Creamy Southern Mashed Potatoes

Creamy southern mashed potatoes are one of the best comfort foods. Just potatoes, milk, butter, sour cream, and salt. Simple and delicious.

There are a few great comfort foods in this world and mashed potatoes are 100% one of them!

Creamy, smooth, full of butter, and rich potato flavor. There are just some things that you need to do right, and southern mashed potatoes are one of those things.

This classic Thanksgiving staple but also a favorite year-round, and is easy to make with only a couple of ingredients so let's get cooking!

Jump to:

• Ingredients Needed for Creamy Southern Mashed Potatoes
• How Do You Make Mashed Potatoes from Scratch?
• Can Mashed Potatoes Be Made Ahead of Time for Thanksgiving?
• What's the Best Potato for Mashing?
• Are Mashed Potatoes Healthy?
• What Goes with Mashed Potatoes?
• Creamy Southern Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients Needed for Creamy Southern Mashed Potatoes

• Idaho Potatoes
• Butter
• Sour Cream
• Milk
• Salt
• Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

How Do You Make Mashed Potatoes from Scratch?

1. Fill a large pot with water halfway up and heavily salt. Place on the stove on high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Fill the sink with cold water. Peel the potatoes and place them in the cold water once peeled while working on the other. This will help prevent them from browning while you're working.
3. Once the potatoes are peeled, dice each potato into small cubes. Place directly into the boiling water.
4. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
5. Drain the potatoes and place in a large bowl. Add in the butter and with a hand mixer mix for 1 minute.
6. Add in the sour cream, milk, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy making sure that there are no clumps left.
7. Taste test and add more salt if needed. If too thick or "gluey" add more milk to help thin out and make more creamy.
8. Add to a large bowl and top with another pad (tablespoon) of butter and serve!

PRO TIP: To keep your potatoes from browning while you're peeling and dicing, keep them in ice-cold water after you have peeled them.

Can Mashed Potatoes Be Made Ahead of Time for Thanksgiving?

Unfortunately, mashed potatoes are something that are best made hot and fresh right before you eat them.

The good news is that a lot of things can be prepped ahead of time and since mashed potatoes are one of the only things that are best not to make in advance, it can be easy to plan when to start these.

When to start cooking mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner -

About 45 minutes before the meal is going to be served, have your friends and family help you peel and dice the potatoes since this is what takes the longest. The rest of the recipes goes super fast and you will have hot and fresh mashed potatoes ready to serve on your Thanksgiving table that everyone will be drolling over!

What's the Best Potato for Mashing?

Russet potatoes are the best. The high starch content helps give the texture and flavor that we all know and love.

They also absorb a lot of water when cooking, that is why to heavily salt the water it cooks in. Potatoes need a lot of salt to help flavor - by salting the water you will bring out even more flavor to the potatoes before adding in the dairy products.

Are Mashed Potatoes Healthy?

There is whole milk, butter, and full-fat sour cream that unless I am writing out a recipe card for a blog post, I eye and dump and go by taste when making them.

So I mean it's just carbs and fats. But goodness, they are so stinking good!

Healthy for your waistline? Maybe not every day. But on the Thanksgiving table and the occasional side dish comfort food - 100%

What Goes with Mashed Potatoes?

For Thanksgiving, all of your traditional sides like fried turkey or traditionally baked turkey, green beans, corn casserole, sweet potato casserole, soft, and fluffy dinner rolls.

For just your average weeknight dinner, there is nothing better than mashed potatoes served alongside steak, chicken, and veggies.

Personally, I always liked eating mashed potatoes when I am sick and nothing sounds good or if you have any dental work done. Creamy southern mashed potatoes will soothe any aches, pains, and woes you may have.

More Thanksgiving Recipes!

• How to Fry a Turkey
• Creamy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
• Southern Cheesy Corn Casserole
• Southern Cheddar Mac and Cheese 
• Slow Cooker Green Beans
• Maple Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts 
• Broccoli Casserole Made without Velveeta 
• Southern Pumpkin Pie
• 1 Hour Wheat Dinner Rolls

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