Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Published Apr 26, 2022
Updated Nov 02, 2023
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Sometimes the simplest things are the best. Like these Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with a hint of garlic. They are buttery, creamy, slightly tangy and so good paired with your favorite protein. I love these mashed potatoes with Lemon Butter Tilapia, Pan Seared Lamb Chops, Herb Roasted Duck or Chicken Drumsticks in Creamy Sauce.
Table of Contents
Best Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Everyone needs a good mashed potatoes recipe they can whip up in a little time. This recipe for Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes is the one.
It is not complicated to make at all. And you get creamy mashed potatoes perfect for pairing with your favorite protein or vegetables.
Make these buttermilk mashed potatoes for weeknights or weekend dinners, for the holidays, or for special occasions. So good!
Can You Use Buttermilk in Mashed Potatoes?
Yes, you can use buttermilk in mashed potatoes. Using buttermilk in Mashed potatoes is a great way to incorporate a fresh tangy flavor into your mashed potatoes.
Also, if you are looking for a way to use up leftover buttermilk, just use it to make mashed potatoes!
The Ingredients
You only need a few ingredients for Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes. They are:
- Potatoes: Use starchy potatoes like Russet potatoes also known as Idaho potatoes. Starchy potatoes make fluffy mashed potatoes. You could also experiment with other potatoes like red potatoes or Yukon gold.
- Buttermilk: Use organic buttermilk if you can for the best flavor.
- Garlic: Add 2 cloves of garlic when boiling the potatoes, then mash them together with the potatoes for a hint of garlic flavor. This just takes your Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes to the next level.
- Butter: Use good quality salted butter in your mashed potatoes so you only need to add a little bit more salt to taste. My favorite butter to use is Kerrygold and I tell you this greatly improved the flavor of the potatoes.
- Salt and Pepper: Use white pepper if you can for mashed potatoes as they are not as conspicuous as black pepper and the flavor of white pepper pairs well with potatoes.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Mashed Potatoes With Buttermilk
- Peel potatoes, cut them into equal sizes, rinse thoroughly, and boil with garlic cloves.
- Drain potatoes and mash together with garlic until completely broken down and creamy.
- Add buttermilk and butter then mix together.
- Taste potatoes for seasoning then add salt as needed and pepper to taste.
- Serve with your favorite protein.
Tips For The Best Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
- When making mashed potatoes, it is important to mash the potatoes as soon as you take them off the fire and drain them. This ensures that you get the potatoes as creamy as possible. When you let them cool down, they become harder to mash and they get undesirably lumpy.
- Remove the buttermilk from the fridge ahead of time and bring it to room temperature before adding it to the potatoes. This ensures that the buttermilk is not too cold which makes the temperature of the potatoes change quickly.
- Mash the potatoes first with a potato masher to break them down then whip the potatoes using an electric hand mixer to get them, fluffy.
- When using an electric hand mixer to whip potatoes, be careful not to overbeat them as they could quickly become gluey. Once the potatoes are creamy and fluffy, stop mixing.
- You could use a stand mixer to make the mashed potatoes., Again, be careful not to overmix as the potatoes could turn gluey.
- It is okay for your mashed potatoes to not be ultra smooth. You want to mash them to be as smooth and creamy as possible but a few little lumps here and there are just fine.
Substitutions
You can make mashed potatoes your own by trying the following substitutions.
- Vegan or Dairy Free – swap the buttermilk for plant-based milk and replace the real butter with vegan butter.
- Potatoes – experiment with any potatoes you have on hand.
- Regular Milk – the buttermilk can be replaced with regular milk if that is your preference.
Variations
- Loaded Mashed Potatoes – consider adding some cheese and bits of bacon to your mashed potatoes to make loaded mashed potatoes.
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes – consider adding a full bulb of garlic when boiling the potatoes. Then mash all the garlic together with the potatoes for Garlic Mashed Potatoes. You could also use oven-roasted garlic for this.
- Spicy Mashed Potatoes – consider adding a little cayenne pepper to make the mashed potatoes spicy.
- Mashed Potatoes With Your Favorite Seasonings – consider adding your favorite seasonings to mashed potatoes. Seasoning such as Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, or your favorite all-purpose seasoning blend would work well.
Also, check out these Rosemary Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
Equipment
A good ole potato masher or potato ricer could work for making mashed potatoes. Also, a handheld mixer or stand mixer could help make the process of making mashed potatoes easier.
Storage
Store mashed potatoes covered in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Simply reheat in the microwave.
Important Tip
To make more nutritious mashed potatoes, consider mashing the potatoes with skin on. This ensures that the mashed potatoes have more fiber which is good for you.
What To Serve With Mashed Potatoes
- Pan Seared Ribeye Steak
- Chicken Drumsticks in Creamy Sauce
- Pan Seared Lamb Chops
- Lemon Butter Tilapia
- Pan Grilled Salmon
- Sauteed Vegetables
- PAN SEARED TILAPIA
I hope you enjoy this Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes recipe. I have had this on my list for a long time now. I’m so glad to be able to finally share! Bon appetit!
If you make this recipe please leave a star rating below. Your rating helps others find the recipe plus I love hearing from you! Thank you!
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- 1 Potato Masher or fork
- 1 electric hand beater
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, about 5 large potatoes
- 2 garlic cloves (peeled)
- 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 4 Tablespoons good quality salted butter Not sponsored but I used Kerrygold. Love it!
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper or black
- 2-3 Tablespoons more butter for topping potatoes
- Snipped chives, fresh minced parsley, or chopped green onions for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Peel potatoes. Rinse them thoroughly, Cut them into quarters or really large ones into 6.
- Boil potatoes. Put potatoes into a medium-size pot together with the peeled garlic cloves. Add cool water to the same level as the potatoes. Bring to a rolling boil on medium-high heat. Let them boil until the potatoes are fork-tender. About 15-20 minutes.
- Drain potatoes. Pass the potatoes and garlic through a colander.
- Mash potatoes. Place potatoes into a medium-size mixing bowl and press down using a potato masher. Whip potatoes on low speed until all broken down and fluffy. About 2 minutes.
- Add buttermilk. Add the buttermilk in thirds while beating to incorporate it into the potatoes.
- Add butter. Add the butter one tablespoon at a time, beating to incorporate.
- Heat potatoes. Return potatoes to pot and place on medium heat to heat up. Stir, taste first (since butter is salted) then season with salt and ground white pepper or black pepper to taste.
- Serve. Place the buttermilk mashed potatoes into a serving dish. Top with dots of butter and garnish with snipped chives or fresh minced parsley if desired. Serve warm.
