Everyone needs an ultra creamy, rich, buttery mashed potato recipe, and that's exactly what these brown butter mashed potatoes are. Made with a mixture of heavy cream and sour cream and then processed in a potato ricer, these mashed potatoes boast the most velvety, smoothest texture, and then we make this recipe even more delicious by giving it a flavor kick from the brown butter. Essentially, these brown butter mashed potatoes are perfection in a bowl.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I know -- perfection is a high bar, but I like to think of myself as a mashed potato connoisseur. If there's one side dish I can't get enough, it's definitely mashed potatoes. So as someone who loves, loves her mashed potatoes, I feel confident in calling out perfect potatoes, and once you taste this recipe, I have a feeling you'll be right there with me.
That brown butter: By using brown butter instead of regular melted butter, we add a rich, nutty flavor that makes these mashed potatoes even better than traditional recipes. Consider these gourmet mashed potatoes.
Only requires five ingredients: While the brown butter gives this dish a fancy touch, it still doesn't take a long list of ingredients to create the best mashed potatoes ever.
Perfect for a crowd: Serving the whole family and then some? This brown mashed potato recipe will keep everyone fed and full.
Can be made ahead for easy entertaining: Mashed potatoes are a favorite holiday side dish, but as we all know, this can be a hectic cooking time. To make your life easier, I included make-ahead directions.
Related: If you love this recipe, make sure you also try my air-fried fingerling potatoes and smoked mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
See? These five mashed potato ingredients are all you need.
Besides our ingredients, you'll also need a large stock pot, a medium saucepan, a strainer, a ricer or potato masher, and a sturdy wooden spoon or mixer, either handheld or stand.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: We first prepare our potatoes. This includes peeling, cutting into quarters and giving them a good rinse (photo 1).
Step 2: Now we add our potatoes to a large stock pot, bring to a boil and then drop the temperature to a simmer until we can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork (photo 2).
Step 3: As the potatoes cook, we get busy with a little multitasking. In a medium saucepan we brown our butter. This is as simple as melting the butter and whisking occasionally until it turns golden brown and foams like so. After browning, we mix in some sour cream and heavy cream (photo 3) and heat just until warm.
Step 4: Once we can easily piece our potatoes with a fork, we're ready to drain (photo 4) and pat the potatoes with a paper towel to remove excessive moisture.
Step 5: Now we add the potatoes to a mixing bowl, pour the brown butter-cream mixture on top (photo 5), and stir or whip until they turned into that perfect mashed consistency.
And just like that, we have the best mashed potatoes ready to enjoy. For a holiday meal, I love serving these brown butter mashed potatoes with my Christmas roast duck or maple-braised turkey legs and thighs, or if it's another time of year, you'll love this recipe with my braised red wine short ribs or coq au vin.
Related: For even more serving ideas, check out my guide on what to eat with mashed potatoes.
Make-Ahead Directions
With the exception of our deep-fried turkey, I make all our Thanksgiving side dishes ahead of time, including these brown butter mashed potatoes -- which are always a hit.
Simply cover the finished mashed potatoes, refrigerate and reheat with a little extra heavy cream to rehydrate. When reheating, you have a few options.
- Warm the mashed potatoes on the stove over low to medium-low heat. Stir every so often and add a little heavy cream to return the mashed potatoes to their original consistency.
- Spoon the refrigerated mashed potatoes into a room-temperature 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish and pour a splash of cream on top but don't mix. If you refrigerate your mashed potatoes in the baking dish, take it out 30 minutes before putting the dish in the oven. Cover with foil and bake in a 350-degree oven until warm -- about 30 minutes. Stir to fluff up and add a little more cream if necessary to return the potatoes to your desired consistency.
- Pour a splash of heavy cream into a slow cooker, add the mashed potatoes and set to low. Stir occasionally to keep the potatoes together. Once the mashed potatoes heat through, turn to the warm setting for up to four hours. Or you could even make the mashed potatoes, immediately put them in the slow cooker, set it to warm, stir occasionally and then serve the mashed potatoes four hours later.
- Microwave the mashed potatoes in a covered dish in short intervals and stir. Keep doing this until the mashed potatoes heat through. Like the other methods, add a little heavy cream at the end.
Recipe FAQs
For the creamiest consistency, we want to use a nice and starchy potato, so you can't go wrong with russets. Yukon Gold potatoes also work well and have good flavor. Either way, you can't go wrong with the two varieties, or you can could even use a combination of the two.
On the flip side, I recommend avoiding red potatoes. While I love red potatoes for roasting, they don't give us the creamy texture we want here.
Of course, you could use a classic potato masher, but oddly enough, that's my least favorite method. The results aren't quite as creamy as other methods. Instead, I'm absolutely in love with my potato ricer for the job.
