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I’ve tried countless variations of mashed potatoes over the years, but I always come back to these Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes. They’re my definition of perfect – rich, creamy, and silky smooth, just like the ones I grew up with. While the ingredients are classic, I use a cooking method that might surprise you (it surprised me!), but it delivers perfect results every single time.
These potatoes are more than just a holiday staple – though they absolutely deserve their place of honor on Thanksgiving and Christmas tables. I make them year-round because they’re quick and nearly effortless to prepare. The beauty of Yukon Golds is that their naturally buttery flavor and creamy texture do most of the work for you. Even when I’m rushing to get dinner on the table on a busy weeknight, I can count on these potatoes to turn out velvety and delicious.
“I made 1.5 times the recipe because that’s how many potatoes I had. Best mashers EVER – perfect consistency…”
lulu
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: Look for firm potatoes without any green spots or sprouts. Peel them if you plan to use a ricer, or leave the skins on if using a traditional potato masher.
- Butter: Either salted or unsalted works well here – I use whatever I have in my refrigerator.
- Garlic: Look for firm, tight cloves without any sprouts. I like larger cloves for easier peeling and mincing.
- Heavy Cream: For holiday meals and special occasions, I use heavy cream for maximum richness. For everyday meals, I often swap in half-and-half or whole milk.
- Salt: I use fine sea salt as it distributes evenly throughout the potatoes.
- Chives: Optional, but they add a lovely fresh color and mild onion flavor. Look for bright green, crisp chives.
Even though these Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes are lighter than many recipes, they’re still a decadent version of my popular Mashed Red Potatoes. For these, I’ve opted for butter and heavy cream to make them holiday-worthy. The garlic flavor is key – I mellow it in butter for a subtle, rich flavor. If you’re a roasted garlic enthusiast, you can easily swap in roasted garlic cloves instead. (See recipe notes for roasting instructions.)
Why Choose Yukon Gold Potatoes?
I reach for Yukon Golds because they’re simply the best for creating creamy, flavorful mashed potatoes. Unlike starchy russet potatoes, which can easily become waterlogged and gummy, Yukon Gold potatoes have a perfect balance of starch and moisture. They have thin, light yellow skin and golden flesh with a natural buttery taste. Their medium starch content means they absorb less water while cooking, resulting in a richer, creamier mash.
Why I Steam Instead of Boil
I’ve found that steaming is more reliable than boiling for mashed potatoes. When you boil potatoes, it’s easy to end up with a waterlogged, mushy result. Steaming not only gives you a creamier texture, but it’s also more forgiving – you have a wider window of time to get that perfect tenderness. For the final texture, you have two options: peel and rice the potatoes for silky smooth results, or leave the peels on and use a potato masher for a more rustic, homestyle finish.
5 Recipe Tips
- Test for doneness: Potatoes should be very tender when pierced with a fork. If they’re not fully cooked, your mashed potatoes will be lumpy.
- Mellow the garlic: Cook the garlic in butter until fragrant but not browned – this takes away any harsh bite while adding rich flavor. For a deeper, sweeter taste, use roasted garlic instead.
- Choose your mashing method: Use a potato ricer for the smoothest, silkiest results – perfect for holiday meals. A potato masher works great for more rustic, everyday mashed potatoes.
- Avoid food processors: Never use a food processor, blender, or hand blender – they’ll make your potatoes gluey and unpleasant.
- Add liquids warm: Always heat your cream and butter mixture before adding it to the potatoes. Cold dairy can make your potatoes heavy and difficult to mix.
Make Ahead and Storage
When you’re planning a holiday meal with multiple dishes, it’s a relief to know you can make these mashed potatoes ahead of time. Make them up to 2 days in advance, let them cool completely, then cover tightly and refrigerate. Just don’t freeze them – the texture becomes grainy when thawed.
