Name: Mashed Red Potatoes Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 10 medium red skin potatoes; 8 tbsp butter; 1 tsp kosher salt; ¼ tsp pepper; 1 cup whole milk (plus more as needed)

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If you've ever had Red Skin Mashed Potatoes go wrong, we wrote this recipe for you! As simple as mashed potatoes are, there are a few common mistakes that can leave them gummy, gluey, or bland. Over years of making these for weeknight dinners and holiday tables, we've made notes on our technique to keep them light, fluffy, and as simple as possible. We're sharing all those tips here!

If you're a potato lover, these are just the beginning. Check our more of our favorite Potato Recipes!

A bowl of red skin mashed potatoes with a wooden spoon.

There aren't many dishes that are essentials for both your Thanksgiving Recipes and Easter Recipes, but this is one of them!

Red skin mashed potatoes are the classic, no-peel side dish that are always handy to have in your back pocket. When you're feeling fancier, you can use some of the same tricks to make these Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes or even Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

Our method for making mashed potatoes fluffy, not gummy!

Here's how a lot of people learn to make mashed potatoes: chop them up, fill the pot with water, boil and drain them, them mash them for as long as it takes to make them creamy.

Seems simple, but it's not *quite* the best method. Over the years of learning from other great cooks, we've made small but mighty tweaks that take these from gummy potatoes to light, fluffy ones instead.

The main thing to remember is that excess starch and water are the enemy of fluffy potatoes! We put every trick we have for keeping starch and water at bay directly in the instructions to make this process fool-proof. These tips include rinsing before boiling, evaporating the steam after cooking, coating them in fat, using warm milk, and more!

I followed this recipe to a T. Turned out perfect ! My 5 year old even told me I was an amazing cook.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Bekah

Ingredients for mashed red potatoes

There are only three real ingredients in this recipe, so each one genuinely matters. Here are my tips for choosing well and the substitutions that are safe.

Milk, seasonings, butter, and red skin potatoes on a countertop.

Red potatoes: The benefit of using red skinned potatoes is that you don't need to peel them. Give them a good scrub, then leave the thin peel on. Red potatoes are naturally more waxy, less starchy, and more watery than russet potatoes. That means it's extra important to follow our tips about reducing water content to keep these from turning gummy.
Butter: You must, must use real butter. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter and other substitutes don't contribute the same necessary fat content (or taste nearly as delicious). When you add butter to the potatoes during the initial mashing stage, the fat coats them, which helps prevent them from releasing excess starch that would make these gluey.
Milk: My top choice is whole milk because it has a higher fat content, yielding more flavor and creaminess. I have also used 2% milk, but anything lower is not a good option. You can also substitute with half n half, but heavy cream will be too thick.

Helpful kitchen tools

How to make red skin mashed potatoes

For a smooth and easy cooking process, I suggest reading through the full recipe before you start.

Red skin potato pieces on a wooden cutting board.

Begin by cutting the potatoes into equal pieces. For average sized red potatoes, I like to cut them in half longways and then cut each half into six pieces.

A pot of red skin potato chunks in water.

Place the cut potatoes in a large pot filled with cold water and swish the water around to remove excess dirt and starch. At this point the water should be quite murky.

Drain the potatoes in a colander and rinse them well with fresh water to remove all that excess starch. Then add them back to the pot and fill the pot with fresh water until it is about 1-2 inches above the potatoes.

A fork squishing a piece of potato on a small white dish.

Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring it to a gentle boil (a gentle boil will cook them more evenly than a raging one). Boil until they are very tender, which could take anywhere from 15-30 minutes depending on the size you cut them.

The best way to know if they are done is to pull one out and smash it with a fork. It should smash very easily and, when you taste it, should dissolve easily without lumps.

Once the potatoes are tender, drain them thoroughly in a colander, shaking it vigorously to remove as much water as possible.

Pour them back into the warm pan and add the butter, salt, and pepper on top. Allow the potatoes to sit uncovered for 5 minutes, giving the butter time to melt and excess steam/water to evaporate.

A hand mixer blending a pot of mashed potatoes.

Using a hand mixer, that has not been turned on, manually mash the potatoes. This pre-mashing step will help you avoid overworking them into a gluey paste.

At this point taste the mixture to see if the seasoning is correct. Add additional salt and pepper if needed, then turn the beaters on medium speed and mix until the mixture is almost smooth, but still has small chunks of potato.

Milk being poured from a measuring glass into a pot of red skin mashed potatoes.

