These Red Skin Mashed Potatoes are the perfect side dish for weeknight dinners or holiday menus! Easy, creamy, and buttery with only 3 ingredients. What more could you want? Plus we include all our tips to prevent gummy, lumpy mashed potatoes.
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Why are red skinned mashed potatoes the best mashed potatoes? In a word no peeling! Ok, that’s two words, but you get the point. Plus the added nutrients in the skin make it a win for feeding my family.
My weeknight dinner table has been saved many times by this no-peel side dish, but they are also the easiest way to serve red mashed potatoes for a crowd. Don’t get me wrong, russet potatoes are delicious, but nothing is easier than turning red skin potatoes into fluffy skin-on mashed potatoes.
These are a simple side dish served with slow cooker pot roast, 20 minute skillet chicken, slow cooker tri-tip roast, or shortcut chicken pot pie. Of course, they are also a classic side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
If you are looking for other red potato recipes try these Crispy Smashed Potatoes. For potato lovers this Potato Soup, Twice Baked Potato Casserole or this Scalloped Potato recipe are AMAZING! Plus they are freezer-friendly!
🥇Why they are great!
- The best part - No peeling required!
- They are an easy side dish for weeknights as well as a holiday dinner.
- They require very few ingredients - no sour cream or cream cheese involved. Simple ingredients but very delicious!
- No gummy texture! These are light, fluffy, and perfectly creamy mashed red potatoes!
🥔 3 ingredients
Red-skinned potatoes: Red skin or Yukon Gold potatoes (yellow potatoes) are the best types of potatoes because the thin skin is perfect for leaving on.
Butter: Only real butter will do. I use salted but unsalted butter will work as well.
Milk: My recommendation is to use 2% or whole milk. Any less and the creaminess of the mashed potatoes is sacrificed. Feel free to use half and half as a substitute.
Salt and pepper: Preferably kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
🔪 How to make red skin mashed potatoes (mashed red potatoes)
Preparing
Begin by cutting the potatoes into roughly equal pieces. I like to cut them in half longways and then cut each half into six pieces. Small red potatoes can be cut into fourths but larger potatoes into 8 pieces.
Instead of scrubbing, 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 will be quite murky. All that dirty water gets drained, the potatoes get a quick rinse, and then fresh water is put in before boiling.
Cooking
Place potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Then put the pot over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, stir the potatoes occasionally until they are tender. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the potatoes, but they usually boil for 20-30 minutes.
To test for doneness remove a piece of potato out of pot and set it on a plate. Mash it with the fork. It should easily give way, which is why it is called fork tender. Taste it and make sure no lumps remain.
Once the potatoes are finished boiling, drain thoroughly. This will help achieve the creamy texture without any gumminess. Now the cooked potatoes go back in the pot followed by the butter, salt, and pepper. While the butter melts the excess water will evaporate. Let them sit on the stove uncovered for approximately 5 minutes.
Mashing
Using a hand mixer (affiliate) that isn't turned on yet, mash the potatoes manually. You can use a manual potato masher for a more rustic final result.
At this point taste the mixture to see if the seasoning is correct, adjusting it according to how you like it. Now turn the beaters on and beat until mixture is almost smooth but still has small chunks of potato. Pour in the warm milk. Don't add it all at once, but do make sure to add at least a cup to start. Continue adding milk until it is smooth and creamy but not soupy. Serve!
If you aren't serving immediately, keep on low heat for up to an hour. Stir occasionally to be sure that the bottom doesn't burn.
👨👩👧👦 For a crowd
I like making this mashed red potatoes recipe for a crowd because of how easy they are - no peeling, no scrubbing. When you have to make a lot of potatoes, it's a real time saver to eliminate those steps. When making a double or triple batch, I recommend cutting the potatoes extra small (but still equal pieces) so that they boil faster.
🥶 How to freeze and reheat
Since this is such a simple recipe, I prefer to make them fresh. However, they can be made ahead and frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. To reheat frozen or leftover mashed potatoes, be sure start with fully thawed potatoes. It is best to place them in the refrigerator for 24 hours so that they thaw completely.
Alternatively they can be made ahead and refrigerated 2-3 days ahead. Follow the instructions below for reheating.
To reheat use the microwave, stirring every couple of minutes. You may need to add a bit more milk to thin them out. Alternatively, they can be warmed on the stovetop over low heat. Stir occasionally so that the bottom does not burn.
🥓 Variations
Roasted garlic: How much garlic depends on how garlicky you like your red skin potatoes. I use about a tablespoon of minced garlic cloves. Add the garlic to the butter. Melt on the stove or in the microwave until garlic turns a toasty light brown color. Be careful...garlic goes from raw to burnt very quickly. Of course if you want to roast a whole head of garlic that would be great as well. This is my shortcut version.
P.S. Garlic mashed potatoes are heavenly with a juicy steak.
Loaded Potato: Want the extra flavors of potato skins without the work? Add in sour cream, bacon, and cheddar cheese after they are mashed. Top with fresh chives or sliced green onions.