Reheating Instructions
Stovetop Method (Best for Smaller Portions)
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of liquid (milk, half and half, or broth) per cup of potatoes
- Heat over medium, stirring often until hot throughout
Oven Method (Best for Larger Portions)
- Preheat oven to 350˚F
- Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of liquid per cup of potatoes
- Spread evenly in a baking dish and dot with butter if desired
- Cover with foil and heat 20-35 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165˚F
Some recipes become your standards because they just work, time after time. These mashed potatoes are exactly that for me – reliable, delicious, and adaptable enough for both special occasions and casual dinners. The steaming method and naturally buttery Yukon Golds take the guesswork out of getting that perfect, creamy texture that everyone loves.
Serve With
- Turkey Meatloaf or Meatloaf with Oatmeal
- Pork Saltimbocca or Chicken Saltimbocca
- Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon (Perfect for a date night in!)
- Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops or Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
- Cast Iron Pork Chops
- Parmesan Baked Cod
- Baked Lamb Chops or Pan-Fried Lamb Chops
Holiday Pairings
- Dry Brine Turkey
- Turkey Roulade
- Cornbread Dressing
- Brioche Rolls (no knead!)
- Turkey Gravy without drippings (Toasted flour and brown butter are the keys to the rich flavor of this gravy!)
How to Make Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
Steam raw, peeled Yukon Gold potato cubes in a large steamer until very tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
When potatoes are almost tender, cook and stir garlic in melted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until fragrant. Stir in salt and heavy cream and stir until hot. Remove from heat.
Press fork tender potatoes through a ricer or food mill into a large bowl. Stir in butter mixture until smooth and creamy. Garnish with chives and serve.
Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (~6 medium potatoes)
- 4 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic about 3 large cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- minced chives for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Place raw Yukon Gold potato cubes in a large steamer basket over a large pot of boiling water. Cover and steam until very tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
- When potatoes are nearly tender, melt butter in a small saucepan. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute (or longer for a mellower garlic flavor). Add salt and heavy cream; stir until just heated through. Remove from heat.
- Press hot potatoes through a ricer or food mill into a large bowl (recipe note #4). Pour butter mixture over and stir until well combined. Garnish with chives if desired and serve.
Notes
- If you don’t have a steamer, you can boil the potatoes instead. Directions: To a large pot, add cubed potatoes and enough cold water to cover by 1-inch. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and let summer until potatoes are tender. Drain and proceed with recipe.
- If you’re serving these for a holiday meal, and need more servings, you can double or even triple this recipe. Click on the Servings number near the top of this recipe card and slide it to the right until you reach the number of servings you’d like, the ingredient amounts will adjust accordingly.
- To make Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes with roasted garlic, mash in the roasted garlic cloves from one or two heads of roasted garlic along with the butter and cream mixture before serving. To roast heads of garlic: remove the outer papery skin and cut off the top 1/2 inch of the head to expose garlic cloves. Drizzle with olive and wrap in aluminum foil. Transfer to a baking dish or baking sheet to catch any drips and roast at 400˚F for 35-40 minutes until tender and lightly brown. Let cool slightly before squeezing cloves out with your fingers or lifting out with a cocktail fork.
- If you don’t have a ricer or a food mill, use a hand mixer or potato masher to mash potatoes to your desired consistency before adding butter mixture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Anything special to do if you are re-heating for premade ones? I’m also adding a little sour cream to mine!
Hi Pat! Sour cream is a nice addition for a tangier version. If you scroll up in the post you’ll see two options for reheating.
Would you believe that I have a ricer that I have had for years and never used. Thanks for the inspiration. Your potatoes look great.
Creamy delicious mashed potatoes! Loved the garlic/butter touch!
I’m so glad you enjoyed these, Shelia! Thank you for letting me know.
Great, solid mashed potato recipe. Very good.
Thank you, JW! So glad you enjoyed them.
These garlic potatoes were excellent. I’d never made mashed potatoes like this before and found it almost easier to prep the garlic and butter together and then toss in the potatoes. Thank you!
My pleasure, Kathleen! Thank you for your sweet comment – I’m so glad you enjoyed these.