Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
Creamy, buttery, and loaded with garlic flavor, these garlic red skin mashed potatoes are an easy side dish for everything from a weeknight dinner to Sunday supper.
Growing up, I believed my maternal grandmother made the best mashed potatoes. The recipe only existed in her head, so after she passed away I had to figure out how to make her potatoes for myself. I’ve added a few of my own touches — for instance, my grandma didn’t add garlic powder to hers. It never fails, every time I make these my thoughts always drift to her.
Want some homemade gravy to go with those mashed potatoes? Learn how to make gravy from scratch or check out these recipes for turkey giblet gravy and red wine mushroom sauce.
Recipe at a glance
- No peeling potatoes required. Leave those pretty red skins right where they are. They add texture and save you some prep work.
- Plenty of garlic flavor. Two tablespoons of garlic powder give the potatoes a bold, savory garlic flavor throughout.
- Chicken broth adds more flavor. Instead of boiling the potatoes in plain water, chicken broth seasons them as they cook.
- Simple ingredients. You only need a handful of basic ingredients to make them.
- Versatile side dish. Serve these potatoes with chicken, beef, pork, or seafood for an easy addition to just about any meal.
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Ingredients you’ll need
Mashed potatoes are one of those side dishes that never seem to go out of style. They work just as well next to a simple baked chicken dinner as they do alongside meatloaf, pork chops, or a holiday roast. To make this mashed garlic red skinned potatoes recipe, you will need:
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Red skin potatoes, washed – Red potatoes have thin skins, so there is no need to peel them. Give the potatoes a good scrub before cutting.
- Chicken broth – Cooking the potatoes in chicken stock rather than plain water gives them more savory flavor.
- Water – You’ll need enough to completely cover the potatoes in the pot.
- Salt – Seasons the potatoes while they cook.
- Whole milk, warmed – Warming the milk before adding it helps keep the potatoes hot and makes it easier to incorporate.
- Garlic powder – Yes, tablespoons! These are garlic mashed potatoes, after all. Garlic powder gives you that garlic flavor without biting into little bits of garlic.
- Unsalted butter, softened – Adds richness and helps give the potatoes their creamy texture.
- Salt and ground black pepper – Add these at the end according to your taste.
Tools
- Large stockpot
- Colander
- Potato masher
Red potatoes vs. russet potatoes for mashed potatoes
Russet potatoes are often the first choice for traditional mashed potatoes because their high starch content produces a light, fluffy texture. Red potatoes contain less starch and more moisture, so they produce a slightly denser and creamier mash.
That’s exactly what I want for this recipe.
Red potatoes also have tender, thinner skins that don’t need to be removed. Leaving the skins on gives the finished potatoes a rustic texture and appearance and a little extra texture without making them tough or chewy.
Substitutions and variations
- Use a different potato: Yukon Gold potatoes are a good substitute if you don’t have red potatoes. Their naturally buttery flavor and creamy texture work particularly well for creamy mashed potatoes.
- Use vegetable broth: Replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth for a meat-free version.
- Make them extra creamy: Substitute half-and-half or heavy cream for some or all of the whole milk.
- Add cheese: Stir in shredded sharp cheddar, Parmesan cheese, or another favorite cheese while the potatoes are still hot.
- Add fresh garlic: If you’d like another layer of garlic flavor, sauté a few cloves of minced garlic in the butter before adding it to the potatoes.
- Add fresh herbs: Chopped chives, parsley, rosemary, or thyme make an easy finishing touch.
- Make them loaded: Top the mashed potatoes with shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, sour cream, and sliced green onions.
How to make garlic red skin mashed potatoes
Step 1: Leave the skins on and cut the potatoes into quarters. Cut larger potatoes into eighths.
Step 2: Place the potatoes in a stockpot. Add chicken broth, salt, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, until fork tender.
Step 3: Drain and return the hot potatoes to the pot. Cook over low heat for 1–2 minutes to evaporate excess moisture.
Step 4: Remove from the heat and mash the potatoes to your desired consistency.
Step 5: Stir in the warm milk, garlic powder, and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.
What to serve with mashed potatoes
These potatoes are versatile enough to serve anywhere you’d normally reach for traditional mashed potatoes.
They’re especially good with BBQ bacon meatloaf, smothered hamburger steaks in the oven, Instant Pot Mississippi pot roast, slow cooker country style pork ribs, country fried steak, stovetop braised beef tips with gravy, or bell pepper and smoked sausage dinner. Since the potatoes already have plenty of garlic flavor, they’re also delicious alongside simply seasoned meat where they can do some of the heavy lifting.
