The Ultimate Recipe for Perfect Christmas Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

What? Christmas dinner without mashed potatoes? Do you want a mutiny on your hands? A Christmas without mashed potatoes is like a Christmas without presents under the tree!

Sure, you could take the easy route and buy potato flakes, adding just milk or water, salt, and pepper. But wait—why not try making real mashed potatoes this holiday season and see if your guests can guess whether they were made from scratch or not?

Select the Right Potatoes for Mashing

The first step in making mashed potatoes from scratch is choosing the right potatoes. Have you ever noticed all the types to choose from? There are red potatoes, mini red potatoes, fingerling potatoes, mini-white potatoes, baking potatoes, and the large one-pound Idaho potatoes—each one begging to come home with you.

Since you’re having dinner guests, you’ll want to offer a little variety to suit everyone’s tastes. After all, everyone’s palate differs, and that’s the beauty of dinner parties.

One thing you definitely don’t want with Christmas dinner is a mashed potato that has no texture or won’t hold gravy. Keep in mind that different potatoes are bred for different types of cooking. Some are only for boiling, while others are better for frying. Some types are great for potato salads, while others are perfect for scalloped potatoes. But when it comes to mashed potatoes, the baking potato seems to be the most popular choice. This potato, part of the Russet family, is long and oval with light to medium brown skin.

The Russet potato is a favorite for many because of its sweet, nutty flavor and light, dry texture. It whips up nicely and holds its form, making it perfect for mashed potatoes.

From Scratch Recipes Rock!

Once you’ve chosen your potatoes, think about how many you’ll need for the meal. A good rule of thumb is to calculate one medium to large potato per person. For eight servings, use eight potatoes.

While shopping, you might also want to pick up extra vegetables to complement your dinner. Green beans or green peas are always a hit and fit in with most people’s palates.

Aunt Minnie’s Mashed Potatoes

  1. Wash and scrub the potatoes thoroughly.
  2. Peel and slice the potatoes, then set them aside.
  3. Gather the following ingredients: 1 stick of butter (1/4 pound), 1/2 cup of milk, salt, and pepper for seasoning.
  4. In a large pot, heat 1 teaspoon of salt in 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil.
  5. Add the potatoes, cover, and return to a boil. Cook for about 25 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork.
  6. Drain the potatoes and reserve about 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Cover to keep hot.
  7. Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mash with a fork or potato masher until the butter is fully melted.
  8. Add the reserved potato water and begin whipping with a hand mixer. Gradually add the milk, a few tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. You may not need the entire amount of milk, or you may need to add a little more. The potatoes should be as fluffy as beaten egg whites, with enough body to hold a ladle of gravy.
  9. Add salt and pepper to taste, then beat again. Keep the potatoes covered to stay warm until ready to serve. When serving, place the mashed potatoes in a dish and garnish with a few sprigs of parsley.

Then, take your mashed potatoes to the dinner table and ask your guests, “Real or Fake?”

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