I didn’t know you were supposed to simmer potatoes in milk until a friend served them at dinner last year. I always just boiled mine in water and mashed them with butter. They were fine, but these? These were something else.
Turns out, cooking potatoes directly in milk instead of water changes everything. The potatoes soak up all that creamy goodness while they cook, so you don’t need to add much afterward. My usual mashed potatoes always needed a ton of milk and butter to taste right. With this method, the flavor’s already there.
Why You’ll Love These Mashed Potatoes
- Incredibly creamy texture – Simmering the potatoes directly in milk instead of water creates the smoothest, most luxurious mashed potatoes you’ve ever tasted—no lumps, just pure comfort.
- Simple ingredients – You only need potatoes, milk, butter, salt, and pepper to make these restaurant-quality mashed potatoes at home.
- Foolproof method – The milk-simmering technique makes it nearly impossible to overcook or dry out your potatoes, so you’ll get perfect results every time.
- Perfect for special occasions – These rich, velvety mashed potatoes are fancy enough for holiday dinners but easy enough to make any night of the week.
What Kind of Potatoes Should I Use?
Yukon Gold potatoes are the star of this recipe, and they’re honestly the best choice for creamy mashed potatoes. These golden-skinned beauties have a naturally buttery flavor and a perfect starchy-yet-creamy texture that makes them ideal for mashing. If you can’t find Yukon Golds at your store, russet potatoes will work in a pinch, though they’ll give you a fluffier, slightly drier result. Avoid using red or new potatoes for this recipe since they’re too waxy and won’t break down into that smooth, creamy consistency you’re looking for. When picking out your potatoes, look for ones that are firm with no green spots or sprouts.
Options for Substitutions
This recipe is pretty forgiving, so here are some swaps you can make if needed:
- Yukon Gold potatoes: You can use russet potatoes instead, which will give you fluffier mashed potatoes. Red potatoes work too, though they’ll be a bit waxier and less creamy. Whatever you do, don’t skip peeling them for this recipe since the milk-simmering method works best with peeled potatoes.
- Whole milk: If you don’t have whole milk, you can use 2% milk, though your potatoes won’t be quite as rich and creamy. Half-and-half works great if you want extra creamy potatoes. Avoid skim milk as it won’t give you the right texture.
- Salted butter: Unsalted butter works fine – just add a bit more salt to taste at the end. You could also use half butter and half cream cheese for tangier, creamier potatoes.
- Kosher salt: Table salt can be used instead, but use about half the amount since it’s more concentrated than kosher salt.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest mistake when making milk-simmered mashed potatoes is letting the milk boil over, which happens fast and creates a huge mess – keep the heat at medium-low and stir occasionally to prevent this disaster.
Another common error is cutting your potato chunks too large, which means they’ll take forever to cook through and won’t absorb the milk properly, so stick to that 1/2-inch size for even cooking.
Don’t drain the potatoes like you would with traditional mashed potatoes – the milk they cook in becomes part of the final dish, so if your potatoes look too thick, just add a splash more milk while mashing instead of pouring it all out.
Finally, add your butter at the end when the potatoes are off the heat, which prevents it from separating and gives you a creamier, smoother texture than stirring it in while everything’s still bubbling hot.
What to Serve With Mashed Potatoes?
These creamy mashed potatoes are the perfect side for just about any protein you’re serving for dinner. They pair beautifully with roasted chicken, pan-seared pork chops, or a nice juicy steak – basically anything with a good gravy or pan sauce that can pool into those fluffy potatoes. I love serving them alongside roasted vegetables like green beans, Brussels sprouts, or glazed carrots to round out the plate. For a cozy weeknight meal, try them with meatloaf or baked salmon, and don’t forget to make extra because these always disappear fast!
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep your leftover mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They might thicken up a bit as they sit, but that’s totally normal with milk-based mashed potatoes.
Freeze: These mashed potatoes freeze pretty well for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Just know that the texture might change slightly after freezing because of all that milk, but they’ll still taste great.
Reheat: Warm them up gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring in a splash of milk or cream to bring back that creamy texture. You can also microwave them in 30-second intervals, adding a bit of milk and stirring between each round until they’re heated through and smooth again.
| Preparation Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 40-50 minutes |
| Total Time | 55-70 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 2700-3000
- Protein: 60-70 g
- Fat: 100-115 g
- Carbohydrates: 410-440 g
Ingredients
- 4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes (waxy variety holds shape well)
- ground black pepper (freshly ground preferred)
- 5 cups whole milk (room temperature)
- kosher salt (to taste)
- 8 tbsp salted butter (I use Kerrygold for richness)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
Step 1: Prepare the Potatoes
- 4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
Peel the Yukon Gold potatoes and cut them into 1/2-inch chunks.
This helps them cook evenly and absorb the milk.
Step 2: Simmer the Potatoes in Milk
- prepared potatoes from Step 1
- 5 cups whole milk
- 2 tsp kosher salt
Place the potato chunks in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
Add 5 cups of whole milk and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring often, until the potatoes begin to fall apart and most of the milk is absorbed, about 40 to 50 minutes.
Step 3: Mash and Finish the Potatoes
- 8 tbsp salted butter
- cooked potatoes with milk from Step 2
- whole milk (if needed for thinning)
Remove the pan from the heat.
Add the salted butter, cut into pieces, and use a potato masher to mash the potatoes into an almost-smooth puree.
If you prefer a softer texture, you can add more milk to reach your desired consistency.
I like to let the butter melt fully before mashing for the creamiest potatoes.
Step 4: Season and Serve
- kosher salt (to taste)
- ground black pepper (freshly ground preferred)
Taste the mashed potatoes and season with additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
Serve warm and enjoy.
Yukon Gold Milk-Simmered Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes (waxy variety holds shape well)
- ground black pepper (freshly ground preferred)
- 5 cups whole milk (room temperature)
- kosher salt (to taste)
- 8 tbsp salted butter (I use Kerrygold for richness)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Peel the Yukon Gold potatoes and cut them into 1/2-inch chunks. This helps them cook evenly and absorb the milk.
- Place the potato chunks in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add 5 cups of whole milk and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring often, until the potatoes begin to fall apart and most of the milk is absorbed, about 40 to 50 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Add the salted butter, cut into pieces, and use a potato masher to mash the potatoes into an almost-smooth puree. If you prefer a softer texture, you can add more milk to reach your desired consistency. I like to let the butter melt fully before mashing for the creamiest potatoes.
- Taste the mashed potatoes and season with additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Serve warm and enjoy.
