Ultra-Fluffy Mashed Potatoes Recipe (2024)

Why It Works

  • Russet potatoes are easy to mash into a smooth consistency without overworking.
  • Removing the potato starch both before and after cooking ensures fluffy, not gluey, mashed potatoes.
  • Milk and butter give the potatoes richness.

During Thanksgiving, that most divisive of holidays, mashed potatoes are perhaps the most divisive side dish of the lot.

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I like mine to be rich, perfectly smooth, and creamy with plenty of butter and heavy cream, loaded with black pepper, maybe some chives if I want to feel extra fancy. Somewhere between a dish on its own and a sauce, it should have the consistency of a pudding, slowly working its way across a tilted plate. I like to pick up a piece of turkey and swirl it in my gravy-covered potatoes so that they coat it, their buttery richness working into the cracks in the meat. Sounds good, right? Who could possibly want it any other way?

My sister. That's who.

For Pico (yes, that's her real name*), mashed potatoes are fluffy and thick enough to stand up under their own weight, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind–style. These are the kind of mashed potatoes that can hold their own on the plate. The kind that you want to turn into a TV commercial with a pat of butter slowly melting on top. I'm not talking about the uber-lumpy skin-on kind that more whimsical chefs might refer to as "smashed potatoes" or even "smashers" on cute and clever family-restaurant menus. I'm talking smooth, but light and fluffy.

*sort of

So how do you arrive at such two different results with the same starting ingredients? It's all got to do with starch.

The Science Behind Potato Starch

For our purposes, potatoes can be thought of as basically three different things. First, there are the cells, which are held together with pectin, a sort of natural plant glue, and the walls of the cells are where starch is concentrated.

Now starch molecules—a type of carbohydrate—come bundled up in tight granules. As potatoes cook, pectin breaks down, and individual cells expand and separate, releasing starch granules into the outside environment. These starch granules absorb water like little balloons, eventually popping and releasing sticky starch molecules. The concentration of this released starch that makes its way into the final mashed potatoes to a large degree determines their consistency.

To put it simply: for lighter, fluffier potatoes, the goal is to incorporate as little starch as possible in the final product.

So how does one go about recognizing starch molecules from quite a long ways away? There are a number of factors that determine this.

  • Potato type plays a huge role. Mealy russet potatoes have cells that readily fall apart from each other, meaning you don't have to cook them or work them too hard to get them to a relatively smooth consistency. Less working means less burst starch granules, which means fluffier mashed potatoes. Waxier Yukon Gold or Red Bliss potatoes require longer cooking, and must be worked fairly hard to separate their cells, making for creamier mashed potatoes.
  • The mashing method can drastically alter your results. Carefully pressing potatoes through a tamis, ricer, or food mill will separate the cells with minimal shearing action to break up the starch. Throw potatoes in a food processor, and an avalanche of starch gets released, turning your potatoes the consistency of melted mozzarella cheese. Whipping the potatoes in a stand mixer will develop some starchy creaminess, but still keep the potatoes creamy.
  • Soaking and/or rinsing the potatoes can help you modify the amount of starch that remains on them. Cutting potatoes into smaller pieces before cooking and rinsing them under cold water will wash away much of the excess starch. Cooking them in their skins, on the other hand, will help retain all the starch in their interior.

So just knowing these factors now, we should be able to determine the best way to get both styles of potatoes.

The Keys to Smooth and Fluffy Mashed Potatoes

Getting potatoes light and fluffy is a little bit trickier than the smooth and creamy texture of buttery French pommes purées, because you have to be more careful not to release too much of that starch. One thing is clear: You want to start with mealy russets that fall apart with minimal prodding and release starch in an easy-to-rinse-off manner. At first I thought that simply rinsing away as much starch as possible before cooking would be the key.

To do this, I made three batches of potatoes. The first I cut into large chunks, the second into 1-inch dice, and the last I grated on the large holes of a box grater. All three batches I rinsed under cold water until the liquid ran clear. By collecting the drained milky liquid from each batch of potatoes and comparing it, it was quite clear that the grated potatoes released far more starches than either of the other types of potatoes.

Turns out that another weird phenomena occurs when you try and cook grated and rinsed potatoes: They simply don't soften. I boiled those grated potatoes for a full 45 minutes to no avail. Even after forcing them through a ricer, pebbly, hard bits remained. What the heck was going on?

It's got to do with that pesky pectin. Turns out that when exposed to calcium ions, pectin cross-links, forming stronger bonds that are resistant even to prolonged cooking. As it happens, potato cells are full of calcium ions just waiting to burst out. By grating the taters, I ended up releasing so much calcium that the pectin gets strengthened to a point where it never softens.

Of the other two batches—the large chunks and the small dice—both formed a moderately fluffy mash, but to get the potatoes even fluffier, I found that rinsing the potatoes of excess starch both before and after cooking was the key. A quick pass through the ricer and a little bit of lubrication provided by some butter and whole milk gently stirred in with a rubber spatula, and my sister's potatoes were ready for sculpting.

Now my sister and I can finally get back to fighting over really important things like who gets to play the guitar part on Beatles Rock Band.

November 2010

This recipe was originally developed by Kenji Lopez-Alt, and has since been edited and updated by Daniel Gritzer after additional testing to reduce the base amount of milk added and to reduce the overall quantity of mashed potatoes produced.