Add air fryer roasted carrots, black-eyed peas, broccoli salad, or skillet fried corn and you’ve got an easy, satisfying meal.
For a Southern-style Sunday supper, serve them with buttermilk brined fried chicken, homemade buttermilk biscuits, or skillet cornbread.
Storage, freezing and reheating instructions
Storage. Allow leftover mashed potatoes to cool before transferring them to an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Freezing. Mashed potatoes can also be frozen. Once cooled, transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible and freeze for up to 1–2 months. The texture may change slightly after freezing and thawing, but the butter and whole milk in this recipe help them hold up better than potatoes mashed without added fat. Thaw frozen mashed potatoes overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating. To reheat on the stovetop, transfer the potatoes to a saucepan and heat over low to medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Add a splash of milk as needed to loosen the consistency. To reheat in the microwave, place an individual serving in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave for 30–60 seconds at a time, stirring between intervals, until heated through. Add a little milk or butter if the potatoes seem dry. To reheat in the oven, transfer the mashed potatoes to a covered baking dish and reheat at 350°F until warmed through, approximately 20–30 minutes. Larger quantities may take longer.
Regardless of the reheating method, a little extra milk or butter can bring leftover mashed potatoes right back to life.
Garlic mashed potatoes FAQ’s
Yes. Add the quartered potatoes, 2 cups of chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the Instant Pot. You do not need the additional water. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes, followed by a quick release. Drain any excess liquid, then mash the potatoes and stir in the warm milk, garlic powder, and butter.
Yes. Add the potatoes, 2 cups of chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3–4 hours or LOW for 6–7 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain any excess liquid, then mash the potatoes directly in the slow cooker and stir in the warm milk, garlic powder, and butter.
It’s generally best to start potatoes in cold liquid and bring everything to a boil together. This allows the potatoes to heat gradually and cook more evenly. Dropping raw potatoes directly into boiling water can cause the outside to soften before the center is fully cooked.
Yes, lactose free milk such as Lactaid can be used in place of regular milk. Plant based milk can also be used, just be mindful of the flavor that it may impart on the potatoes. You could also leave out the milk entirely and replace it with additional chicken broth.
I don’t recommend it. An electric mixer can overwork the starch in the potatoes, resulting in a gummy or gluey texture. A traditional potato masher gives you much more control.
Yes. Prepare the mashed potatoes as directed, let them cool, then store them covered in the refrigerator. I recommend making them no more than one or two days ahead for the best texture.
Reheat them slowly on the stovetop or covered in the oven. Stir in a splash of warm milk and a little additional butter if needed to restore their creamy consistency.
Tried This Recipe? Let Me Know!
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If you made garlic red skinned mashed potatoes, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Your ratings and reviews help others find the recipe and give me great feedback too.
Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds red skin potatoes, washed
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups water
- ⅓ cup whole milk, warmed
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Leave the skins on the potatoes and cut them into quarters. If any of the potatoes are particularly large, cut them into eighths.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large stockpot.
- Add the chicken broth and salt, then add enough water to cover the potatoes. Cover the pot and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the potatoes until they are fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes well and return them to the pot. Place the pot over low heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow any excess moisture to evaporate.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Mash the potatoes to your desired consistency.
- Add the warmed milk, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, and softened butter. Stir until all the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Stir until the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Season with additional salt and ground black pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Notes
- Leave the skins on the red potatoes for added texture, color, and flavor. Scrub the potatoes well before cutting.
- Cut the potatoes into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- After draining, return the potatoes to the pot over low heat for 1–2 minutes to evaporate excess moisture. This helps prevent watery mashed potatoes.
- Warm the milk before adding it to the potatoes. Cold milk can cool the potatoes and may prevent the butter from incorporating as smoothly.
- For chunkier mashed potatoes, mash just until the desired consistency is reached. For smoother potatoes, continue mashing until most of the lumps are gone.
- The 2 tablespoons of garlic powder are intentional and give these potatoes a pronounced garlic flavor.
- Taste the potatoes before adding additional salt. The chicken broth and salt used to cook the potatoes will already contribute seasoning.
- If the mashed potatoes are thicker than you prefer, stir in additional warm milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until they reach your desired consistency.