If you've never used a potato ricer, you basically put your cooked potatoes into the chamber of this handheld device and press down to push the potatoes through these small holes. The potatoes come out light and fluffy in small pieces, making for perfectly creamy mashed potatoes.
You bet. Mashed potatoes freeze surprisingly well. Store in an airtight, freezer-safe container, and the potatoes should last for two months.
You can thaw by placing the mashed potatoes in the refrigerator overnight or using that thaw setting on your microwave. Keep in mind, as the mashed potatoes thaw, they might seem a bit watery, but as you heat them, keep stirring and they will eventually come back together.
Expert Tips
- When cutting the potatoes, make sure they're roughly the same size. While they don't have to be exact, this helps with even cooking.
- For the creamiest mashed potatoes, don't skip the peeling process. Peeling ensures a more velvety texture that no one can resist.
- Use cold water -- not hot water -- for boiling and simmering. Again, this helps with even cooking.
- A wooden spoon works well with riced potatoes, or you can use a stand or hand mixer. Just make sure not to overmix or you'll be left with gluey potatoes. Simply whip the potatoes until they reach your desired consistency.
- Don't skip the step of warming the heavy cream and sour cream. Cold cream doesn't absorb as well, and if those potatoes don't absorb that delicious cream, we won't get the perfect texture.
Perfect Pairing
When we brown butter, we get these delicious nutty notes that pair well with beers that show off a caramel-like malt. With that in mind, I recommend reaching for a Scotch ale, dunkel or dubbel. All three are delicious with these mashed potatoes and go well with big, hearty meals.
If you're in the mood for a glass of wine, you can't go wrong with a chardonnay. Those buttery notes in the chardonnay are a natural match for all the brown butter and cream. An oaked chenin blanc is another tasty option that works well with cream-based dishes.
Whether you're craving some classic comfort food or need the perfect holiday side dish, I hope you try these brown butter mashed potatoes. You will love every fluffy bite.
Cheers!
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📖 Recipe
The Best Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Large stockpot
- Strainer
- Potato ricer (optional but recommended)
- Study spoon or mixer
Ingredients
- 5 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
- 2 tablespoons salt
- Cold water
- 1 cup butter
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup sour cream
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Peel potatoes, cut into quarters and rinse well.
- In a large stockpot, add potatoes, salt and enough cold water that it covers the potatoes by an inch or two. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until it turns golden brown and foamy. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream and reduce to medium-low. Don't boil --- just heat until warm. Remove from heat once warmed.
- When a fork easily pierces the potatoes, drain, pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture and move to a mixing bowl. If using a potato ricer, pass the potatoes through the ricer before adding them back to the mixing bowl.
- Begin to roughly mash the potatoes to break them up. Pour the warm brown butter-cream mixture over the potatoes and continue to mash until they reach your desired consistency and then immediately stop mashing to prevent overmixing. To mash, you can use a potato masher, sturdy wooden spoon, or handheld or stand mixer on low. Taste and add salt if necessary. Serve immediately or see notes for making these mashed potatoes ahead of time. Enjoy!
Notes
- To make these mashed potatoes ahead of time and reheat, you have a few options. Warm the mashed potatoes on the stove over low heat. Stir every so often and add a little heavy cream to return the mashed potatoes to their original consistency.
- Spoon the refrigerated mashed potatoes in a room-temperature 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish and pour a splash of cream on top. If you refrigerate your mashed potatoes in the baking dish, take it out 30 minutes before putting them in the oven. Cover with foil and bake in a 350-degree oven until warm --- about 30 minutes. Stir to fluff up and add a little more cream if necessary to get to your desired consistency.
- Pour a splash of heavy cream into a slow cooker, add the mashed potatoes and set to low. Stir occasionally to keep the potatoes together. Once the mashed potatoes heat through, turn to the warm setting for up to four hours. Or you could even make the mashed potatoes, immediately put them in the slow cooker, set it to warm, stir occasionally and then serve the mashed potatoes four hours later.
- Microwave the mashed potatoes in a covered dish in short intervals and stir. Keep doing this until the mashed potatoes heat through. Like the other methods, add a little heavy cream at the end.
- These mashed potatoes can also be frozen. Thaw by placing in the refrigerator overnight or using the thaw setting on your microwave.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
Google Web Story: Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Toni says
This was so good!! My family was impressed! Thanks for the recipe!
Chenée says
Brown butter makes everything better, especially these potatoes!! They're so amazing. Definitely making them again asap!
Deepika says
This is mashed potatoes perfection. I love that you have used brown butter. It is the next level.
Tara says
Oh wow! These mashed potatoes sound absolutely fantastic, especially with the addition of the brown butter. Yum!
Gina says
Brown butter is the BEST! It takes anything it touches to the next level including these mashed potatoes!