Our Favorite Mashed Potatoes

There’s no shortage of homemade mashed potato recipes in the world, but not all are created equal. To develop our favorite version, we conducted a series of taste tests. The resulting recipe yields fluffy, rich, and creamy spuds flavored with garlic and thyme and enriched with tangy sour cream. 

Of course, the best mashed potatoes start with the best potatoes. Russets are a popular choice for this classic side dish, but four out of five staffers preferred the silky texture and naturally buttery flavor of Yukon Golds. For even more flavor, we tossed a few garlic cloves into the pot too (much easier than dealing with roasted garlic and just as delicious). For super-creamy mashed potatoes, it’s worth investing in a potato ricer or food mill. If you don’t mind a chunkier mash, a handheld potato masher is fine. Whatever you do, skip the food processor—that’s the quickest way to gluey, unpleasant spuds.

A few other things to keep in mind: Add the diced potatoes to a pot of cold, heavily salted water, then place the pot over the heat and bring it to boil. Tossing potatoes into already boiling water will cause uneven cooking and without that good dose of seasoning from the beginning, they’ll never taste quite right. Finally, cook them at a simmer—if the boil is too vigorous, the potatoes will start to break apart, causing them to soak up too much of the boiling liquid.