The Best Easy Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
These creamy brown butter mashed potatoes are made with Yukon Gold potatoes, garlic, warm cream, sour cream, and rich, nutty browned butter. They are an easy yet impressive side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Sunday dinner, or any comforting family meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into evenly sized chunks
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- ¾ cup heavy cream, warmed
- ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for the cooking water
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley
- Fresh thyme, sage, or flaky salt for garnishing, optional
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into evenly sized chunks.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water by approximately one inch. Generously salt the water.
- Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and cook the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are very tender when pierced with a fork.
- Drain the potatoes thoroughly. Return them to the warm pot and let them sit for one to two minutes so the remaining moisture can evaporate.
- While the potatoes are cooking, add the butter to a light-colored saucepan or skillet. Melt it over medium heat.
- Continue cooking the butter, swirling the pan occasionally. The butter will foam and sizzle before golden-brown flecks begin to form on the bottom of the pan.
- Once the butter smells nutty and toasted, add the minced garlic. Cook for approximately 30 seconds, and then immediately remove the pan from the heat.
- Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or pass them through a potato ricer.
- Add the sour cream, warm heavy cream, salt, black pepper, and approximately three-quarters of the garlic brown butter.
- Gently stir until the ingredients are incorporated and the potatoes are creamy. Add another splash of warm cream if you prefer a softer consistency.
- Transfer the mashed potatoes to a warm serving bowl. Spoon the remaining brown butter over the top, making sure to include the toasted brown flecks.
- Garnish with chopped chives, parsley, fresh thyme, cracked black pepper, or flaky salt. Serve warm.
Notes
- A light-colored pan makes it easier to see when the butter has turned golden brown.
- Watch the butter closely. It can quickly go from perfectly browned to burned.
- Scrape all the toasted milk solids from the pan into the potatoes because they contain most of the nutty brown butter flavor.
- Yukon Gold potatoes provide a naturally creamy, buttery texture. For lighter and fluffier potatoes, use half Yukon Gold and half russet potatoes.
- Warm the heavy cream before adding it to the potatoes. Cold cream can cool the potatoes and make them more difficult to combine.
- Avoid using a blender or food processor. They can overwork the potatoes and create a gummy texture.
- For brown butter sage mashed potatoes, add several fresh sage leaves to the butter as it browns. Remove the crispy leaves and use them as a garnish.
- To prepare the potatoes ahead, transfer them to a buttered baking dish and refrigerate for up to two days. Reheat covered at 350°F with an additional splash of cream.
Find it online: https://www.firsthomelovelife.com/brown-butter-mashed-potatoes/