These creamy mashed Yukon gold potatoes are an easy and delicious mashed potato recipe that everyone will enjoy. These easy mashed potatoes are perfect for everyday meals or for special occasions and holidays.
Why You'll Love These Yukon Gold Potatoes
We eat lots of potatoes in our family from turmeric potatoes or Italian potatoes, even Brussels sprouts gratin with potatoes. But nothing is closer to my heart than these delicious mashed potatoes!
- Easy: This recipe is going to be a more rustic version of mashed potatoes since we leave the skin on the potatoes.
- No special equipment needed: There will be no fancy ricer gadget required when making this recipe. You will need a potato masher for this recipe but if you do not have one then the bottom of a coffee mug will do the trick.
- Creamy and delicious: These mashed potatoes are the perfect balance of potatoes and cream and are loaded with flavor.
- Fluffy: You do not need to worry about these golden potatoes getting gummy because we are mashing them (smashing them) and not overworking them at all.
Simple Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make these easy Yukon gold mashed potatoes. Here they are:
- Yukon gold potatoes. Cutting them all to the same size creates even cooking.
- Butter. I prefer unsalted butter.
- Chives (optional but recommended). I like this in my mashed potatoes for color and flavor.
- Heavy cream. This makes the potatoes creamy.
- Kosher salt.
- Pepper.
How To Make Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
- Cut the potatoes into large pieces. Cutting the potatoes before cooking them not only speeds up the cooking time but makes sure the potatoes are cooked all the way through. Make sure to cut the potatoes into even sizes before adding them to the water to cook. This makes sure that all your potatoes cook evenly.
- Cook the potatoes in boiling water. Cook the potatoes until they can easily be pierced with a fork. If the potato can be pierced but it is still firm, give it a few more minutes.
- After cooking your potatoes, turn off the heat to your stove, drain the water, and place the potatoes back in the pot. Place the pot back on place on top of the hot burner (that is off) and stir them in the pot for a few minutes. This allows a lot of the water the potatoes absorbed to evaporate which ensures your potatoes are not water-logged. It will also help the potatoes absorb the delicious cream and butter you are going to add later.
- Mash the potatoes with a potato masher.
- Add warmed cream, melted butter, and seasoning and mash that into the potatoes. You want to make sure you warm the butter and cream in a bowl in the microwave before adding them to the potatoes which prevents the potatoes from getting cold.
- Taste for seasoning. Here is where you can add more salt if needed.
Tips
How To Make Mashed Potatoes Ahead Of Time
So I mentioned lots of ways to make these Yukon gold mashed potatoes amazing but there are also a few helpful things you can do to make them ahead of time and have them re-heated when you are ready.
To make these Yukon gold mashed potatoes ahead of time, you can either opt to keep them warm until dinner is ready or just make them entirely the day before and reheat them. Here is how to do both.
How to keep mashed potatoes warm
To keep these Yukon gold mashed potatoes warm after you go through all the work to make them, just place them in a large heat-proof bowl (glass is perfect) over simmering water.
- To do this just fill a sauce pot about 3-4 inches high and bring to a simmer with the bowl on top. Once the water has come to a simmer, reduce to the lowest setting and tightly wrap the top of your bowl with aluminum foil to keep the potatoes from drying out. You will want to give them a stir every once in a while when you do this.
- This method works best if you are only trying to keep the potatoes warm for about an hour or so. If you made the potatoes the day before then you should follow the steps for completely re-heating.
How to re-heat mashed potatoes
You will still use the method above with the simmering water but in this step, you will need to have extra cream and butter on hand to help rehydrate the potatoes as they reheat.
To reheat your Yukon gold mashed potatoes, follow the steps above for re-heating. As your potatoes start to re-heat, place about ¼ to ½ cup of cream and 2-3 tablespoons of into a bowl and microwave for about 1-3 minutes until the butter melts.
Add the butter mixture to your potatoes and stir it in well. As the potatoes re-heat, they will absorb the cream.
After the potatoes have reached the right consistency, taste them and see if they need any additional salt or pepper.
That's it! Everything you need to make these amazing mashed potatoes. They will definitely be the hit.
Pairing Ideas
We love serving these mashed potatoes alongside so many meals like our French beef stew, or Au jus, and our Dutch oven beef stew. Of course our blackened tuna, or our oven baked salmon or chicken tarragon and Italian baked ham. These mashed potatoes go so well with so many meals 🙂 If you are looking for more ideas of what to serve with these Yukon gold mashed potatoes, here are some more favorites:
Faqs
I often prefer to leave the skin on because the skin has the most nutrients from the potato. If you do not mind the skin in the mashed potato this is the way to go.
Yes, I have an entire section written on this above.
To make sure mashed potatoes do not get gummy, after draining them, add them back to the hot pot they cooked in to allow the moisture (steam) to escape from the potatoes. After that, make sure you do not overwork the potatoes.
Yes, you do this to make sure the potatoes cook evenly and quickly.
For more delicious potato recipes
- Roasted Cauliflower and Potatoes
- Chorizo and Potato Tacos
- Red Potato Salad Recipe
- Grilled Potatoes in Foil
Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes (Rich and Buttery)
Tried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
Equipment
- potato masher, large bowl, heavy bottom pot
Ingredients
- 12 medium Yukon gold potatoes or golden potatoes skins are left on for this recipe. You can remove them if your prefer.
- ½ cup unsalted butter cut into ½ inch pieces to melt evenly.
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 1 small bunch of chives chopped up finely. About 2-3 tablespoons.
Mashed Potato Topping (optional)
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Fill a large pot ¾ full with water and place on the stove.
- Clean your potatoes and cut into large quarters of the same size. Some of the potatoes may need extra cutting if they are larger than others. Just make sure you cut all the potatoes the same size so they cook evenly.12 medium Yukon gold potatoes or golden potatoes
- Place your cut potatoes into the pot of water and bring to a boil.
- Once the potatoes have come to a boil, add a pinch of salt and the reduce heat to medium high and cook until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork and they look like they are just barely starting to come apart about 10 minutes.pinch of kosher salt
- While the potatoes are cooking prepare your cream and butter by adding them to a microwave safe bowl.½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- Place the bowl in the microwave for about 1-3 minutes until the butter is fully melted and the cream is very warm then set aside.
- Once the potatoes are done cooking, drain them and place them back into the pot they cooked in.
- Place the pot back on the hot (but turned off burner) and toss them around for a minute to allow some of the water in the potatoes to evaporate.
- Now remove your potatoes from the stove and add to a large bowl.
- With a potato masher, mash up your potatoes until it starts to look somewhat smooth but still has some lumps.
- Now pour half of your butter and cream mixture into the pot with the potatoes and with the potato masher, mash and mix it into the potatoes.
- Once the cream and butter mixture is mixed in, add your salt, pepper and the remaining cream and butter mixture.1 tablespoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- Now sprinkle ½ of your chopped chives over the top.1 small bunch of chives
- Taste for seasoning. Potatoes soak up salt so you may want to add more at this point.
Butter and chive topping (optional)
- To prepare the topping add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of cream to a small microwave safe bowl.2 tablespoon unsalted butter, 2 tablespoon heavy cream
- Microwave for 1 minute until the butter is fully melted.
- With the back of a large spoon, make a swirl around the top of the mashed potatoes. This is a small well to pour in the remaining butter and cream.
- Now carefully drizzle the remaining butter mixture over your potatoes letting the butter and cream mixture fill the well you just made.
- Sprinkle with your remaining chives.
To serve
- Place your smashed potatoes into serving bowl.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer here
Ally says
I made these for a dinner party and everyone loved them. Easy to follow directions and they taste delicious
Melissa says
Hi Ally. So glad it was a hit!
Jeremy says
They were so delicious! Great recipe
Melissa says
So glad you enjoyed them!
RJ says
A friend of mine made these mashed potatoes and they were the best I’ve ever eaten! I will be using this recipe always
Melissa says
I am so happy to hear that 🙂
Amanda says
Came out perfect!
Melissa says
Hi Amanda. Glad to hear you enjoyed them 🙂
Michelle says
Really loved this dish! VERY EASY