13 Chef-Approved Tips For The Best Mashed Potatoes

When it comes to comfort-food side dishes, it's tough to compete with mashed potatoes. But for something so simple, the mashed variety is easy to mess up. Lumpy, gluey, floury, or bland, the list of potential sins that mashed potatoes can commit is a mile long. 

According to trained chef and native Virginian Allison Zinder, who lives and works as a gastronomy guide in Paris, this may come down to the fact that not everyone likes their mash the same way. "In my experience in Virginia, I feel like the quality of the actual mashed potatoes is not as important as the gravy," she says, noting that French mashed potatoes are typically unadorned, and the quality of the actual purée is paramount. "The actual type of potato and the quality of butter that is used in French mashed potatoes are both important and make for a tastier purée, one that can stand alone," she says.

If perfect purée is what you seek, take advantage of the experience and expertise from professional chefs. From choosing the potatoes to cooking them, from the tools you use to the seasonings you add, these pro tips will give you restaurant-quality mashed potatoes right at home.

As with many dishes, the perfect mashed potatoes begin not in the kitchen but at the grocery store. "Without a doubt, the choice of potato is the most important factor," says chef Chris Edwards of Café des Musiciens in Nice, France.

Most potatoes are divided into one of two categories, depending on their texture: Waxy potatoes like red potatoes and new potatoes have less starch and a slightly sweeter texture than some. Since they hold their shape well, they're best in stews or for potato salad, which Ina Garten has perfected with a secret ingredient. Floury potatoes like russets, meanwhile, are higher in starch and lower in moisture, making them perfect for a fluffy mash.

"'Floury' is a misnomer, of course, because there's no flour involved at all," explains Allison Zinder, noting nevertheless that russets are her preferred potato for a purée. That said, some do prefer waxier potatoes, including the late, great French chef Joël Robuchon, who transformed potatoes into a silky purée by combining cooked potatoes with an incredible amount of butter and a touch of warm cream and scraping the mixture through a fine mesh sieve until silky. For Edwards, potatoes "with a hint of waxiness" like Yukon golds are best transformed into a mash that's "more of a crushed job as opposed to a silky dream."

When cooking pasta, it's important to bring the water to a rolling boil before adding the noodles. But potatoes should be cooked in the opposite fashion, according to Chris Edwards. "I have had the most success and achieved highest efficiency when peeling, chopping in large chunks, and simmering in salted water (from cold)," he says. The reason why this works has to do with the size and density of potatoes as compared to pasta. Dropping a big, dense potato into a pot of already boiling water will cause the outsides to cook faster than the middle. By starting with cold water and gradually bringing both the water and the potatoes up to temperature, you're more likely to get an evenly cooked potato.

As for how long to boil potatoes, the answer depends on how large the pieces are. Smaller potatoes or potatoes that have been pre-chopped may cook through in as little as 12 minutes, while whole, skin-on russets may need to cook for as long as 30 minutes to be fully tender all the way through. Once the potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork, they're done and ready to be mashed.

It's far quicker to cook potatoes that have already been peeled and diced, according to Allison Zinder, which is why most of the time, "in the interest of time," she does just that. But if she wants to make her mashed potatoes particularly special — to serve at a holiday meal or dinner party, for example — she keeps the potatoes whole and unpeeled. "On weekends, I boil them skin-on and then burn my hands peeling them right before mashing," she says.

Not peeling the potatoes can more than double the time it takes them to cook through, but there is an advantage: A potato's peel creates a barrier between the boiling water and the spud itself, ensuring that it won't soak up too much liquid and become waterlogged. The resulting mash won't just be fluffier; it will also better be able to soak up any more flavorful liquids, like cream or milk.

Whether you cook potatoes with the skin on or the skin off, they will soak up at least some of the cooking liquid, so why not season it to lend even more flavor to the finished mash? Chris Edwards notes that when boiling potatoes for mashed potatoes, he seasons the cooking water with salt, while Allison Zinder cranks things up a few notches from the jump. She cooks the potatoes in a half-water, half-milk mixture seasoned with thyme, bay leaf, white pepper, and salt. She prefers Guérande coarse sea salt. This hand-harvested French salt is rich in minerals like magnesium, calcium, and iron and boasts a mild, balanced flavor.

