Description
Creamy comfort meets luxurious indulgence in this dreamy cream cheese mashed potatoes recipe, elevating a classic side dish to pure culinary bliss. Silky smooth potatoes blended with rich cream cheese promise a heavenly accompaniment you’ll crave at every meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 pounds (907 grams) russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons (60 milliliters) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) whole milk, warmed
Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Optional Ingredients:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) sour cream
- Chopped fresh chives or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash and peel potatoes, cutting them into uniform, roughly 1-inch cubes to ensure even cooking.
- Transfer potato chunks into a generously sized stockpot, covering completely with cold, salted water. Heat to a rolling boil over high flame, then reduce temperature and simmer for approximately 15-18 minutes until potatoes yield effortlessly when pierced with a fork.
- Carefully drain potatoes in a colander, allowing residual steam to evaporate for 2-3 minutes, which helps eliminate excess moisture and creates a fluffier final texture.
- Return potatoes to the warm pot and transform them into a silky consistency using a potato ricer or sturdy masher, working methodically to break down any potential lumps.
- Incorporate softened cream cheese and melted butter, stirring vigorously until ingredients merge into a luxurious, unified mixture with no visible cream cheese clumps.
- Gradually introduce warm milk, folding gently to maintain the potatoes’ delicate structure and prevent over-mixing, which could result in a gluey consistency.
- Enhance flavors by seasoning with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, tasting and adjusting as needed. Optional: Garnish with finely chopped chives or parsley and a final drizzle of melted butter for added richness.
Notes
- Opt for starchy potatoes like Russet or Yukon Gold for the fluffiest, most velvety texture that absorbs cream cheese beautifully.
- Let cream cheese and butter sit at room temperature for easier blending, preventing lumpy patches in your creamy mashed potatoes.
- Avoid overmixing when incorporating ingredients to prevent potatoes from becoming gluey or developing a gummy consistency.
- Consider dairy-free alternatives like cashew cream cheese and plant-based butter for those with lactose sensitivities or vegan preferences.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg