Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe with a Potato Ricer

I have made mashed potatoes so gluey they could pass for wallpaper paste, and it took me years of hosting Thanksgiving to fix it.

When those hosting duties first landed on me, I ruined more batches than I want to admit, until I found the one tool that fixed it for good. This creamy mashed potatoes recipe is the one I have made every year since, and it gets it right every single time.

When I first got married, my mother-in-law hosted every holiday. She did that for three or four years before it finally became too much for her, and Jim and I started having his and my family over for the holidays.

I remember standing at my counter trying to make mashed potatoes in my stand mixer. Some batches came out fine. A few came out more like wallpaper paste. I am not exaggerating.

I tried hand mashing next, the old-fashioned masher tool. It worked, but the potatoes always were too lumpy. When I found a video on HSN about a potato ricer, I have never looked back.

After the potatoes are boiled, you process them by hand in the ricer, stir in milk and butter, and you have the best, creamiest mashed potatoes every time. I never use the mixer again and never have lump in my mashed potatoes.

Pro Tip: If reading this recipe is starting to be overwhelming, no shame in using store-bought mashed potatoes. Spoon them into your prettiest serving bowl, and add a couple pats of butter on top. Nobody will know, and nobody should feel bad about it. We all need a shortcut now and then.

Why You’ll Love These Easy Mashed Potatoes

• No mixer needed, so there is no risk of gluey, wallpaper paste mashed potatoes.
• The ricer makes the recipe so simple and lump free, without any extra work.
• Basic simple ingredients.
• Easy to keep warm in the oven, perfect for make ahead holiday dinners.
• An old-fashioned classic recipe that is still a favorite after all these years.
• It is kid-friendly, and they will ask for it every week.
• Perfect with meatloaf.

Ingredients for Creamy Mashed Potatoes

• 5 pounds potatoes, peeled (Yukon Gold or russet both work well)
• Cold water, for boiling
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk, warmed slightly
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Tips for the Best Mashed Potatoes

• Warm your milk slightly before adding it, cold milk cools the potatoes down too fast
• Add the milk slowly, a quarter cup at a time, that way you can control the texture.
• Never skip the ricer step if you want truly creamy mashed potatoes without lumps.

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Equipment You’ll Need

How to Make Mashed Potatoes with a Potato Ricer

1. Peel and cut the potatoes. Peel the potatoes and cut them into even chunks so they cook at the same rate.
2. Boil until fork tender. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cook 15 to 20 minutes, until a fork slides in easily. 
   Pro tip: Starting with cold water instead of hot helps the potatoes cook evenly all the way through.
3. Drain well. Pour the potatoes into a colander and let them sit a minute so the extra water can steam off.
4. Rice the potatoes. Working in batches, press the warm potatoes through a potato ricer into a large bowl. This is the step that makes them creamy instead of gluey. 
   Pro tip: Skip the food processor and the stand mixer here. Overworking the starch is exactly what turns mashed potatoes into wallpaper paste.
5. Stir in the butter and milk. Add the butter to the warm riced potatoes first and let it melt in. Then add the milk, a quarter cup at a time, stirring gently, until the potatoes are as creamy as you like.
6. Season and serve. Add salt and pepper to taste and give it two or three gentle stirs. 
   Pro tip: Keep the potatoes warm in a 200 degree oven, covered, until you are ready to serve. This makes them perfect for make ahead holiday dinners.

Variations for Mashed Potatoes

• Garlic mashed potatoes: Stir in a spoonful of roasted garlic with the butter.
• Loaded mashed potatoes: Top with shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, sour cream, and chopped chives.
• Dairy free mashed potatoes: Use a dairy free butter and unsweetened dairy free milk in place of the butter and milk.
• Make ahead mashed potatoes: Make up to a day ahead, store covered in the fridge, and reheat low and slow in the oven or crockpot with a splash of milk stirred in.
• Cream cheese mashed potatoes: Stir in a few ounces of softened cream cheese with the butter for extra richness.

Frequently Asked Questions

You might also like my Handmade Mashed Potatoes in the Electric Pressure Cooker.

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