You can also add other ingredients to the cooking water. Martha Stewart adds a head's worth of peeled garlic cloves to the cooking water along with 4 pounds of potatoes. After cooking for 30 minutes, the garlic becomes ultra tender and sweet, making it easy to mash them with the potatoes for a richly flavored play on the classic side dish.

While boiling may be the most common cooking method for mashed potatoes, there are other options. "Baking them skin-on gives a drier potato," says Allison Zinder, who notes that while this method does take quite a bit longer than boiling — up to an hour, depending on the size of the spud — the results are worth it given the way this technique reduces the moisture in the potato, making it even fluffier.

Chris Edwards loves this method, too. He places the potatoes whole and unpeeled on a bed of salt before roasting them until tender. "It helps to be a bit of a masochist with this technique and derive some pleasure from extracting the hot flesh from the just roasted and cut open potatoes before passing through the tamis," he says. "[I'm] well aware it is ridiculous; it is also a badge of pride to be able to handle the hottest potatoes in professional kitchens."

The added benefit of this method, he adds, is that the leftover skins can be eaten too. He suggests tossing them in oil, paprika, and oregano and re-roasting them until crispy or even deep-frying them for a crispy pre-dinner snack or garnish for your mash.

Reducing the moisture in the potatoes destined for mashing is key to ensuring a fluffy final texture, and to this end, our experts have one final tip: Once the potatoes are cooked, it's important to allow any excess moisture to evaporate before mashing. This can easily be done, according to Chris Edwards, by returning them to the hot pot in which they were cooked or even placing them in a hot oven for a few minutes.

While this step ensures a "restaurant-caliber mash," according to Allison Zinder, if you're short on time, she says it's okay to skip it. "At home, we'll tolerate a less concentrated mash," she says, noting that "whining, hangry kids tend to make us quite flexible." But even when she's short on time, she says, "I do always let the potatoes sit for a few minutes after draining to let excess moisture evaporate."

Either way, perhaps the most essential element to ensure the perfect mashed potato texture is to mash them while they're still hot. "If allowed to cool too much," Edwards says, "there is a big risk of gluey purée."

Once the potatoes are cooked, it's time to mash them. But despite the potato masher implied in the very name of the dish, if you ask our experts, using a food mill, also known as a potato ricer, is the way to go. "In a restaurant, there is simply no question: It must be passed through a ricer/moulin de legumes or similar device to achieve the desired smoothness," Chris Edwards says.

A ricer works quickly and efficiently, pressing the potato into thin strands that are systematically lump-free. This device also prevents you from over-working the potatoes, ensuring they remain light and fluffy and never become gluey. While ricers can also be a bit of a pain to clean, for Allison Zinder, they're worth using for a special occasion. "For a dinner party, and depending on what's accompanying the mash, I'll use a food mill with the smallest-holed plate," she says.

There is, of course, a time and a place for a hand masher, and that's when you know you want a few lumps. For Chris Edwards, there's nothing wrong with a lumpy mash. "In fact maybe I even prefer one — as long as it is proudly lumpy and not trying to be silky with unwelcome chunks." Allison Zinder agrees, noting that when push comes to shove, she has a personal preference for a silky-smooth French-style purée, but both have their place. "I think that a very smooth, refined mash works better with fish or delicate meats," she says, "whereas I'll usually expect a lumpy, home-style kind of mash with more rustic, peasanty (and saucy) dishes like beef bourguignon or sausages."

When she does decide to embrace the lumps, Zinder relies on a hand-held masher, though she prefers the kind with holes, which you can find on Amazon, as opposed to the more traditional wire mashers.

If you fear a lumpy mash, it may be tempting to err on the side of caution and mash a bit more than necessary. But when it comes to mashed potatoes, more is not more, according to Chris Edwards. Over-mashing, he says, activates the starch and sugars in the potatoes, resulting in a mash that's "all gluey and horrible." The same holds true for a reliance on tools that might seem to get the job done faster. "Never use a food processor," cautions Allison Zinder, "unless you want to eat rubber ropes."

