Do you dream of the perfect mashed potatoes? These Red Skin Mashed Potatoes are buttery, garlicky, and so easy to make. The left-on skins add a great texture and some extra nutrition, too.
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I always say that I'm not really a potato person. There are some people who will eat potatoes in absolutely any form they can, but for me to eat them, they have to be kind of special.
You know, like really crispy french fries or super buttery and flavorful garlic parmesan mashed potatoes. Or a perfectly cooked baked potato with crispy skin and all the fixings.
What I'm saying is that not just any potato recipe will do. I spent a long time developing the recipe for these red skin mashed potatoes to turn them into a side dish I could really get excited about. And I'm so excited to share it with you!
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
Whether you're a fan of all potato dishes or, like me, you're more picky when it comes to spuds, you're going to love these red skin mashed potatoes!
I love using red potatoes for their creamy sweet flavor.
Not only are they very easy to make, but they're packed with great texture from the skin and amazing buttery flavor.
This is a side dish that works on a busy weeknight, but also perfect for serving with Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
👩🍳 Why leave the skins on?
There are a lot of good reasons to leave the skins on your potatoes when making mashed potatoes.
First of all, it makes making this side dish so much easier! Instead of peeling the potatoes, you simply need to scrub them clean.
Also, the peels are the healthiest part of the potato! Not only are they high in fiber and potassium, but they're also packed with lots of other heart-healthy vitamins and minerals (source).
And lastly, leaving the peels on results in mashed potatoes that have lots of good texture and delicious flavor.
🗒 Ingredients
The ingredients for this side dish are pretty simple. Here's everything you need (please see recipe card at the end of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe directions):
- Unpeeled red potatoes: though this recipe is for red skin mashed potatoes, you can really use any kind of potato you want!
- Unsalted butter
- Minced garlic
- Whole milk: You can substitute with 2% if necessary, but I wouldn't go any lower in % than that.
- Heavy cream
- Fresh chives: For garnish
🥔 How to make red skin mashed potatoes
There's nothing complicated about these mashed potatoes and they're the perfect side dish to make when you don't have a lot of extra time.
Start by scrubbing potatoes and cutting them in quarters. Place them in a large pot.
And add enough cold water to cover potatoes. Add 1 Tbsp salt.
Bring water to a boil.
Lower heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.
Drain potatoes using a strainer and set aside.
Return pot to medium-low heat and melt 2 Tbsp butter.
Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until aromatic, but not browning too much.
While garlic is sautéing, combine milk and cream and heat in a small saucepan over low heat or heat in a bowl in microwave.
Heat until hot, but not boiling.
Return potatoes to pot and mash with a potato masher until desired consistency is reached.
Take note that because red potatoes are waxier than Yukon Gold or russet, you need to take care not to "over-mash" as they could get gummy quicker.
I like when mashed potatoes are a but "chunkier" instead of totally smooth. I don't want to say "lumpy" because that implies that the potatoes are undercooked, but I prefer some chunks instead of a complete puree.
However, the skin of the red potatoes does also add some texture here, so even if you mash your potatoes to be totally smooth, they'll still have a nice "bite" to them.
Add remaining butter, hot milk/cream mixture, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper and stir to combine.
And serve the red skin mashed potatoes topped with chopped scallions or chives and another pat of butter.
Oh, how I want to just dive into this bowl!
And like I said, it takes a lot for me to seriously crave a potato dish, much less want to jump right into it!
These red skin mashed potatoes are perfection in my eyes. Packed with garlic, butter, and slightly sweet red potatoes, I think I found my perfect combination.
⏲ How to store
If you have leftover mashed potatoes, they're easy to store for later! Simply put them in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge.
They should keep for 3-4 days when stored properly.
When re-heating, I recommend adding a little more butter. 😉
🍠 What other potatoes can I use?
Of course, I think you should use red skin potatoes for a red skin mashed potato recipe! But you can really use this recipe with any kind of potatoes.
Lots of people say that Yukon Gold are the best potatoes for mashing since they're creamy and buttery and have a lot of starch content.
Russets also have a lot of starch, but not as much flavor as Yukon Gold. They are good for fluffy mashed potatoes.
You can even use sweet potatoes if you choose!
I think that for skin on mashed potatoes, using red potatoes is always the prettiest.
🍽 What to serve with
There's so much that mashed potatoes go well with. Here are some of my favorites:
- Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf
- Thanksgiving Turkey
- BBQ Chicken Meatballs
- Garlic Sizzled Chicken Wings
- Spinach and Brie Stuffed Chicken
- Jalapeño Lime Roast Chicken
- Spicy Ginger Honey Wings
- Extra Crispy Fried Chicken
- Brie-Stuffed Turkey Meatballs
- Garlic Butter Baked Pork Chops (from Primavera Kitchen)
Honestly, there's not much that doesn't go with mashed potatoes as long as the entree isn't pasta-based or carb heavy already.
These red skin mashed potatoes have become a stable on my dinner table and I hope they become a must-make in your house, too!
❓ Frequently asked questions
📖 Recipe
Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. unpeeled red potatoes, cut into quarters
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 1 ½ Tbsp minced garlic (from 4-5 cloves)
- ¾ cup whole milk (can substitute with 2%)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Fresh scallions or chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Place potatoes in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover potatoes. Add 1 Tbsp salt and bring water to a boil.
- Lower heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes using a strainer and set aside.
- Return pot to medium-low heat and melt 2 Tbsp butter. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until aromatic, but not browning too much.
- While garlic is sautéing, combine milk and cream and heat in a small saucepan over low heat or heat in microwave. Heat until hot, but not boiling.
- Return potatoes to pot and mash with a potato masher until desired consistency is reached. Take care not to over-mash or else you may get gummy potatoes (I like to leave some chunks, but you can also mash until smooth).
- Add remaining butter, hot milk/cream mixture, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper and stir to combine.
- Serve with chopped scallions or chives and an additional pat of butter, if desired.
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Nutrition
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