Once you try creamy, rich Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes there’s no going back! Simple ingredients and some important tips will help you create these restaurant quality mashed potatoes.
You know how when you get mashed potatoes at a restaurant and they are just SO good and you can’t figure out why yours aren’t quite the same?
Well, I can pretty much guarantee you that those delicious mashed potatoes at your favorite restaurant contain at least a couple of ingredients that are probably not in your homemade mashed potato recipe. These ingredients and some important tips are the key to fabulous flavor and consistency.
Table of contents
Restaurant Quality Mashed Potatoes
Simmering buttery Yukon gold potatoes in broth instead of water alone, infuses them with flavor right from the start. Adding sour cream with the butter and milk adds richness and a velvety texture to create these restaurant style Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes.
Ingredient Notes
- Potatoes – Yukon Gold potatoes are my favorite choice for mashed potatoes. These all-purpose potatoes are waxy enough to hold up well to boiling but starchy enough to mash beautifully. Unlike the white, mealy flesh of the Russet potato, Yukon Gold potatoes have a creamy, smooth flesh with a naturally buttery flavor.
- Broth – Use either low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth for vegetarian mashed potatoes. Boiling the potatoes in broth instead of water alone will infuse flavor into the potatoes before combining them with the other ingredients.
- Butter
- Sour cream – I always have light sour cream in my fridge so it’s what I use most often but full fat sour cream will add a hint more richness.
- Milk – Either 2% or whole milk is best.
- Salt
- Chives, parsley and freshly ground black pepper – Use any or all of these optional garnishes.
Kitchen Tip
Slightly warm the milk and allow the sour cream to rest at room temperature while the potatoes simmer. This helps the dairy absorb more easily and will help prevent overmixing the potatoes which can result in an unpleasant, gummy texture.
How to Make Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
- Peel and quarter the potatoes and place them in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the broth and enough water to cover them by about 1- to 2-inches. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the 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. While the potatoes are simmering, warm the milk in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave, just until warm.
- Drain the fork tender potatoes, return them to the warm, empty pot and set it over low heat. Lightly toss the potatoes for a minute or two to evaporate any remaining moisture and let the potatoes dry out a bit. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Use an electric hand mixer on low speed to break up the potatoes a little then add the butter, sour cream, and the salt.
- Beat again on medium speed, adding the warmed milk as you mix. Add just as much milk as needed to reach the desired consistency and mix just until creamy and smooth. Taste and add additional salt, if needed..
For a nice touch, garnish Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes with a little freshly ground black pepper, fresh chives and/or fresh parsley. Of course a pat or two of butter melting down into the potatoes won’t hurt a thing!
Serving Suggestions
- Country Style BBQ Ribs
- Eye of Round Roast Beef with Gravy
- Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
- Dry Brine Turkey with Garlic Butter Rub
Storage Tips
Transfer any leftover mashed potatoes to an airtight container and refrigerate within 2 hours. Leftover mashed potatoes should be used within 3 to 4 days.
Reheat mashed potatoes gently, adding additional milk, as needed, to return them to a creamy consistency.
More Potato Side Dish Favorites
- Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Cheesy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
- Crock Pot Baked Potatoes
- Potato Leek Gratin
Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, plus enough water to rise 1- to 2-inches above potatoes
- 4 tablespoons butter room temperature, or to taste
- ½ cup sour cream, light or regular
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ cup milk, whole or 2%
- chopped fresh chives or parsley and freshly ground black pepper , optional for garnish
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a 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.
- Meanwhile, allow the sour cream to rest at room temperature while the potatoes simmer. Warm the milk in a saucepan over LOW heat or in the microwave, just until warm. Set it aside.
- Drain the potatoes well, return them 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 the pot from the heat.
- Use an electric hand mixer on LOW speed to break up the potatoes a little then add the butter, sour cream, and the salt. Beat again on MEDIUM speed, adding the warmed milk as you mix. Add just as much milk as needed to reach the desired consistency and 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 or parsley 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.
More Side Dish Inspiration
Thanks, Valerie! Another winner!!! BTW I once saw Alton Brown explain the “gummy” mashed potato phenom. He said it is always important to start mashing/whipping potatoes with fat/butter. Something about preventing starch from binding.