This step by step Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe is perfect for Easter, Thanksgiving, and even Christmas!
Why These Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes Are So Good
- Easy to make, only 5 mins prep.
- Can be made soft and creamy or hearty and full textured.
- Perfect for Christmas or Thanksgiving.
- Packed with delicious roast garlic flavor.
Ingredients
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Medium russet potatoes, skin-on scrubbed (for creamy mashed potatoes, peel the potatoes)
- Butter
- Milk or heavy cream (or more)
- Kosher salt (or 3/4 teaspoon table salt)
- Fresh chives
How to Make Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes – Step by Step
First, the garlic. Lop off the top 1/2″ of the garlic to expose the cloves.
In the tin foil, drizzle some olive oil.
Close it up and roast at 400F for 30 minutes or so.
It should look like this – tender, soft and slightly browned. Let it cool for a bit.
Then use your hands to squeeze out the roasted garlic. It should pop right out!
Stir into the mashed potatoes, recipe below.
Textured Or Creamy Mashed Potatoes?
I know people are very passionate about how they like their mashed potatoes – there’s the soft, smooth ‘n creamy camp and then there’s the hearty, full textured camp. Me? I like ’em full flavored, skin-on and with roasted garlic.
But I think most people will agree that a meal with roasted chicken or turkey is incomplete without the mashies, as my kids like to call them.
To please as many people as I can, I’ll give instructions for both the smooth/soft/creamy and the hearty/skin-on mashed potatoes. You can decide what you want to make!
What Is The Best Potato For Mashing?
Choose higher starch potatoes (like Russets or Yukon golds) for the fluffiest, smoothest, and most flavor-packed mash. Waxy potatoes (such as red or white varieties) require more mashing to become creamy, which could lead to the dreaded potato paste!
Can You Freeze Mashed Potatoes?
Cook your mashed potatoes as per the recipe. Then once the potatoes are completely cooled, use one of two easy methods for freezing them.
Scoop one-cup portions of the mashed potatoes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, then transfer to the freezer for at least a few hours up to overnight, until the mashed potatoes are completely frozen. Transfer the individual servings to a large freezer bag or container, and store in the freezer.
If you prefer not to portion the potatoes, transfer the cooled mash to a large freezer bag or container, and store in the freezer.
Top Tips For These Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Don’t overmix. In general, you want to stir the liquids into your mashed potatoes until they are just combined. Otherwise if you overmix, they can crossover into gummy territory, which is no good.
- Invest in your preferred kind of masher.It’s a worthy utensil to have in your kitchen!
- Season with salt along the way. As always when seasoning a recipe, taste-taste-taste along the way while you are preparing the recipe, and add more salt as needed.
- Don’t over boil your potatoes. And as soon as a dinner knife can be inserted easily into a potato with minimal resistance, they’re ready to go.
Check Out These Other Great Side Dishes
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberry Pistachio Pesto
- Roasted Pumpkin Recipe
- Roast Cauliflower Recipe with Bacon and Garlic
- Chinese Long Beans
Have you tired these Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes? Feel free to leave a star rating and I’d love ot hear from you in the comments below!
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 4 medium russet potatoes skin-on scrubbed (for creamy mashed potatoes, peel the potatoes)
- 3-4 tablespoons butter
- 1/4-1/2 cup milk or heavy cream or more
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh chives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Cut off the top 1/2-inch of the garlic off. Lay garlic on piece of tin foil, drizzle olive oil over garlic cloves and close tin foil. Roast for 30 minutes or until the garlic has softened completely and is very tender. Let cool and squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves. Coarsely chop.
- In the meantime, place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water by 1 inch. Cover and bring to boil and cook for 20-25 minutes over medium heat, until you can easily pierce the potato with a fork with very little resistance. Drain potatoes.
- For Hearty, Skin-On Mashed Potatoes: Return the potatoes to the pot over low heat, add 3 tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup milk, salt and roasted garlic. Use garlic masher to mash. Do not over mix or the mashed potatoes will turn gummy. Taste and season with additional salt or milk if needed. Stir in chives.
- For Creamy and Smooth Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes: In the pot, add 4 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, salt and roasted garlic and turn the heat to low. Use a potato ricer to mash the potatoes into the pot. [TIP: If you find that the potatoes need a little more cooking, just put them in the microwave for an additional 2 minutes]. Stir the potatoes. Do not over mix or the mashed potatoes will turn gummy. Taste and season with additional salt or milk if needed. Stir in chives.
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comment section! I always appreciate your feedback and I know other readers do, too!
Stay in touch with me in our 
I’ve never roasted garlic before. Definately making this.
Made these for dinner tonight. Incredibly good and very easy. I had never roasted garlic before. It made the potatoes yummy.Â
Oh, yummy! I love mashed potatoes with roasted garlic. And I also love them hearty & full flavored, with skins left on (also “lumpy”, if you will… not smooth & creamy – that just ain’t natural… lol!) It’s not the way I was raised. Our taters were always neatly peeled, but I discovered when I grew up that I preferred them with the skins. Funny thing is the skin has always been my favorite part of a potato, especially baked potatoes. Thanks for the recipe, I’m making these tonight!
Made these for Thanksgiving. Yum. Turned out great. Thanks!
However, there are a lot of people never
get dental insurance included in their health regimes. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle eating a well balanced and nutritious diet.
Gently pull his lips back for a view of that magnificent gumline.
