Mashed potatoes have always been one of my favorite comfort foods and side items to any meal, especially in the fall and around the holidays. No holiday dinner is quite complete without this traditional and delicious dish.
Growing up, we had our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with my mom’s side of the family in Colorado. We all live within a couple of miles of each other, so travel is easy to say the least. Plus my cousins and I are all relatively close in age, so holidays are always a blast! Each family contributes something a little different each year to the feast, but my Uncle is always in charge of making the mashed potatoes. His mashed potatoes are the absolute most delicious potatoes I have ever had in my life. I’m pretty sure that if he decided to take a year off, we would all boycott the whole holiday! They are just that good!
I recently had a casual dinner party with my boyfriend’s family and decided that mashed potatoes would be the perfect addition to the meal. I was serving a brown sugar and Dijon mustard glazed salmon and pine nut and Parmesan roasted asparagus, so I thought these mashed potatoes would pair perfectly. My Uncle’s recipe has never been completely revealed, so I have been experimenting a lot trying to get the mashed potatoes just perfect! One thing I know is that he uses russet potatoes, but as I have been exploring different recipes, so many people recommend the red potatoes. You can make this recipe with either russet or red potatoes, but I have to say, after making this recipe quite a few times now just this week, I stand behind the russet potatoes!
The hardest part of any mashed potato dish is peeling the potatoes, but after this step, this side is very simple and quick.
Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. For items like baked potatoes and pastas, I usually like to salt the water, so the pasta/potatoes infuse with a little hint of salt. Peel two pounds of russet potatoes with a vegetable peeler. Cut the baked potatoes into small 1-2 inch chunks and add to the boiling water. Boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Strain the potatoes and add them to the bowl of your stand mixer or a large bowl if using a hand mixer.
Add the sour cream, butter, half and half, cheese, salt and pepper to the bowl with the potatoes and mix on medium until smooth.
If you like cheese as much as I do, sprinkle with about 2 ounces of freshly shredded cheddar cheese.
I hope you enjoy these homemade mashed potatoes! Let us know how you incorporate them into your favorite meal!
- 2 lbs of russet potatoes
- 2 tbs of sour cream
- 2 tbs of butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup of half and half
- 10 oz of shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1 tsp of pepper
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Peel two pounds of russet potatoes and cut into small 1-2 inch chunks.
- Boil the sliced potatoes for 10-15 minutes or until tender.
- Strain the potatoes and add to the bowl of your stand mixer or a large bowl if using a hand mixer.
- Add the sour cream, butter, half and half, 8 oz. of cheddar cheese, and salt and pepper to the bowl with the potatoes and mix on medium just until smooth. Be careful not to over mix the potatoes or they will get too gooey! If they are too thick, splash in another tbs of half and half and mix.
- Sprinkle the remaining 2 oz. of shredded cheddar cheese on top of the mashed potatoes. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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