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The Easiest Mashed Potatoes You'll Ever Make

The secret to the perfect texture of these easy mashed potatoes is a combination of uber starchy russets and creamy-dense Yukon Gold potatoes. Mixed together, they yield mashed potatoes that are simultaneously fluffy and creamy. (Alternatively, you can swap both for sweet potatoes, if you prefer.)

Half-and-half adds a little extra richness to this recipe, but whole milk would also work. For a smoother texture, you can pass the potatoes through a ricer instead of using a masher.

To make this classic side dish in advance, simply cook the potatoes and mash them with butter only. Chill the mixture until ready to use and then gently reheat. Warm up the half-and-half separately and gradually add it into the warm potatoes before serving.

Delicious kept plain, there are also a few easy ways to spruce up these spuds. For tangy mashed potatoes swap out one cup half-and-half for one cup whole buttermilk. For garlic taters, add six peeled cloves to the cooking water. Or for cheesy mashed potatoes, fold 3/4 cup grated Parmesan into the mixture. Those are just three ideas, but you can build and create more flavor combinations from there.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. Russet potatoes (about 4 small potatoes), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-in. Pieces (about 4 cups)    

1 1/2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 medium potatoes), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-in. Pieces (about 4 cups) 

8 cups tap water

3 Tbsp. Plus 3/4 tsp. Kosher salt, divided

1 cup half-and-half, warmed

3/4 cup (6 oz.) unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Bring potatoes, water, and 3 tablespoons of the salt to a boil in a medium pot over high. Reduce heat to medium, and boil until potatoes are fork-tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Drain, and return potatoes to pot. Let stand at room temperature until potatoes look dry, about 5 minutes.

Mash potatoes with a potato masher until potatoes are fluffy. Fold in half-and-half, butter, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth.

Recipe: Pommes De Terre Byron

Chef Rowse's interpretation of this classic dish incorporates elements of a gratin. Traditionally calling for starchy potatoes such as russets, Chef Rowse uses fingerling potatoes to add more texture to the finished product. The potatoes are either baked or boiled, and then halved or gently smashed (as this recipe calls for) and formed into round cakes to be pan-fried in butter. Heavy cream and shredded Gruyère are the finishing touches that give this dish its delicious decadence. 

Related: Meet ICE LA's Lead Chef-Instructor Eric Rowse

Can't wait to dig in? Follow the recipe below for the perfect side to any steak dinner, or star at any potluck. 

Recipe Pommes de Terre Byron Ingredients

1 pound fingerling potatoes

2 ounces butter or substitute with 4 ounces of neutral oil such as soybean, vegetable or avocado

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1-2 large cloves garlic, smashed

Salt 

Black pepper

8 fluid ounces heavy cream, measured in two 4-ounce portions

4 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded 

Directions

Wash potatoes and place in a medium pot with cold water seasoned moderately with salt. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, and cook until just tender. 

Drain and wait until the potatoes are cool enough to handle.

Smash the potatoes to 1/4-inch thickness.

In a large sauté pan, add the butter, thyme and garlic. Gently melt butter over moderate heat. (Be careful with the heat so as to not burn the butter.) Once butter starts to foam, pan-fry potatoes until golden brown and crispy. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.

Drain off any excess fat and add one measurement of heavy cream. Allow potatoes to simmer gently for the cream to absorb some of the thyme and garlic flavor. When the cream has thickened and is coating the potatoes, remove from heat and discard the garlic and thyme. 

Place potatoes in a single layer in a baking dish (or multiple smaller ones depending on how they are to be served), and top with remaining cream and cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Easy Cooking Tip For The 'fluffiest And Most Delicious' Jacket Potato In Just 20 Minutes

Whether they're enjoyed for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner, there are few things that can't be done with a jacket potato.

When served whole, however, the spuds are best when the outer skin is crisp and crunchy to contrast the soft core.

It may take an hour of cooking to achieve the perfect texture in most ovens, but according to experts at Wren Kitchens, it doesn't have to.

They revealed that with the right preparation, it's easy to cook the "fluffiest" jacket potato in half the time.

The experts said: "Using just the oven to cook a jacket potato can take around 30-40 minutes, however, there is a trick to reduce the cooking time but still have a crispy finish."

They continued: "Choose starchy or russet potatoes for the fluffiest texture. These types of potatoes have a high starch content and low moisture content, which helps create that desired light and fluffy texture."

When the perfect spuds have been secured, wash and scrub them under cold water, using a brush if required to remove dirt and debris.

The next step is to preheat the oven to 200C to ensure it is nice and hot by the time the potatoes are ready to be baked.

After this, the Wren Kitchens experts recommended pricking the raw potato "all over" to allow steam to escape during cooking and prevent the spuds from bursting.

Before rushing straight to the oven, the most crucial stage of preparing the jacket potatoes is to use the microwave for just five minutes.

The Wren team said: "Microwave it for five minutes and remove before rinsing the potato again and rubbing the skin with a little olive oil or melted butter. This step helps the skin crisp up and be full of flavour."

Finally, it's time to bake the softened spuds in the oven for a short time of just 10 or 15 minutes.

To ensure the perfect texture before switching off the oven, check the potato by gently squeezing the sides. According to the experts, it should give slightly when squeezed, and the skin should be crispy.

Darren Watts, showroom development and design director at Wren Kitchens claimed that the quick method is sure to produce "the fluffiest and most delicious potato dish".

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