She can evaluate the alignment of a child’s tooth brushing routine will probably be much easier then if you have any questions.
Very good written post. It will be valuable to anyone who usess it, as well as myself. Keep doing what you are doing – for sure i will check out more posts.
Jaden I made these for a cooking challenge I was participating in and omg these are so incredible. I cannot get over the taste with the roasted garlic inside. Feel free to pop by and see them. I have to thank you. I don’t think I’ll ever make regular mashed again.
I just thought I would pass on the link since your potatoes I made finally have hit the blogging world 🙂 http://www.catzinthekitchen.com/2011/11/roasted-garlic-mashed-potatoes-crazy.html
Thank you again for a fabulous recipe!
I just wanted to say thank you so much for making this recipe. It was fabulous and I actually used it for a Cooking Challenge I’m participating in on November 7th! The recipe challenge was mashed potatoes and I chose your recipe to try out and high light. The goal is to not only bring attention to our own blogs, but the blog we’re using the recipe from as well. 🙂 Thank you again so much, this was a huge hit with my family.
Made these last night. Amazing. If I could drink them, I would. MMmmmm that roasted garlic was sooo delicious.
Just made this for Thanksgiving and it’s going to be a keeper. So good. I had never roasted garlic before and now I’m like what have I never roasted garlic before??? Thank you!
Yum. Just yum.
thanks for the recipe, never would’ve known about roasting the garlic that way, i’m going to try it out!
My crew likes their smashed taters smooth and creamy, I thought I was the only one that added garlic and heavy cream to the taters!
When I saw this post I was craving something comfy so I went ahead and made these and they were insanely comforting and sooo good!!
My roasted garlic didn’t turn out as pretty and golden as yours did – maybe it needed a little more olive oil?
I made these again to share with some girlfriends at a wine party we had and it was great on crackers and by itself. Everyone was asking for the recipe!! Thanks again Jaden for another wonderful recipe!!
Maybe a little more time and more olive oil. But as long as the garlic is soft and roasty…it’s fine! 😉
oh YUMMY!
I;m not picky if it’s a potato I’ll eat it, then again I’m addicted. Psst…Turkey lurkey lee and a turkey lurkey loo, 3 more days to Thanksgiving, I’m excited are you? 😉
LOL you always make me laugh!
I’m totally excited for Thanksgiving….headed to Wichita!
Hi! Thanks for the recipe. I’ll be making this for our early Thanksgiving dinner with my husband’s family on Wednesday. Sounds delicious!
Do you think I can make this earlier in the day and then warm it up in time for dinner?
Thanksgiving would not be the same without mashed potatoes. The additon of roasted garlic is heavenly, Jaden! 🙂
Oh wow, this looks super yummy. My mouth is watering. I def want to make these potatoes for Thanksgiving…would look amazing served with the table setting I just posted about!
~Kirsten
http://triplemaxtons.blogspot.com
PS Feel free to check out my blog! Hope to see you around 🙂
From the album: Jaden’s Greatest Mash-Ups.
Roasted garlic is the best, we’ll often roast 9 heads on a weekend just to have it ready during the week.
which reminds me that I haven’t had bagna cauda in a long time.
This looks so incredible, def going to be what I make to go with the turkey this year!
I think I just drooled on my keyboard….mmmm mmm good! I’m soooo trying this!
Thanks for making me hungry 🙂
I can’t wait to make this. I always make them but have never roasted garlic. Thanks for the recipe.
Peace, Love and Chocolate
Tiffany
I’m doing a thanksgiving dinner for 30 this year — (living in New Zealand and the kiwis all want a taste of the states!) This recipe really helps me out, thanks!
Yum!! I made mashed potatoes today but yours trump mine whole-garlicky. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
thanks for the recipe! it´s great, these potatoes look delicious!
I love the way you cooked the garlic. Thank you very much for showing that. I recently made some roasted Veggies that were amazing (http://ashandlewplus2.com/2010/10/28/best-smoothie-ever/) but I wish I would have had your Garlic in them. Thank you
Lew
Ohhh YUM! I can’t believe that with as much as I love garlic, I’ve never ever roasted it! You’ve just inspired me to try it out this weekend! 🙂
I really just wanted to say how much I appreciate how you have composed what I would consider to be a very well-balanced meal: with a large serving of green beans (yum!), a healthy serving of potatoes and only a modest portion of meat. And in addition, the overall size of the meal is perfect. Thanks for not only inspiring folks to cook at home, but for providing subtle guidance on good eating habits. Have a great Thanksgiving holiday!
I always add roasted garlic to mashed potatoes. It adds a subtle sweetness and incredible deliciousness!
This looks amazing. I’ll make them tonight!
Just like I like ’em – no peeling, losts of garlic, and goodness from the butter, olive oil and cream. And, since I’m a pepper monkey – plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Deliciously mouth watering! I like your suggestion to roast extra head of garlic. I see it can be use in many ways – delicious soups, tzatziki, hummus, compound butter, poultry etc.
THese look and sound amazing! Even better- they look easy! 🙂
Here in Canada, our Thanksgiving day has come and gone, but this’ll go great with any meal, I’m sure! Roasting garlic this way is going to be my new way of doing it. Looks delicious! Thanks! and Happy Thanksgiving!
This should be great for anyone with viral infections too. The garlic will send the viruses into remission!
Mashed Potatoes for Thanksgiving, CHECK! Garlic, the secret ingredient in every meal. 🙂 Thank You! My mouth is watering already.