Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
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Here’s a recipe for garlic parmesan mashed potatoes that are fluffy and full of flavor. With real butter, cream, garlic, and parmesan cheese, they’re extra creamy and next-level delicious. They’re an easy side dish that everyone loves, and they’re ready in just 22 minutes!
These garlic Parmesan mashed potatoes are the only mashed potatoes I really want to eat. They’re creamy, comforting, and perfect whether I’m sneaking spoonfuls straight from the bowl or piling them high with gravy.
After making mashed potatoes every which way over the years, I’ve landed on a couple of simple tricks that make all the difference. The first is that I boil the potatoes with plenty of garlic so the flavor infuses right into them. The second is to reserve some of the starchy cooking water for mashing to help loosen everything up and make them extra creamy. Yukon golds are my favorite for their buttery texture, but russets, white, or red potatoes all work well here.
I mash them with butter, cream, salt, pepper, and a generous handful of freshly grated Parmesan for bold, savory flavor. I prefer them slightly rustic, so I use a potato masher, but a ricer will give you silky-smooth results if that’s your preference. They’re delicious as is, or finished with a sprinkle of fresh thyme or rosemary for an herby touch.
What to serve with garlic parmesan mashed potatoes
These garlic parmesan mashed potatoes are a classic side dish that everyone loves. Serve them with a protein main and a simple vegetable side for a complete and satisfying meal.
They’re easy enough for weeknight meals but also elegant enough to serve to a crowd for holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas. They taste great on their own, or when smothered in sauce like our mushroom gravy.
Creamy recipes that pair perfectly with these mashed potatoes
Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb potatoes (peeled and quartered)
- 6 cloves garlic (peeled)
- ½ cup cream (or whole milk)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add the potatoes and garlic to a pot and cover the potatoes with water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 12 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.2 lb potatoes, 6 cloves garlic
- Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the potatoes through a colander.
- Return the potatoes to the pot and add the cream, butter, salt, and pepper. Mash well with a potato masher, then add just enough of the reserved cooking water to make the potatoes really creamy – we usually use about ¼ cup.½ cup cream, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- Stir the parmesan cheese into the mashed potatoes then serve.½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Nutrition
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Are you mashing the garlic with the potatoes, too? Or is it infused flavor and they should be removed? Thanks!
I mash them into the potatoes!
Not enough garlic. Also 1t each of salt and pepper seemed like too much. So I used 1/2. Just right.