These homestyle Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes are a must at every family dinner & holiday celebration! Garlicky, buttery, and wonderfully herby, this purely comforting mashed potato recipe is our favorite!
So here’s today’s burning question: What is the ONE Thanksgiving dish that you absolutely must have to make the day complete?
To me, there’s really only one thing that is non-negotiable on a holiday table, and that’s a giant bowl of mashed potatoes.
Turkey, ham, roast beef, lamb…it doesn’t matter what protein is the superstar of the day, if there are no buttery, creamy, pulverized Idaho potatoes somewhere in the spread – by God, Houston, we have a problem.
I blame my Nana, since with every sit-down, home-cooked meal she made, potatoes were always on the menu.
But, at the risk of being wry, these are not my Nana’s potatoes.
This page includes step by step instructions, as well as tips and notes. If you’d like to skip all that, feel free to scroll down to the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of the post. There is also a “jump to recipe” button at the top of the page if you’d rather not exercise your scrolling finger!
I mean, they are THESE potatoes. Which are just ordinary russet potatoes.
While Nana’s mashed potatoes were always silky smooth, that gorgeous yellowy-white, and buttered to the max (just like these,) my potatoes are pumped full of flavors that she was just too traditional to use.
Why you’ll love Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
- Easy! Boil, warm up your sour cream mix, and mash everything together.
- Fast! Warm, fluffy mashed potatoes in 30 minutes.
- Hassle-free! If you skip peeling the potatoes, at least.
- Delicious! The sour cream adds a tangy flavor your whole family will adore.
Call me lazy if you must, but most of the time, I don’t peel my potatoes.
I’m one of those weirdos who eats an entire baked potato, skin and all (especially if it’s salt-crusted, OMG). So why wouldn’t I want skins in my mashed taters?
I can point the finger directly at Abe for this later-in-life development.
You say lazy, I say “homestyle.” It’s a much nicer word.
Ingredients
- Russet potatoes – you could get away with using red or Yukon gold potatoes here, but the extra starchy-ness of Russets is the best!
- Sour cream – don’t skimp!
- Whole milk – just a little, since the sour cream is the dairy star here.
- Butter – salted or unsalted, it’s your call. Adjust extra salt added to your tastes.
- Fresh garlic
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Dried basil & oregano
- Kosher salt & black pepper
- Chopped bacon & chives – optional, but make great garnishes!
For exact ingredient measurements and recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
How to make Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
- Scrub and dry the potatoes, then peel them if you’d like (I don’t).
- Chop potatoes to roughly the same size, about 1-inch pieces. Place the potatoes in a large stock pot of salted water and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Boil until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1/4 cup of the starchy water, and place them in a large bowl.
- Return the pot to the stove and add the reserved water, sour cream, milk, butter, and garlic to it. Simmer on medium-low heat until melted and combined. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Mash the potatoes to your desired consistency (we like ’em slightly chunky). Add the sour cream mixture, Parmesan, herbs, and pepper. Stir to combine, then season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Let stand for 5 minutes to thicken, then garnish with bacon and chives before serving.
What to serve mashed potatoes with
Think of every comforting family meal you’ve ever eaten. There were potatoes, weren’t there? What else was included?
I grew up in a European meat and potatoes household. Nana served these with everything from Meatloaf & Gravy to Pork Chops to Chuck Roast. They’re also great with my Cranberry Pork Tenderloin, holiday Standing Rib Roast, or your fave lamb breast recipe.
And no meal was complete without some vegetable on the side! She was partial to canned corn and peas, but maybe some freshly Smoked Corn on the Cob or Roasted Cauliflower might be more your style?
These spuds are even great as a substitute for pasta in Beef Stroganoff or Spaghetti and Meatballs!
And if you’re stuck with leftover mashed potatoes? Well… you’re not really stuck! Potato bowls with gluten-free gravy, homemade gnocchi, knishes, pierogis, croquetas, Shepherd’s Pie, Mashed Potato Fritters. There are dozens of ways to forego waste with these!
More side dishes to add to your holiday menu!
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Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes quartered
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 ¼ cups sour cream
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Chopped bacon for garnish
- Chopped chives for garnish
Instructions
- Scrub and dry the potatoes, then peel them if you'd like.
- Chop potatoes to roughly the same size, about 1-inch pieces. Place the potatoes in a large stock pot of salted water and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Boil until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1/4 cup of the starchy water, and place in a large bowl.
- Return the pot to the stove and add the reserved water, sour cream, milk, butter, and garlic to it. Simmer on medium-low heat until melted and combined. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Mash the potatoes to a desired consistency, then add the garlic-dairy mixture, Parmesan, herbs, and pepper. Stir to combine, then season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Let stand for 5 minutes to thicken, then garnish with bacon and chives before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on November 15, 2017 as Homestyle Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes. It was updated with edited photos, an updated recipe, and updated information on April 15, 2024.
