Potatoes. If you are a regular reader of my site (which of course you are) you know potatoes are my favorite food in the world! I'm obsessed. I can't think of another food as versatile as potatoes. Chicken is pretty versatile and I accept that and I love chicken too. However, if given the choice between potatoes and chicken I would choose potatoes every time. For Thanksgiving, I always go with a classic creamy, buttery mashed potatoes. They are so damn good and so, so easy to make.
Classic Creamy, Buttery Mashed Potatoes for Thanksgiving is My Happy Place
There are a lot of fancy things you can do with mashed potatoes. You can add cheddar, cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, scallions, chives, garlic, or herbs. There are a lot of flavor combinations you can opt for. However, for Thanksgiving I prefer going a classic route. A simple combination of warm milk, butter, salt and pepper. This is where I call home for Thanksgiving mashed potatoes. Potatoes are sometimes at their best when you do less with them instead of more. These classic mashed potatoes are a great example of this.
salt & pepper if needed
Thanksgiving: The One Time a Year You Cook a Turkey!
Welcome to my Thanksgiving Series! This is a feast I made for about $95 and it serves 8-10 people. You’ll probably still have some leftovers too! I bought a whopping 19 ½ pound turkey and economized as much as I could to keep this under $100. I know staying on a budget is important. This is my first Thanksgiving as a food blogger and I hope to add new Turkey Day recipes each year. The dinner here is a budget-friendly, beginner-friendly option.
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All the Thanksgiving Series Essentials to Go with Your Creamy Buttery Mashed Potatoes:
- Thanksgiving Turkey & Gravy
- Steamed Brussel Sprouts w/Toasted Pine Nuts & Bacon Bits
- Sautéed Butternut Squash with Caramelized Leeks & Thyme
- Easy Pepperidge Farm Stuffing with Apples & Celery
- Killer Apple Pie with Butter Crust
Need Some Appetizer Ideas for the Holidays? I Gotcha Covered:
- Holiday Appetizers: Phyllo Cups Five Ways
- Warm Shrimp & Gorgonzola Dip w/Pancetta Bacon (can make ahead and reheat)
- Crispy Thai Pork Toast (can make ahead and reheat)
- Honey Butter Bourbon Shrimp (more shrimp -yay!)
- Nana's Weird Hot Dog Appetizer
- Stuffed Mushrooms with Sausage, Panko & Cheddar
- Brown Sugar Bacon Sticks Brushed w/Maple Syrup
- Cute Little Mac & Cheese Mini Muffins (kids go crazy for these!)
- Apple Brie Crostini w/Toasted Pecans & Drizzled Honey
- Garlic Shrimp Crostini w/Romesco & Shaved Parmesan
Fantastic Creamy, Buttery Mashed Potatoes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
Description
When I say Fantastic Creamy, Buttery Mashed Potatoes - I mean classic mashed potatoes made with warm milk, butter, salt and pepper. The only way to eat them on Thanksgiving Day.
Ingredients
- 8 large russet potatoes (about 5 pounds)
- 1-2 cups warm milk
- 8 tablespoons of butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon of chives, chopped (optional garnish)
- 1-2 tablespoons butter, melted (optional garnish)
NOTE: You should have a hand blender or potato masher for this recipe.
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Instructions
- Don’t forget to watch the video which shows all the steps.
- Peel all the potatoes.
- Cut potatoes in half length-wise, then cut each half again lengthwise, then cut potatoes into cubes. Try to cut potatoes into approximately the same size so they cook evenly.
- Divide potatoes between two pots (or one really big one if you have it!). Fill pots with water and heat on high. Should take 20-30 minutes start to finish for potatoes to come to a boil and be cooked until fork tender. If it’s boiling too intensely on high heat, turn it down a little. You should test a few potato cubes to make sure they are cooked all the way through.
- While the potatoes are boiling, you can chop the chive garnish if you are using.
- Just before the potatoes are finished you should cut a stick of butter into 8 tablespoons and heat your milk in the microwave. I usually heat 2 cups of milk and use about 1 ½ cups total. It really depends on the size of the potatoes. To be safe, I always have 2 cups heated and use what I need.
- Once potatoes are finished, drain in a colander and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add all the butter, salt and pepper and half of the heated milk.
- Start mixing the potatoes with your hand mixer and add more warm milk as needed until you reach the desired consistency.
- Taste to check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
- Transfer potatoes to a serving dish, melt additional butter to pour on top (optional) and sprinkle fresh chives on top (also optional). Enjoy!
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