Yukon gold potatoes and buttermilk combine to create these rich and creamy Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes. Perfect for the holidays or any day!
I make these tasty mashed potatoes all year long, especially when I happen to have buttermilk to use up. They make my favorite Tender Eye of Round Roast Beef with Gravy, Turkey Meatloaf with BBQ Glaze or Skillet Braised Pork Chops a truly special meal
If mashed potatoes are part of your Thanksgiving menu plan, you should absolutely consider these Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes. Swapping out regular milk for buttermilk, along with a few other simple changes, will create the most luscious, flavorful mashed potatoes. They are the perfect complement for your roast turkey and gravy.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Yukon gold potatoes: These naturally creamy, buttery potatoes are my favorite choice for mashed potatoes. See the FAQ section below for more details.
- Broth: When you cook potatoes in a mixture of low sodium chicken broth and water it adds flavor to the potatoes as they cook. This means you’ll need to add less salt at the end.
- Buttermilk: I used reduced fat buttermilk.
- Fresh chives: A lovely way to garnish mashed potatoes. They are totally optional but add a nice pop of color and some nice flavor.
Making Mashed Potatoes with Buttermilk
This is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Add the peeled and quartered potatoes to a Dutch oven and add 2 cups low sodium chicken broth.
- Add enough water so that the potatoes are covered by 1- to 2-inches.
- Bring the potatoes to a boil then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until very tender all the way through when pierced.
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the warm, empty pot and set it over low heat. Toss the potatoes for a minute or two to evaporate any remaining moisture and let the potatoes dry a bit. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Add room temperature pats of butter, not melted.
- Add slightly warmed buttermilk (see the FAQ’s above for more information) and a small amount of salt.
- Avoid overmixing. Just mix until you have a nice, creamy texture.
- Taste and season with additional salt, if needed.
Transfer the Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes to a serving dish and swirl the top with a spoon. Garnish them with freshly ground black pepper and fresh chives for a pretty presentation.
FAQ and Valerie’s Tips
Yukon gold potatoes are a thin-skinned potato with a slightly waxy, naturally creamy texture. They are by far the best potato to use for Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes or any mashed potato recipe in my opinion. Save those thick-skinned russet potatoes for your baked potatoes and French fries. Choose large Yukon gold potatoes to make the chore of peeling a bit easier and cut them into even sized chunks for even cooking.
Buttermilk is thicker in texture than regular milk and adds richness, and creaminess to mashed potatoes. You can increase or decrease the amount added to reach the desired consistency. It’s also a bit tangy which adds some really nice flavor. Choose reduced fat buttermilk for all these benefits without adding additional fat.
Adding cold milk to mashed potatoes is one of the most common mistakes made and will likely result in an unappealing texture. Slightly warmed milk or buttermilk is absorbed more quickly by the potatoes. This allows you to mix less and avoid that dreaded gummy, gluey texture. Buttermilk has a tendency to separate so warm it gently in a saucepan over low heat and remove it from the heat just as soon as it is warm. You can also warm it in the microwave but set your oven for 20% to 50% power and don’t warm it for more than 10 second intervals.
For the best result, I recommend making this recipe for Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes just before it is time to serve your meal. You can keep them warm for up to an hour. Just place them in a bowl that fits snugly over a pot of water kept at a low boil. If needed, stir in a small amount of buttermilk to keep them creamy before serving. For a delicious make ahead method check out my Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes.
Butter lovers (who isn’t?) can add an additional pat or two of butter on top and allow it to melt into the warm potatoes.
The Best Way to Reheat Mashed Potatoes
If you’ve ever refrigerated leftover mashed potatoes you know their texture changes when chilled. Special care is needed to reheat them to a smooth and creamy state.
- If you have time, reheat Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes in a covered baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F until warmed through. Stirring in a little additional buttermilk and dotting the potatoes with more butter before baking will also help recreate the creaminess they lost in the fridge.
- They can be reheated in the microwave but be sure to cover them and cook at half power for short intervals to avoid overheating.
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Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth , plus enough water to rise 1- to 2-inches above potatoes
- 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature, or to taste
- 1 cup 1.5% reduced fat buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- chopped fresh chives and freshly ground black pepper for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in large pot or Dutch oven. Add the chicken broth and enough water to cover them by about 1- to 2-inches. Place over HIGH heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until very tender all the way through when pierced with a fork or the tip of a sharp knife. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, warm the buttermilk in a saucepan over LOW heat or in the microwave at half power for 10 second intervals, just until warm. Don't let it boil or it will separate and curdle. Set it aside.
- Return the well-drained potatoes to the warm, empty pot and set it over LOW heat. Heat, tossing the potatoes, for a minute or two to evaporate any remaining moisture and let the potatoes dry a bit. Remove them from the heat.
- Use an electric hand mixer on LOW speed to break up the potatoes a little then add the butter, about half of the warmed buttermilk, and the salt. Beat again on MEDIUM speed, adding the remaining buttermilk as you mix. Mix just until creamy and smooth. Avoid overworking the potatoes as it can result in a gummy, gluey texture. Taste and add additional salt, if needed.
- Serve as is or garnish with chives and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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These were great, paired with your roast beef recipe. I made both when cooking for my grandparents recently and they were a big hit. Just came back to find this recipe to pair with beef Bourguinon. Thanks!