Sunday Dinner Mashed Potatoes

I used to think mashed potatoes were all the same. Until I figured out this version. The cream cheese melts right into the hot potatoes and gives them that extra-smooth, almost whipped texture you usually only get in a restaurant. Add plenty of butter and just the right amount of milk, and you’ve got a classic side that everyone will remember.

Mashed potatoes were always on my family’s holiday table, but let’s face it, if you don’t add enough butter they aren’t special. We fixed all that and now every Christmas and Thanksgiving, these are required.

What You’ll Need

The hot potatoes help melt the butter and cream cheese, and the cream cheese adds a subtle flavor that takes this up a notch from regular mashed potatoes. Use full-fat cream cheese and real butter only, please. This is no place for substitutes. While you can use a potato masher, a hand mixer will make them nice and fluffy.

This will make 8-10 servings, but you can easily make more for a large holiday family dinner. If you’d like to double or triple this recipe, you can make adjustments in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Equipment

• small stock pot
• Mixing bowl
• Hand mixer

Ingredients 

• 8-9 Russet Potatoes
• 1 stick of butter
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• ¼ cup milk, adjust if needed, can add up to ½ cup
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make

Don’t skip the softening step for the butter and cream cheese. Room-temperature ingredients blend much more smoothly.

Step One: Get Everything Ready

Get a big pot of water going on medium-high heat. While that’s heating up, set your butter and cream cheese out in a large bowl so they can start softening. Trust me on this – cold cream cheese is a nightmare to mix.

Step Two: Cook the Potatoes

Peel those potatoes and cut them in half the long way. Toss them in the boiling water and let them cook until they’re fork-tender – usually about 20-25 minutes depending on how big they are.

Step Three: Mash

Drain the water (careful, it’s HOT) and dump the potatoes right into that bowl with your butter and cream cheese. Use a hand mixer to mash everything together. Don’t worry about being perfect here. A few small lumps are fine.

Step Four: Make Them Perfect

Add your ¼ cup of milk, salt, and pepper, then keep mixing until they look fluffy and creamy. If they seem too thick, add more milk bit by bit until they’re just right. You want them creamy but still a texture that will hold its shape on your plate or fork.

Be sure to taste them! Some people prefer more or less salt. We like them salty so I typically add a bit more at this step. Do not just say “oh, people can add their own salt”. Make them taste good.

Serving & Storing

Serve with roast chicken, crispy Brussels sprouts, and a cranberry-strawberry cobbler for a delicious Sunday supper.

These potatoes can be made a few hours ahead and kept warm in a buttered slow cooker on low. If they thicken up, stir in a splash of warm milk.

For leftovers (if you have any!), store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

They reheat well with a bit of milk stirred in, or try making potato cakes for breakfast the next morning.

Make It Your Own

Here are a few ways to change it up.

• Swap in Yukon Gold potatoes for a naturally buttery flavor.
• Add roasted garlic for more flavor (roast a whole head and squeeze in the soft cloves).
• Try sour cream in place of some of the cream cheese.
• For loaded mashed potatoes, fold in crispy bacon, shredded cheddar, and chopped chives just before serving.

More Potato Recipes

You can cook them in so many ways, and they go with nearly everything.

• Slow cooker cheesy bacon ranch potatoes may have a long name, but they are super simple to make.
• You can’t go wrong with these deep-fried sweet potato fries.
• Use frozen hashbrowns to make a comforting bowl of crockpot potato soup.
• Another way to make a potato side dish is these white cheddar scalloped potatoes. If you’ve been disappointed by scallop potatoes in the past, this recipe will fix that.

Printable Recipe