Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
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Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes are a classic holiday side dish and a staple for memorable family meals. Rich with sweet roasted garlic flavor, these mashed potatoes have the perfect balance of creamy and rustic texture with just the right amount of chunkiness. They’re the kind of comforting dish that brings everyone back for seconds.
These potatoes are perfect served with others sides like Green Beans and a Orange Fennel Salad, with a main like Prime Rib Roast.
Quick Look: Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Servings: 6 people
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian, gluten-free
- Method: Roasted garlic folded into mashed potatoes
- Technique: Roast garlic, then mash with skin-on red potatoes and warm butter-milk mixture
- Flavor/Texture: Creamy, garlicky, buttery, slightly chunky
A Cozy Classic You’ll Make on Repeat
This is one of those simple, humble recipes that quietly becomes a favorite at the table. The roasted garlic softens into something almost sweet and creamy, blending right into the warm red potatoes without needing much else. I love the rustic texture from leaving the skins on – it keeps everything hearty, real, and comforting in the way Italian home cooking often is.
These potatoes are the kind of side dish that doesn’t try too hard, but somehow always ends up being the one everyone remembers, just like my Homemade Creamed Corn and Easy Candied Sweet Potatoes.
Made With Amore,
“The perfect amount of roasted garlic. The garlic is sweet after roasting and adds a great flavor to the red potatoes!”
– JD
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
This mashed red potato recipe requires a few simple ingredients.
- Red Skin Potatoes: I love using red skin potatoes in mashed potatoes. The skin is tender, and you can leave it on. Naturally, they are lower in starch compared to other potato varieties. They obtain a great smooth texture and are a little chunky simultaneously- perfect for mashed potatoes.
- Salted Butter: I prefer to use salted Kerrygold butter and adjust the salt based on that. We love salt! If you need to watch your salt intake, use unsalted butter.
- Roasted Garlic: I love roasting garlic! It provides a mild and rich garlic flavor without the dreaded garlic aftertaste that lingers.
- Whole Milk: You can also use heavy cream or buttermilk.
- Fresh Green Onions and Chives: We only use the green part of the green onion. This adds fresh flavor and garnishes the mashed potatoes.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Dairy-Free Option: Use olive oil or vegan butter and swap milk with dairy-free milk or broth. Try these Dairy-free Italian Mashed Potatoes.
- Extra Creamy Version: Add cream cheese, mascarpone, or sour cream for a richer texture. If you love cheesy potatoes, you’d love my Twice Bake Potato Casserole and Easy Cheesy Potatoes.
- Flavor Boost: Boil potatoes in Chicken Broth or vegetable broth instead of water for deeper flavor.
- Potato Swap: Use Yukon Gold potatoes instead of red skin for a naturally buttery finish.
How to Make Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
Once you try potatoes this way, you will want to make them again and again! Follow the step-by step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
Roast the Garlic
- Cut the top off the garlic bulb, and place them in a baking dish or aluminum foil (with ends folded up to hold olive oil). Add olive oil (a generous amount of olive oil is good) and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350°F until the golden color starts showing.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool. If using immediately, wait long enough to be able to handle the hot garlic clove contents. Then, squeeze the cut end and push the soft, roasted garlic out. Use about four cloves for this recipe. You can spread the rest on toast or save and add to a soup recipe!
Make the Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
- Cut the potatoes into quarters and put them in a large pot. Fill the pot with water until the potatoes are fully submerged. Add a large pinch of salt and bring the water to a boil. Cook until fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- While the potatoes are cooking, in a small saucepan, heat the butter, whole milk, salt, and pepper on low heat until steamy and very fragrant, about 5 minutes. You want the milk to be hot.
- Drain the potatoes and reserve 1/4 cup of the water. Using a potato masher (or tool of choice), mash the potatoes until your desired consistency. I like the potatoes creamy with a few chunks. Then, gently mix the roasted garlic and butter until thoroughly combined. If you want creamier potatoes, add in the reserved water.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and top with fresh chopped green onion. Add a pat of butter on the top, if desired. You can also try topping with mushroom gravy!
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes FAQs
When shopping at your local grocery store for red skin potatoes, look for red potatoes that are unblemished, with no sprouts or cuts. If stored in a cool, dark, dry place in an open paper bag, red-skinned potatoes will keep for about two weeks. Avoid storing potatoes in the fridge or plastic.
Yes, you can. However, the standard variety works best for these creamy garlic mashed red potatoes. The medium-sized red-skinned potatoes yield a nice creamy and hearty white mash with highlights of gorgeous red skins.
Let the potatoes cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. This is a great way to save time when entertaining. When you’re ready to reheat the mashed potatoes, put them into an oven-safe dish and add a few pats of butter on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350℉ for about 20-30 minutes until warm. Gently stir before serving. You can also reheat in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
This red mashed potato recipe pairs well with everything from Roasted Prime Rib and Italian Braciole, to a juicy Pan Seared T-Bone Steak or Steak Marsala, For an additional side, enjoy with Crispy Brussels Sprouts or Roasted Green Beans. Don’t forget dessert! Try my Classic Italian Tiramisu or Bread Pudding.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Do not whip the potatoes — mash them gently to avoid a gluey, gummy texture, especially with red skin potatoes
- Mash while the potatoes are still hot for the smoothest texture
- Season in layers by adding salt at different stages to build better flavor
More Potato Side Dish Recipes
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Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 2 ½ – 3 lbs red skin potatoes
- ½ cup butter, salted or unsalted butter is fine, adjust salt as needed
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup reserved
- 1 tablespoon fresh green onions, only the green part, chopped
- ½ tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
- 2 teaspoon salt, for salting water
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Roasted Garlic
- 1 small garlic bulb
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Make the Roasted Garlic
- Cut the top off the garlic bulb, and place it in a baking dish or aluminum foil (with ends folded up to hold olive oil). Add olive oil (a generous amount of olive oil is good) and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees F) until the golden color starts showing.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool. If using immediately, wait long enough to be able to handle the hot garlic clove contents. Then, squeeze the cut end and push the soft, roasted garlic out. Use about 4 cloves for this recipe. You can spread the rest on toast or save and add to a soup recipe!
- While the garlic is roasting, make the mashed potatoes.
- Make the Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
- Cut the potatoes into quarters and put them in a large pot. Fill the pot with water until the potatoes are fully submerged. Add a large pinch of salt and bring the water to a boil. Cook until fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- While the potatoes are cooking, in a small saucepan, heat the butter, whole milk, salt and pepper on low heat until steamy and very fragrant, about 5 minutes. You want the milk to be hot.
- Drain the potatoes and reserve 1/4 cup of the water.
- Using a potato masher (or tool of choice), mash the potatoes until your desired consistency. I like the potatoes creamy with a few chunks. Then gently mix the roasted garlic and butter until fully combined. If you want creamier potatoes, mix in the reserved water.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and top with fresh chopped green onions and fresh chives. Add a pat of butter on the top, if desired.
Notes
- Do not whip the potatoes — mash them gently to avoid a gluey, gummy texture, especially with red skin potatoes
- Mash while the potatoes are still hot for the smoothest texture
- Season in layers by adding salt at different stages to build better flavor
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What do I do with the reserved water? I couldn’t find it in the rd iOS…
The perfect amount of roasted garlic. The garlic is sweet after roasting and adds a great flavor to the red potatoes!
Recipe
easy and super delicious mashed potato recipe to make again and again.