These Mashed Red Potatoes are pure comfort food and an easy side dish. Made with simple ingredients like butter, sour cream, garlic, and milk, they are bursting with flavor and pair well with just about anything.
Learn how to get fluffy potatoes without a gluey texture, the best dairy to use, and how to season them just right. You’ll also get easy variations, make-ahead tips, and answers to the most common questions.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy with Texture: Buttery, fluffy, mashed potatoes with tender potato skins for extra flavor.
- Weeknight friendly: No peeling needed—fewer steps with less mess.
- Perfect Side: Great side dish for steak, chicken, turkey, or salmon.
- Versatile: Simple base with tasty mix-ins and dairy swaps.
Homemade Mashed Red Potatoes
If you have gone your entire life without using red skin potatoes for your mashed potatoes, you’ve been missing out. But it’s not too late! They make the creamiest skin-on potatoes you’ll ever taste.
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We go simple with the seasoning, but these would also taste great if you added fresh thyme, bacon bits, or even minced roasted garlic. Give it a try, and let us know what you think! This red mashed potatoes recipe is perfectly served as is or smothered with your favorite gravy.
Mashed Red Potatoes Video Tutorial
Why We Love Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
We believe there is a place for every potato in the world of side dishes. When it comes to mashed potatoes, red potatoes take the cake. They have a thin skin, making them delicious for skin-on mashed potatoes, and they are less starchy than other varieties. Plus, they are so small that they cook quickly!
Key Ingredients
- Red Potatoes – if you leave the skins on, be sure to wash them before cutting into quarters, or 1” pieces for larger potatoes. You could also substitute Yukon gold potatoes or fingerling potatoes.
- Butter – use room temperature butter.
- Sour Cream – either lite or full fat will work great.
- Garlic Powder – we like to use this rather than minced garlic because it has a sweeter flavor and then blends in smooth.
- Milk – we recommend using either whole or 2% milk. Even heavy cream will work!
How To Make
- Boil the potatoes. Place cubed potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Boil for 20-30 minutes, or until fork-tender.
- Mash with the rest of the ingredients. Drain the water, then add the potatoes back to the pot. Add in your butter, sour cream, salt, and garlic powder. Mash the potatoes with a hand potato masher, getting out all of the largest chunks. You can keep mashed potatoes as chunky or as smooth as you like, adding up to 1/4 cup of milk as needed.
- Serve. Finish with a pat of butter, salt and pepper and chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Loaded Mashed Potatoes: Crisp up some bacon and crumble it into the mashed potatoes, then mix in shredded cheddar cheese. Top with a dollop of sour cream, more shredded cheddar and a few minced chives.
- Chive and Sour Cream: Mix in some sour cream and chopped fresh chives.
- Bacon and Ranch: Fold in crisp Bacon Ranch seasonig, and green onions.
- Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes: Add caramelized onions into the mashed potatoes once they are finished.
- Extra creamy: Add cream cheese or Boursin for a silky, tangy finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Add a layer of butter and cream on the top of the mashed potatoes to make them freezer friendly. The butter and cream add a protective layer that will keep the potatoes soft and creamy when reheated.
Boil 1-2” potatoes in water, over high heat, and cook at a rapid simmer. Potatoes are cooked when they are easily pierced with a fork or about 20 minutes. Whole potatoes will need more time to cook depending on the size.
As long as you store them in an airtight container, your Mashed Red Potatoes should last for up to 4 days in the fridge.
To reheat mashed potatoes in the oven, transfer to an oven-safe dish, cover, and warm at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes. Remove the lid, stir and add a couple of tablespoons of either milk or sour cream as needed. Stir and heat a bit longer, or until they are as warm as you would like.
You can also reheat mashed potatoes in the microwave by transferring them to a covered microwave-safe container and heating on half-power for about 5 minutes, or as long as needed. Stir in a bit more milk, sour cream, and butter if they could use a little more moisture.
Tips for the Best
- Cut Evenly: Cube potatoes into 1.5″ pieces so they cook at the same rate.
- Don’t Overcook: Boil unitl fork tender but not falling apart, about 12-15 minutes.
- Mash Gently: Use a hand masher for rustic texture; a ricer for extra fluffy (only if you have peeled the potatoes). Avoid a blender, mixer, or food processor. This will result in gummy mashed potatoes.
- Season in layers: Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Finish with chives or parsley. Always taste-test and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Storing and Reheating
- Storing: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: to reheat in the microwave, transfer mashed potatoes to a covered microwave-safe container and heat on half-power for about 5 minutes, or as long as needed. If they are a little dry, stir in a bit more milk, sour cream, and butter. To reheat in the oven, transfer to an oven-safe dish, cover, and warm at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes. Remove the lid, add a couple of tablespoons of either milk or sour cream as needed, then stir.
Mashed Red Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pounds red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" dice
- 2 teaspoons salt, (for boiling water)
- 3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes, peel if desired, and cut into 1" cubes. Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil, continuing to boil the potatoes for 20-30 minutes, or until fork-tender.
- Once cooked, drain the water and add the potatoes back to the pot. Add in your butter, sour cream, salt, and garlic powder. Mash potatoes with a hand masher, getting out all of the largest chunks. You can keep mashed potatoes as chunky or as smooth as you like, adding up to 1/4 cup of milk as needed.
- Transfer mashed potatoes to a serving bowl and top with a pat of butter and chopped parsley. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Storing leftovers: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: to reheat in the microwave, transfer mashed potatoes to a covered microwave-safe container and heat on half-power for about 5 minutes, or as long as needed. If they are a little dry, stir in a bit more milk, sour cream, and butter. To reheat in the oven, transfer to an oven-safe dish, cover, and warm at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes. Remove the lid, add a couple of tablespoons of either milk or sour cream as needed, then stir.
- You can leave the peels on or take them off, whichever you prefer. Just make sure to wash them!
- Start with cold water covering your potatoes, then bring to a boil. They will cook more evenly this way.
- Salting the water you boil your potatoes in seasons them as they cook.
- A hand potato masher will you give you a great rustic mashed potatoes texture.
- Cutting your potatoes smaller will make them cook faster!
Nutrition
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These Mashed Red Potatoes are pure comfort food and a simple side dish. Mashed with simple ingredients like butter, sour cream, garlic, and milk, they are bursting with flavor and pair well with just about anything.
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Christmas, Easter, Fall Recipes, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Potatoes, Sides, Spring Recipes, St Patrick's Day, Summer Recipes, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian, Videos, Winter Recipes,
Love the creamy texture of these potatoes, I’ve always preferred red potatoes for mashing and love the little pieces of peel left in too. Great recipe!
These potatoes came out great. Thanks for the tips!
I think mashed red potatoes might just be better than mashed russets or golds. SO yummy!!
I love them too. The chewy skins are my fav!
So light and fluffy. The easiest mashed potatoes that have the best texture and flavor. Thanks!
So glad you loved them. Thanks for letting me know!
Mashed potatoes is one dish I’ve really never made. I needed a recipe detailing how long to boil, finally found yours! Thank you and I look forward to serving these to my family!