Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These mashed potatoes passed the ultimate test when Jack declared, “These are SO good!” I have to agree – they’re creamy, deeply flavorful & delicious.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe Ingredients

The best mashed potatoes only require a few simple ingredients:

Potatoes

My first picks are Yukon gold or German butterball potatoes. Unlike russet potatoes, they have a rich golden color, and they make for super creamy mashed potatoes.

Roasted garlic

The secret ingredient! I mix in a whole head of roasted garlic to pack these guys with flavor.

Olive oil

I love the rich taste of olive oil in this recipe, and, along with starchy potato cooking water, it makes these garlic mashed potatoes just as creamy as any I’ve had with butter, milk, or sour cream.

Salt and pepper

Absolute essentials! For optimum flavor, I salt the potato cooking water as well as mixing salt and pepper into the mashed potatoes.

Toppings

Top your potatoes however you like! My favorite way to eat them is with a sprinkle of chives, minced fresh rosemary, and a pat of butter.

Ingredients

Roasted Garlic*

• 1 whole garlic bulb
• Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Sea salt

Mashed Potatoes

• 2 pounds Yukon gold or butterball potatoes, peeled
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Butter, optional for serving
• Chopped chives and/or rosemary, optional for sprinkling

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Make the roasted garlic: Trim the top ¼ inch off the top of the garlic bulb. Place cut-side up on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Wrap the garlic in the foil and roast for 40 to 60 minutes or until the cloves are deeply golden brown and tender. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Use the back of a chef’s knife or a small masher to mash the garlic into a paste before incorporating into the mashed potatoes. Set aside.
• Make the mashed potatoes: Place the potatoes and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Use a ricer or a potato masher to mash the potatoes into a large bowl. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the roasted garlic, olive oil, ½ cup of the reserved cooking liquid, 1 teaspoon salt, and several pinches of pepper. Continue folding until creamy, adding up to ½ cup more cooking liquid if desired for creamier potatoes. Serve hot with butter, rosemary, and chives, if desired.