Garlic Mashed Potatoes | Creme De La Crumb

Everyone’s going to ask to please pass the potatoes over and over again over these buttery, fluffy, creamy, truly DIVINE garlic mashed potatoes!

For more mashed potatoes recipes, head on over to my popular posts for Garlic Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes, and Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

mashed potatoes with butter melting in a black bowl

One of my most favorite side dishes ever is potatoes. I could really eat them any style – roasted, smashed, diced, shredded… but these garlic mashed potatoes with sour cream are my absolute favorite! The combination of red potatoes, butter, sour cream, plus minced garlic is just divine. Plus, I like to add a little extra kick of garlic with some garlic powder and just a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper to round it all out.

And if your oven and stove are already jam-packed with other holiday goodies, no need to panic, because I’ve also included directions for making these mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot!

close up butter melting in mashed potatoes with some red skins and garlic

Why this Recipe Works

Let me convince you why these garlic mashed potatoes are the BEST you will ever try.

Red potatoes — Although you can use any potato in this recipe, I very much prefer red (or even yellow) over a russet. The skins are soft, so no need to peel them. They cook up fast, and whip up so creamy you’ll never want to use another potato!
Garlic — Minced, powdered, roasted, diced, any way you like it, you must add it to these potatoes. It takes them from meh to marvelous! Trust me on this one.
Dairy — The secret to creamy, smooth, silky mashed potatoes is using both sour cream and milk when you whip them up. Don’t worry, I promise 8 ounces of sour cream isn’t as much as you think and it will blend in just fine along with the ½ cup of whole milk. You won’t want to skimp on these ingredients.
Easy — There just isn’t an easier, more flavorful recipe for garlic mashed potatoes out there. From cutting to cooking to mashing to table, all in under an hour.

Here’s How you Make it

Would you believe that the creamiest garlic mashed potatoes of all time are also super simple and easy to make? Seriously it’s a breeze! I’ll walk you through it.

Cook the potatoes (see below for two different methods) and drain.
Combine the hot, drained potatoes, butter, milk, sour cream, garlic, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Use a hand mixer or a potato masher to mash up the potatoes and all the other ingredients until just combined. The potatoes can be a little lumpy, that’s okay! You don’t want to over-mix.
Salt and pepper to taste, serve and enjoy!

overhead view of potatoes, butter, sour cream, and garlic in a glass bowl

Cooking Potatoes on the Stovetop

Chop the potatoes into quarters, then place them in a large pot and cover with water just to 1 inch above the potatoes.
Bring them to a boil over HIGH heat, then reduce heat to medium-high.
Cook for 10-12 minutes until potatoes are easily pierced to the center by a fork.
Drain the water and transfer potatoes to a large bowl.

Cooking Potatoes in the Instant Pot

Place the metal rack in the bottom of your pressure cooker.
Add 1 cup water, then place whole potatoes on a metal rack.
Cover, and set vent to SEAL position, then set to PRESSURE COOK or MANUAL for 8 minutes.
Once cook time is up, quick release by turning knob to the VENT position.
Once the float valve has dropped, remove the lid, drain the pot, and transfer potatoes to a large bowl.

overhead view of electric mixer beaters in bowl with whipped potatoes

How Many Potatoes Should you Make Per Person for Mashed Potatoes?

A good rule is to make about a half a pound of potatoes per person. So for this recipe, I use 3 pounds, which works out to 6 servings.

Expert Tips

Use red potatoes if possible. And don’t peel the skins. Together, the two parts of these potatoes make the best mashed potatoes ever! This is the way my mother always made mashed potatoes and I absolutely love them. The red skins are so soft and delicious, and there’s no need to peel them. However, if you just can’t get past the skins go ahead and peel them first, either way this recipe is amazing!
For an even stronger garlic flavor, up the garlic powder to 1 ½ -2 ½ teaspoons.
Are you potatoes incomplete without gravy? Mine too! For the best gravy to go with mashed potatoes, try my famous Beef Broth Brown Gravy — so simple and goes great over these garlic mashed potatoes.
Cut the red potatoes into equal pieces (halves should suffice) so that they all cook evenly in the pot.

overhead black bowl and black spoons with mashed potatoes

More Recipes to Try

Did you make these super creamy garlic mashed potatoes? WOOHOO – please rate the recipe below!

close up butter melting in mashed potatoes with some red skins and garlic

Cook the potatoes (see directions for stovetop or Instant Pot methods below).
In a large bowl combine hot (drained) potatoes, butter, milk, sour cream, garlic, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Use a potato masher OR use your hand mixer (my favorite method!) to mix your potatoes just until all ingredients are combined – your potatoes should still have a few lumps, do not over-mix!
Taste, add salt and pepper if needed. Serve and enjoy!

Potatoes – Stovetop Method

Cut the potatoes into quarters. Place in a large pot and cover with water (water should come 1 inch above potatoes. Bring to a boil over HIGH heat, once boiling reduce heat to medium-high. Boil for 10-12 minutes until potatoes are easily pierced to the center by a fork. Drain the water and transfer potatoes to a large bowl.

Potatoes – Instant Pot Method

Place metal rack in the bottom of your pressure cooker. Add 1 cup water, then place potatoes on metal rack. Cover, set vent to SEAL position. Set to PRESSURE COOK or MANUAL for 8 minutes. Once cook time is up, quick release by turning knob to the VENT position. Once float valve has dropped, remove lid, drain pot, and transfer potatoes to a large bowl.

The potatoes: these are my FAVORITE mashed potatoes – I always use red potatoes and I never peel them. This is the way my mother always made mashed potatoes and I absolutely love them. The red skins are so soft and delicious, there’s no need to peel them – BUT if you just can’t get past the skins go ahead and peel them first, either way this recipe is amazing!
The garlic: If you want stronger garlic flavor I recommend 1 1/2-2 teaspoons garlic powder.
Want gravy? Try my famous Beef Broth Brown Gravy – it’s so simple and goes perfectly over mashed potatoes!