Brown butter: On the stove top or in the microwave melt butter. Continue cooking on medium heat until the butter foams. After it foams watch for the butter solids on the bottom to turn a toasty, golden brown color. These just might be the best mashed red potatoes!
🙋Questions & Answers
If your potatoes are lumpy, try these tips:
- Cut into roughly equal sizes. I like to cut the potatoes in half, and then cut each half into six equal pieces.
- Boil until potatoes are very tender. The best way to know if they are tender enough is to pull one out and smash with a fork. Then taste it and see if it is evenly tender. If it is even a little lumpy, continue to boil them.
- Too much starch or too much water left in potatoes after boiling can cause cause a gummy or rubbery texture. Try these two steps to avoid:
1. Toss all the cut potato pieces into a pot and fill with water. Swish the potatoes around to release as much starch as possible. The water will be very murky. Then drain in a colander and rinse with fresh water. Put them back in the pot and fill with clean water before boiling.
2. After boiling drain the potatoes in a colander shaking vigorously. Allow drained potatoes to sit in the pot for five minutes before mashing, which will allow excess water to evaporate. Once the milk is added the potatoes are at risk of becoming gummy. The way to combat that is to add enough liquid from the start, and then to be careful not to overbeat.
In order to get the seasoning just right, add in the butter, salt, and pepper while the potatoes are drying out a bit. Use the beaters to smash the potatoes but don’t turn them on yet. Taste them. If they need more flavor, now is the time. We will adjust the creaminess later.
Half n half is a great substitute for milk. Heavy cream, however, is a little too thick.
📖 More easy side dish recipes
- Skillet Roasted Corn - One of the top recipes on Borrowed Bites! Sweet, caramelized corn made in a cast iron skillet in under 20 minutes.
- Green Beans Almondine - Great side dish made with frozen green beans, fresh lemon juice, and crunchy almond slivers. Perfect for holiday meals!
- Brown Butter Rice Pilaf - A simple yet flavorful rice dish made all in one pot (or the Instant Pot) in 20-30 minutes.
- Super Easy Pot Roast Seasoning - Perfect for making a quick pot roast to serve with the potatoes!
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes - One of the best things for meal prep!
👨🏼🍳 Tips & Tricks
- Make sure the potatoes are cut into equal size pieces so that they boil evenly to prevent lumpiness.
- Excess starch can cause gumminess, so be sure to rinse the potatoes until the water is clear before boiling.
- After draining the potatoes, allow the excess moisture to evaporate for 5 minutes before moving on to mashing them. This will help prevent the potatoes from getting gummy.
- Be sure to taste the mix before adding in the milk. Adjust the seasoning as needed.
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📋 Recipe
PERFECT Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 10 red skinned potatoes medium size
- 8 tablespoon butter
- 1 cups milk warmed, plus additional as needed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cut potatoes into equal pieces. Add to pot filled with water. Swish around to release any dirt and excess starch. Drain potatoes in colander and rinse with fresh water. Add potatoes and fresh water back to pot.
- Bring potatoes to a gentle boil over medium high to high heat. Depending on the size of your potatoes, they may take 10-25 minutes to cook through after they come to a boil. Once they look done check for tenderness. The best way to know if they are done is to pull one out and smash with a fork. Then taste it and see if it has any lumps. If so continue to boil until evenly tender.
- Pour potatoes into a colander. Shake vigorously, removing as much water as possible. Add potatoes back to hot pot. Top with butter, salt, and pepper. Allow potatoes to sit uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Using hand held beaters that have not been turned on, manually mash the potatoes, mixing in the butter and seasonings. Taste mixture to see if it is well seasoned. If not adjust according to taste.
- Turn beaters on and mix until potatoes are mostly mashed and only small chunks of potatoes remain. Pour in one cup of warm milk. Whip, adding more milk until desired consistency is reached.
- We love comments! Please come back and leave us one after you’ve tried this recipe.
Notes
- Make sure the potatoes into cut equal size pieces so that they boil evenly to prevent lumpiness.
- Excess starch can cause gumminess, so be sure to rinse the potatoes until the water is clear.
- After draining the potatoes, allow the excess moisture to evaporate for 5 minutes before moving on to mashing them. This will help prevent the potatoes from getting gummy.
- Be sure to taste the mix before adding in the milk. Adjust the seasoning as needed.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Lisa says
Potato perfection. Thanks for sharing the recipe and tips.
Misty says
So glad you enjoyed them!
Bekah says
I followed this recipe to a T. Turned out perfect ! My 5 year old even told me I was an amazing cook.
Misty says
So glad you enjoyed it! That's high praise from a 5 year old! 😀
Eliana says
I love that you don’t have to scrub and peel these potatoes. I boiled them until SUPER tender (I almost thought it was too much), but then they were the creamiest potatoes I’ve ever made. Great tip!
Misty says
I'm so glad they came out super creamy!
Dakota says
I tried this recipe the other day, and I’m absolutely hooked! Best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had!