Recipe Details

Ultra-Fluffy Mashed Potatoes

Prep10 mins

Cook35 mins

Active15 mins

Total45 mins

Serves4to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds (900g) russet potatoes

  • Kosher salt

  • 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, plus more as needed

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85g), room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pats

  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Peel potatoes and cut into 1- or 2-inch cubes. Transfer to a pot of cold water and rinse, changing water 2 or 3 times until it runs clear. Cover potatoes with fresh cold water and season generously with salt.

    Ultra-Fluffy Mashed Potatoes Recipe (2)

  2. Set potatoes over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until potatoes are completely tender, about 15 minutes after reaching a simmer.

    Ultra-Fluffy Mashed Potatoes Recipe (3)

  3. Drain potatoes in a colander and rinse under hot running water for 30 seconds to wash away excess starch. Allow potatoes to steam for 1 minute to remove excess moisture.

    Ultra-Fluffy Mashed Potatoes Recipe (4)

  4. Set a ricer or food mill over now-empty pot and pass potatoes through.

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  5. Add butter and gently fold into potatoes.

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  6. Mound potatoes into the center of the pot and pour milk all around. Set over medium heat and bring milk to a simmer before gently folding it into the potatoes. If looser potatoes are desired, add additional milk in a similar fashion around the mashed potato mass and bring it to a simmer before folding into potatoes. Season with salt and pepper, then serve.

    Ultra-Fluffy Mashed Potatoes Recipe (7)

Special Equipment

Ricer or food mill

Notes

This recipe can easily be doubled to feed a larger crowd.

Ultra-Fluffy Mashed Potatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep mashed potatoes fluffy? ›

Removing the potato starch both before and after cooking ensures fluffy, not gluey, mashed potatoes. Milk and butter give the potatoes richness.

How do you make mashed potatoes fluffy and not gluey? ›

Using a potato ricer or food mill breaks down cooked potatoes without overworking them, and from there you can gently fold in butter and milk for light and airy mashed potatoes, or you can control the level of starch manipulation to produce creamy pommes purée.

Why add baking soda to mashed potatoes? ›

Just a pinch of baking soda is all you need to create mashed potatoes as soft as clouds. When you add baking soda, it reacts with the heat of the dish and the acid in the milk or cream to create small air pockets throughout the mash. These air bubbles translate to light and airy bites. Yum!

Why my mashed potatoes are never fluffy? ›

Using the wrong type of potato.

Because these varieties have a low starch content, they don't break down or absorb dairy as well as other starchier varieties, and often result in a gluey or gummy texture when mashed. Follow this tip: For fluffy mashed potatoes, use starchy potatoes, like Russets or Yukon Golds.

Why do restaurant mashed potatoes taste better? ›

Instead of regular milk, pro chefs generally use a generous helping of buttermilk and plenty of half-and-half or (even better) heavy cream in their potatoes. If you think the bartenders up front are pouring heavy, they've got nothing on the cooks in the back who are in charge of the mashed potatoes.

What makes mashed potatoes like glue? ›

Some cells will inevitably burst, releasing tacky gel that helps give mashed potatoes their cohesiveness. But if too much gelled starch seeps out of the cells, either from overcooking or too-vigorous mashing (or both), gumminess ensues.

Should you rinse potatoes for mashed potatoes? ›

We don't recommend rinsing potatoes after boiling and before mashing. Rinsing removes much of the starch from the potatoes, which you want to keep for this dish.

What does Rachael Ray use to mash potatoes? ›

Mash potatoes with half-and-half or milk using a potato masher. Add in the cream cheese and smash until the cheese melts into the potatoes. Add chives or scallions. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

What do professional chefs use to mash potatoes? ›

The secret weapon, a good potato ricer (affiliate). This pushes the potatoes into strings, which helps them soak up every bit of the cream and achieve maximum fluffliness.

Why do people add sour cream to mashed potatoes? ›

Sour cream adds a little bit of tangy flavor and a boost of richness to mashed potatoes. It's a fun change from the standard milk or cream and butter combo usually flavoring mashed taters. You can even try your hand at making homemade sour cream from heavy cream!

What does adding an egg to mashed potatoes do? ›

The yolk emulsifies water and fat to create a cohesive, velvety bite, while providing a little fat and body of its own. What is this? You can add an egg yolk to nearly any existing mashed potato recipe.

Why do you put vinegar in mashed potatoes? ›

Vinegar is also a natural preservative and can help to keep the potatoes fresh for a longer period of time. Additionally, the acidity of the vinegar can help to break down the starch molecules in the potatoes, making them creamier and easier to mix with other ingredients.

Is it better to boil potatoes with vinegar or baking soda? ›

Playing With pH: Why You Should Add Baking Soda to Your Water. In my previous roast potato recipe, I recommended adding a splash of vinegar to the water for the initial boil. The idea is to control the breakdown of pectin, the cellular glue that holds vegetables together. Think of it as the mortar between bricks.

How do you keep mashed potatoes warm and soft? ›

Make sure the water is below the bottom of the bowl.

Add your mashed potatoes to the bowl and keep the heat on low. Cover the bowl with a lid. Keep on the stovetop for up to two hours, but it's better for 1-1.5 hours.

Do you rinse potatoes after boiling for mashed potatoes? ›

Rinsing potatoes helps remove excess starch, so it is recommended to rinse the potatoes before cooking. To ensure even more starch is out of the way, it's recommended that they even be quickly rinsed after boiling. We recommend using hot water for rinsing after boiling and cold water prior to boiling.

What does soaking potatoes do for mashed potatoes? ›

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes.

What makes mashed potatoes softer? ›

Mashed potatoes thicken as they cool, so they need cream to regain the right consistency. If kept warm, gently mash in heavy cream until smooth and loose again, adding more if you'd like.

References

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