Description
Creamy baked mashed potatoes elevate comfort food to new heights with their luxurious texture and rich flavor. Velvety potatoes blended with butter, cream, and herbs promise a delightful side dish you’ll crave at every gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 5 pounds (2.27 kilograms) russet potatoes
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) salted butter
- 8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese
Dairy and Liquid Components:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) half-and-half
Seasonings:
- 12 teaspoons salt
- Pepper
Optional Garnish:
- Chives
Instructions
- Prepare the oven by heating to 350°F, creating the perfect environment for baking potatoes to creamy perfection.
- Transform raw potatoes into uniform cubes, ensuring each piece will cook consistently and absorb flavors evenly.
- Submerge potato cubes in salted water, bringing to a rolling boil and cooking until they yield effortlessly when pierced with a fork, approximately 10-15 minutes.
- Eliminate excess moisture by draining potatoes completely, then return to the pot and allow residual heat to evaporate any remaining water for 3 minutes.
- Gently break down potatoes using a mixer on low speed, creating a preliminary smooth texture without overworking the starch.
- Introduce rich, creamy elements by slowly incorporating warm melted butter, cream cheese, and half-and-half, seasoning with salt and pepper to enhance the flavor profile.
- Distribute the luxurious potato mixture into a greased baking dish, strategically placing small butter cubes across the surface to maximize richness and create a golden crust.
- Slide the dish into the preheated oven, allowing 45 minutes of baking to develop a slightly crisp top and ensure complete heat penetration.
- Extract from the oven, garnish with delicate chives if desired, and serve immediately while maintaining optimal temperature and creaminess.
Notes
- Choose starchy potatoes like Russet or Yukon Gold for the creamiest, fluffiest texture that absorbs cream and butter beautifully.
- Avoid overmixing the potatoes to maintain a light, fluffy consistency; use a low mixer speed or hand mash for best results.
- Warm dairy ingredients before adding to potatoes to ensure smooth integration and prevent cooling down the mixture.
- Swap regular dairy with lactose-free alternatives or use plant-based butter and cream cheese for a dairy-free version that’s equally delicious.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 920 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg