter - ($0.99)
- ½ cup milk - ($0.10)
- ¼ cup sour cream - ($0.25)
- salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prep: Wash the potatoes and quarter them or chop into about 1½-inch pieces. Peeling is optional.
- Boil: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and whole garlic cloves.
- Cook: Boil until the potatoes are fork-tender and easily mashable.
- Drain: Drain the potatoes and garlic in a colander and return the empty pot to the stove.
- Melt: Add the butter, milk, and sour cream to the pot and heat gently until melted and combined. Turn off the heat.
- Mash: Return the potatoes and garlic to the pot and mash until smooth or to your desired texture.
- Season: Add salt and pepper to taste, mixing well.
- Serve: Serve warm.
Notes
- Garlic flavor: Boiling whole garlic cloves with the potatoes creates a mellow but noticeable garlic flavor.
- Potato skins: Leaving the red potato skins on adds texture and saves prep time, but they can be peeled if preferred.
- Reheating: Reheat covered over medium heat, adding a splash of milk or a bit of butter if needed.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
Nutritional Information
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ELIZABETH says
Made it without sour cream, still delicious. Thank you
Nicole Durham says
I'm glad you liked it!