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.
Looking for more of the best mashed potato recipes? You'll love our Gruyere Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, or these easy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes.
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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.
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.
What to Serve with Mashed Red Potatoes
Mashed potatoes always seem to taste best with a simple beef, chicken, pork or turkey dish. Some of our favorites include:
- Herb Crusted Top Round Roast
- Old-Fashioned Meatloaf
- The Best Rump Roast in the Crock Pot
- Grilled Garlic Parmesan Chicken Breast
- Crockpot Mississippi Pork Roast
- Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast
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!
Some other great potatoes for mashing are baby potatoes or Yukon gold. These all deliver the creamiest mashed potatoes.
If fluffy potatoes are your thing, try Russet or Idaho potatoes. Also, you can try mixing a few different types! So yummy!
Ingredients You Will Need
- 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 Mashed Red Potatoes
- 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 ¼ cup of milk as needed.
- Serve. Finish with a pat of butter, salt and pepper and chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Easy Recipe Variations
- Crisp up some bacon and crumble it into the mashed potatoes, then mix in shredded cheddar cheese.
- Mix in some sour cream and chopped fresh chives.
- Roast red peppers in the oven and puree them before adding to the mashed potatoes for a smoky and slightly sweet flavor.
- Mix in crumbly blue cheese.
- Add caramelized onions into the mashed potatoes once they are finished.
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.
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
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ 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 ¼ cup of milk as needed.
- Transfer mashed potatoes to a serving bowl and top with a pat of butter and chopped parsley. Enjoy!
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
More of the Best Potato Recipes
- Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Best Baked Potato Recipe
- Air Fryer Baked Potato
- Air Fryer Red Potatoes
- Ranch Roasted Potatoes
- Potato Appetizer
- More Potato Recipes
- Best Potato Recipes
- Best Side Dishes
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.
Gina
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!
Allison
These potatoes came out great. Thanks for the tips!
Katie
I think mashed red potatoes might just be better than mashed russets or golds. SO yummy!!
The Carefree Kitchen
I love them too. The chewy skins are my fav!
Mel
So light and fluffy. The easiest mashed potatoes that have the best texture and flavor. Thanks!
The Carefree Kitchen
So glad you loved them. Thanks for letting me know!
Jacob
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!