If the physical task of mashing is a bit too time-intensive or difficult and you're unable to outsource it to someone willing to work those biceps, Zinder does have a suggestion. "I've used my stand mixer equipped with the paddle attachment for larger quantities, like for Thanksgiving," she says. Should you follow suit, she recommends stopping the machine when the potatoes are still lumpy, to reduce the risk of overworking them.

Should you ever get overzealous with your mashing, Edwards does have a fix that could save the purée. All you need to do, he says, is incorporate more fat and more liquid, which will offset the increased starchiness of the potatoes. "But it's easier just to take care in the moment," he says.

Once the potatoes are partially mashed, it's time to add even more flavoring, and since you've followed our experts' advice and allowed the potatoes to steam slightly before mashing, they're sure to be veritable sponges for soaking up other liquids. Most mashed potato recipes rely on a mix of dairy like butter, milk, and cream to add flavor and richness to mashed potatoes. And while plain milk is just fine, if you want a mash that's truly chef-worthy, Chris Edwards suggests taking the time to infuse the milk with herbs and spices. He suggests using cloves or a bouquet garni, a traditional French combination of bay leaf, thyme, and parsley tied together with twine. Other great options include peppercorns or even nutmeg, which Allison Zinder says she particularly likes around the holidays.

To infuse the milk with these flavors, simply heat them together in a saucepan set over low heat. Prepare the infused milk while the potatoes cook, and by the time the taters are tender, the milk will be ready to strain and incorporate into the mash.

In addition to liquid, mashed potatoes are particularly thirsty for fat — butter, to be precise. "Butter is best, and don't be shy," says Chris Edwards, who notes that there's no point trying to make a low-cal mash if you want it to truly shine. "Maybe serve a little less of a lovely rich purée than loads of a dull one," he suggests.

Allison Zinder agrees, noting her favorite method is straight out of Joël Robuchon's cookbook: "an unreasonable amount" of butter — about half as much butter as potatoes. "Joël Robuchon's proportions approach nirvana, and butter is one reason Robuchon made his entire reputation on his purée," she says. "He made it like a French grandma did, which sent people straight back to their childhoods."

And not just any butter will do. Given the simplicity of mashed potatoes — and the ultra-short ingredients list — choose an excellent butter for the best results. Zinder chooses "either Echiré or the motte butter directly from my cheesemonger's." For those not lucky enough to live in France, cultured butter with a high butterfat content like the one from Vermont Creamery is an excellent substitute.

Mashed potatoes are not the easiest thing to make ahead of time, though Chris Edwards notes that with a bit of foresight, it is indeed possible. "It usually requires a little last-minute adjustment in the pan as it will set in the fridge," he says. "I find it works to heat a small amount of butter and milk in the pan first before adding the purée to reheat and proceeding delicately." Allison Zinder notes that she only makes mash ahead of time when she's making twice-baked potatoes, though she says she has also successfully reheated mashed potatoes in the oven in a buttered dish or individual ramekins.

But reheating leftovers is not the only way you can take advantage of them. There are loads of ways to upcycle leftover mashed potatoes, from transforming them into a casserole to frying them up as a hash. "Add a bunch of flour and sizzle up some potato cakes," suggests Edwards, "or if it's loose, make it looser and turn it into a soup." If your mashed potatoes were good to begin with, the result is sure to be delicious too.

If you're looking for a slightly more nutrient-dense or sweeter approach to mashed potatoes, consider giving sweet potatoes a try. Rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and manganese, sweet potatoes more than live up to their name, with a lovely vegetal sweetness that goes particularly well with super-savory dishes like a rich, spiced salmon curry. But be aware: Despite their name, sweet potatoes are not actually botanically related to potatoes at all. "Remember it is not like a potato," cautions Chris Edwards of this brightly colored root veggie, "and doesn't need the same treatment."

To make a luxurious sweet potato mash, he suggests roasting whole sweet potatoes with salt and olive oil before mashing. For a quicker approach, he adds, you could also dice the peeled sweet potato and sweat it in a covered pot with salt and butter. He recommends being judicious with liquids, only adding them if the sweet potato sticks to the pan before it's fully cooked. "It should really be pretty much already a purée once done," he says.