Martha Stewart’s Mashed Potatoes

Updated Nov. 26, 2024

Martha Stewart’s Mashed Potatoes
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1¾ hours
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 40 minutes
Rating
4(280)
Comments
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One of our family’s favorite dishes growing up was the delicious mashed potato recipe Mom would prepare to accompany her roast pork loin, roasted chicken, and, on Thanksgiving, her big roasted turkey. Her secrets? Idaho potatoes, peeled and boiled until fork-tender. Lots of fresh butter. A lot of cream cheese and hot milk added for creaminess. Salt and pepper, of course. It was not possible to find Yukon Golds in the Nutley Co-Op, where we shopped for all our groceries in the ’40s, or in the ShopRite, which came to Nutley, N.J., in the early ’50s. But these days, I love the tenderness of Yukon Golds, and I grow a hardy crop of them in my Bedford garden in New York. I also use both heavy cream and milk, and I use a food mill with the finest sieve to ensure the creamiest, smoothest and silkiest mashed potatoes ever.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 12 servings
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 9 medium potatoes)
  • 8ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup heavy cream, warmed
  • ¼ cup whole milk, warmed
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

354 calories; 22 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 36 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 568 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Fill a large pot with 1 to 2 inches of water and add a pinch of salt. Set a steamer basket in the pot, making sure the water doesn’t seep through the holes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a rapid simmer. Add the whole potatoes to the basket and steam until they are tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 30 to 45 minutes, depending on size. (Be sure to check the water level halfway through.)

  2. Step 2

    Remove potatoes from the pot and let stand until just cool enough to handle. Rub off the skins and discard. Cut the potatoes into pieces and pass through a food mill or ricer into a large bowl.

  3. Step 3

    Add the cream cheese, butter, cream and milk to the bowl and mash with a masher (or beat with an electric mixer). Season with salt and pepper, and beat to desired consistency. Return the mashed potatoes to the pot and cover to keep warm until serving. (The potatoes can be made up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated, covered; you can reheat on the stove or in the microwave before serving.)

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Ratings

4 out of 5
280 user ratings
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Comments

Baked are much better than boiled for mashed potatoes. Boiled have a watery texture no matter what you do. Mashed baked potatoes also take to seasonings better. Not to mention no tedious peeling. Simply slip the meat of the cooked potato out of skins. Bonus you have baked potato skins for down home appetizers with fillings of your choice

This mashed potato recipe is so overloaded with fats that the delicate, natural flavor of an otherwise delicious potato variety is completely lost. Instead of drowning the potatoes in excess, why not try a simpler version? Just use mashed potatoes of your favorite variety, good-quality milk, a pinch of salt, and a touch of butter. It lets the true potato flavor shine—and it’s kinder to your waistline too."

My German mothers were the best. Boil potatoes drain add back to pot with butter and milk mash with fork.. easy..

if you've ever enjoyed the grocery store bob evan's mashed potatoes, these are for you.

I’ve started pressure cooking Idahos in the InstantPot. I like that I can precisely time them, drain the cooking water, add my ingredients, and mash (usually smush them and use a hand mixer) all in the same pot, and it keeps them warm a long time. Thanks, all for the genius flavoring ideas (Dijon, herbed Boursin, horseradish)!

I use an extruder style potato masher which works well enough. Ricers take too long to do a lot of potatoes.

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Credits

Adapted from “Martha: The Cookbook” by Martha Stewart (Clarkson Potter, 2024)

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