These cream cheese mashed potatoes are easy to make and full of flavor. You just need a couple of ingredients to make them. They are fluffy, creamy, and tangy. You need this simple recipe in your repertoire!
Try also our other mashed potato recipes: sour cream mashed potatoes and cheddar mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make these delicious mashed potatoes:
- potatoes
- cream cheese – use full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor
- butter
- milk – you could swap some of the milk for cream to make the potatoes more creamy and rich
- garlic powder – adds garlicky flavor without being too harsh
- chives – the perfect topping for mashed potatoes
What kind of potatoes to use: the best potatoes for mashed potatoes are starchy/mealy potatoes (like Russets, Idaho) – they are high in starch and low in moisture, they don’t hold their shape very well but are great for mashing and boiling.
Why use cream cheese in mashed potatoes? It makes them creamy and adds great flavor (you’ll know when you try them!)
Step by step instructions
STEP 1: Peel the potatoes, chop any larger ones so they’re all similar in size. Add the potatoes into a large pot, pour over cold water, salt the water generously. Cook the potatoes until fork-tender.
How long to boil potatoes?
I cut my potatoes into 1 1/2-inch (4cm) chunks and cook them for about 10-15 minutes. Check with a fork if they are ready – they should be soft enough to be pierced with a fork.
Drain the potatoes and put them back in the pot. Heat over low heat for a minute until the excess moisture evaporates.
Do you have to peel the potatoes? No, the potato peel is edible but sometimes can be tough to chew (it’s up to your preferences).
STEP 2: Heat milk and butter in a saucepan. When hot add the cream cheese and warm up until the mixture is very warm and ingredients combined.
STEP 3: Add the milk mixture to hot potatoes. Add garlic powder.
STEP 4: Mash the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes in a serving bowl.
TIP: It’s important to add the other ingredients while the potatoes are still hot.
How to mash potatoes:
- You can use a potato masher or potato ricer.
- Use an electric potato masher (shown on the photo).
- You can mash them using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- When using potato ricer: first put the potatoes through the ricer then add hot milk mixture and stir until combined.
Garnish: Heat some additional butter in a small pot until it’s light brown and smells nutty (you will make brown butter). Pour the butter over your mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with chopped chives.
Enjoy!
Storage
Store these mashed potatoes for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. They reheat pretty well.
How to reheat: add some milk to the potatoes (they will thicken), reheat in a non-stick pan or in a pot.
You can also reheat them in the oven: add some milk to the potatoes, place them in a baking dish, cover with butter slices and bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 10 minutes or until warm.
Top tips for making perfect mashed potatoes
- choose a right type of potato (starchy/mealy potatoes)
- generously salt the potato cooking water
- start cooking the potatoes in cold water and not in hot water (they will cook more evenly)
- heat cooked and drained potatoes in a pot for the excess moisture to evaporate (you mashed potatoes won’t be watery)
- mash the potatoes while hot
- add hot milk and butter to keep your mashed potatoes warm
- don’t overwork the potatoes or they will be gummy
- garnish with brown butter
Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!
Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (900g) potatoes mealy/starchy variety such as Russets
- 1/4 cup milk 60g
- 4 ounces (115g) cream cheese full-fat
- 4 tablespoons butter + more for serving
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- chives to garnish
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes, chop any larger ones so they’re all similar in size. Add the potatoes into a large pot, pour over cold water, salt the water generously. Cook the potatoes until fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and put them back in the pot. Heat over low heat for a minute until the excess moisture evaporates.
- Heat milk and butter in a saucepan. When hot add the cream cheese and warm up until the mixture is very warm and ingredients combined.
- Add the milk mixture to hot potatoes. Add garlic powder.
- Mash the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes in a serving bowl.
- Heat some additional butter in a small pot until it’s light brown and smells nutty (you will make brown butter). Pour the butter over your mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with chopped chives.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute a part of milk for heavy cream if you want the potatoes even more rich and creamy.
- It’s important to add the other ingredients while the potatoes are still hot.
- If using potato ricer: first put the potatoes through the ricer then add hot milk mixture and stir until combined.
- Don’t overwork the potatoes or they will be gluey.
- These mashed potatoes reheat pretty well. Add a small amount of milk to them (they will thicken) then reheat in a pot or in a non-stick pan. You can also reheat them in the oven, cover them with butter slices then bake at 350°F (180°C) until warm.
- Calories = 1 serving (1/6 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!
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