These Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes are the cozy, flavor-packed side dish that always disappears fast around our table. Great for a weeknight dinner or a full-on holiday spread, this dish shows up and shows off. Once you try them, you’ll never want plain mashed potatoes again!
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These fluffy garlic mashed potatoes are the perfect side dish! Easy enough to make on a anytime, yet delicious enough for a special occasion or holiday dinner. They truly can go from weeknight dinner to your Thanksgiving table.
I know the garlic lovers won’t need convincing. Roasting the garlic mellows it out quite a bit, and it gives the garlic a slightly sweeter quality. If you’ve never roasted garlic, here is how I roast mine.
By the way, if you roast the garlic ahead, and have that prepped and ready to go, it will make this recipe come together much quicker.
And if sweet potatoes are more your jam, check out my mashed sweet potatoes recipe.
Ingredients
For best results, use the best quality ingredients that you have access to.
For these roasted garlic mashed potatoes, you need:
- oil – avocado oil or olive oil work well
- a fresh, whole head of garlic
- potatoes – I recommend Russet potatoes
- butter
- milk
- salt
- pepper
- Plus some fresh green onions and thyme to throw in (optional)
If you want to use heavy cream, that works too. Red potatoes and Yukon gold potatoes work as well, if you don’t have russets.
I do not recommend using garlic powder, as the taste just isn’t the same as real roasted garlic. Garlic lovers, are you with me on that?!
How to make roasted garlic mashed potatoes
Roast the garlic. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Slice about ¼ inch off of the top of a whole head of garlic.
Place the garlic head in the center of a square piece of foil. You can line with parchment, if you have concerns about aluminum exposure.
Drizzle the olive oil over the garlic and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Wrap the foil around the garlic and close it up. Roast it in the oven until soft, about 40 minutes. This may be longer for larger heads of garlic, FYI.
Once it is done, carefully remove it and carefully open it up. Hint: watch out for steam!
Make this ahead (recommended) or let cool while you do the below steps.
Cook the potatoes. Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover them with cold water.
Bring to a boil over high heat on the stove, add a pinch of salt, cover the pot and boil potatoes at a simmer on medium heat for 7-10 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender and mashable.
Drain the potatoes. Drain the water from the potatoes and return them to the pot you cooked them in.
Mash and season. Add the butter, milk, salt and pepper to the pot with the potatoes.
Then use a potato masher to mash the potatoes to your desired consistency.
There are different ways to mash the potatoes that people prefer. If you prefer to use a potato ricer or hand mixer, those work too.
Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the pot of potatoes. This gives it the most yummy, sweet and mellow garlic flavor.
Then gently fold the garlic into the creamy potatoes, top with the fresh herbs.
Serve. These roasted garlic mashed potatoes are best served nice and hot with your favorite main dish like grilled chicken, steak or fish.
Garnish with a pat of butter, which will turn into a melted butter layer in top. Yum! I hope you enjoy this ultimate side dish. Let me know if you try it.
More Recipes Like This
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Vegan Green Bean Casserole
- Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe
- Easy Scalloped Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
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Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes are a hearty, decadent side, and these rival the version found at any steakhouse or other restaurant.
Ingredients
For the roasted garlic
- 1 full head of garlic
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Mashed potatoes
- 2 pounds yukon gold or thin skinned potatoes – you can also use russet potatoes or a mix of both – scrubbed peeled and chopped
- 5-6 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup milk – I used whole milk for creamier potatoes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Fresh chives or sliced green onion for topping. Fresh thyme is also a great topping on these potatoes
Instructions
-
Roast the garlic. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Slice about ¼ inch off of the top of the head of garlic. Place the head of garlic in the center of a square piece of foil. You can line with parchment, if you have concerns about aluminum exposure. Drizzle the olive oil over the garlic and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Wrap the foil around the garlic and close it up. Roast it in the oven until soft, about 40 minutes. This may be longer for larger heads of garlic, FYI. Once it is done, carefully remove it and carefully open it up. Hint: watch out for steam! Make ahead of time (recommended), or set aside to cool while you do the other steps below.
- Cook the potatoes. Place the potatoes into a pot and cover them with cold water. Bring them to a boil over high heat on the stove, add a pinch of salt, cover the pot and simmer on medium heat for 7-10 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender and mashable.
-
Drain the potatoes. Drain the water from the potatoes and return them to the pot you cooked them in.
- Mash and season. Add the butter, milk, salt and pepper to the pot with the potatoes and use a potato masher to mash them up to your desired consistency. Squeeze the roasted garlic into the pot of potatoes and gently fold the garlic into the creamy potatoes, top with the fresh herbs.
-
Taste to check the flavor. If you want to, add any additional salt, pepper, herbs or butter.
-
Serve. These potatoes are best served nice and hot with your favorite main dish like grilled chicken, steak or fish.
Recipe Notes
Notes
To roast the garlic quicker you can do it in the air fryer. To roast the garlic in the air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F. Cut about ¼ inch off of the top of the garlic head. Place the head of garlic in the center of a square piece of foil. Drizzle the olive oil over the garlic and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Wrap the foil around the garlic and close it up. Place the garlic into the air fryer basket and roast for 20-30 minutes. Remove and let cool for 4-5 minute before opening.
Note: Garlic mashed potatoes originally appeared on A Pinch of Healthy on December 2, 2021.
Kris Marie says
Will the roasted garlic cloves break apart when you add them to the mashed potatoes? Thank you.
Ginny C says
Step it up and add shredded cheese! I cook the garlic (cut into tiny pieces first) in butter and add to the potatoes along with the cheese. Cheesey garlic potatoes is so much better than plain! Thanks for posting!!!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Sounds delicious!