Now it's time to add the milk. Once the milk is added, they can turn gluey fast, so it's important to do this step correctly.

Heat the milk in the microwave until it is warm, but not boiling. Pour one cup into the potatoes and whip with the beaters until they are creamy and fluffy, adding additional milk if needed. Be very careful not to overmix them or they will become gummy. Serve warm!

Variations

Roasted garlic: Place the butter and one tablespoon of minced garlic in a small saucepan on the stove and cook until the butter is melted and the garlic is a light, toasty brown. Then add the butter to the pot as directed.

Loaded Potato: After they are mashed, add sour cream, chopped crispy bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced green onions.

Brown butter: For add a toasty flavor, follow these instructions to make brown butter on the stove or brown butter in the microwave. Then add it to the pot as directed.

A spoonful of red skin mashed potatoes on a wooden cooking spoon.

Serving suggestions

These can go with just about any comfort food meal you can think of! These are some of the main dishes we always serve them alongside.

Red skinned mashed potatoes in a white serving dish topped with butter.

Final Tips & Tricks

Use cold water to fill the pot. This will help the chunks cook evenly all the way through the center.
Stir the potatoes a couple of times while boiling to help them cook as evenly as possible.
If you are making a double or triple batch for a large gathering, I suggest cutting the potatoes extra small to help them boil faster.

More recipes

Looking for other recipes? Try these:

This post was photographed by Rhadonda Sedgwick.

Recipe

Bowl of mashed potatoes with butter on top.

Mashed Red Potatoes Recipe

4.72 from 14 votes

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 40

Servings:

Calories: 407kcal

Author: Danielle Miller

Ingredients

Instructions

Cut the potatoes into equal pieces. For average sized red potatoes, I like to cut them in half longways and then cut each half into six pieces.
10 medium red skin potatoes
Place the cut potatoes in a large pot filled with cold water and swish the water around to remove excess dirt and starch. At this point the water should be quite murky. Drain them in a colander and rinse them well with fresh water to remove all that excess starch. Then add them back to the pot and fill the pot with fresh water until it is about 1-2 inches above the potatoes.
Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring it to a gentle boil. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring it to a gentle boil (a gentle boil will cook them more evenly than a raging one). Boil until they are very tender, which could take anywhere from 15-30 minutes depending on the size you cut them. The best way to know if they are done is to pull one out and smash it with a fork. It should smash very easily and, when you taste it, should dissolve easily without lumps.
8 tbsp butter, 1 tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp pepper
Once the potatoes are tender, drain them thoroughly in a colander, shaking it vigorously to remove as much water as possible. Pour them back into the warm pan and add the butter, salt, and pepper on top. Allow the potatoes to sit uncovered for 5 minutes, giving the butter time to melt and excess steam/water to evaporate.
Using a hand mixer, that has not been turned on, manually mash the potatoes. This pre-mashing step will help you avoid overworking them into a gluey paste. At this point taste the mixture to see if the seasoning is correct. Add additional salt and pepper if needed, then turn the beaters on medium speed and mix until the mixture is almost smooth, but still has small chunks of potato.
Now it's time to add the milk. Once the milk is added, they can turn gluey fast, so it's important to do this step correctly. Heat the milk in the microwave until it is warm, but not boiling. Pour one cup into the potatoes and whip with the beaters just until they are creamy and fluffy, adding additional milk if needed. Be very careful not to overmix them, or they will become gummy.
1 cup whole milk
Serve warm!

Notes

Tips & Tricks

Use cold water to fill the pot. This will help the chunks cook evenly all the way through the center.
Stir the potatoes a couple of times while boiling to help them cook as evenly as possible.
If you are making a double or triple batch for a large gathering, I suggest cutting the potatoes extra small to help them boil faster.

Storage: Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the fridge.

Make ahead instructions: Mashed potatoes are always better when freshly made, but if you must make them ahead you have a couple of options. You can keep them on the stove on the lowest heat for up to an hour, stirring occasionally to be sure that the bottom doesn't burn. Alternatively, you can make them as directed, allow them to cool, then store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the fridge.

Freezer instructions: Mashed potatoes are always better when freshly made, but if you must freeze them you can. Make them as directed, allow them to cool, then store them in an airtight container for 2-3 months in the freezer. Allow them to thaw completely (this will take several hours at room temperature or 24 hours in the fridge).

Reheating instructions: To reheat, warm them on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally to avoid burning and adding additional milk to thin them if needed. You can also heat them in a microwave safe container, stirring every 1-2 minutes.