Make these Easy And Creamy Mashed Potatoes to serve with all of your meals! All you need are 5 ingredients and less than 30 minutes to whip them up. Instant Pot and crockpot instructions included.

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Close up of a bowl of mashed potatoes with melted butter and green herbs on top.

Can you really call it Thanksgiving without the mashed potatoes and gravy? It’s a must-have side dish!

These Easy And Creamy Mashed Potatoes are melt in your mouth delicious. With only 5 ingredients, they can easily be whipped up in under 30 minutes and store easily so you can enjoy them all week long. A simple mix of butter, cream, and salt make these potatoes heavenly and rich.

In no time, you end up with luscious and rich mashed potatoes. Make sure to serve them next to the Thanksgiving turkey or as a side dish to spruce up your rib-eye steak for dinner.

Plate with yellow potatoes piled on top of each other. Milk and butter on the side.

Ingredients you need

Every good recipe for mashed potatoes needs fat, flavor, and salt to cut back on the natural starchiness. These 5 basic ingredients are probably already in your kitchen! If you want to up the flavor, I’ve included lots of mix-in ideas for you below.

This is what you need:

Yukon Gold potatoes
Unsalted butter
Heavy cream or whole milk
Salt
Fresh herbs

2 images of yellow chopped potatoes in a large pink pot.

How to make Easy And Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Peeling and chopping the potatoes instead of boiling them whole makes this recipe super easy and quick. When they’re done, the potatoes turn out soft and velvety smooth.

Here’s how it’s done:

Boil the potatoes: Place the peeled and quartered potatoes in a large pot with salt. Add water into the pot until it’s covering the tops of the potatoes. Bring it up to a boil over high heat and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft.
Mash the potatoes: Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add the butter and the cream/milk and mash really well. Feel free to use a little extra cream if you need to loosen up the mash.
Serve: Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle over some extra melted butter. Sprinkle fresh chives or parsley on top and enjoy!

You’ll need the right tool to get the perfect mash. Luckily, you have a few options:

Mash them right in the pot using a hand masher or a fork.
Mash with an immersion blender.
Add the potatoes, cream, and butter to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Overhead view of a large bowl with mashed potatoes sitting on a white and grey dish towel.

How to make mashed potatoes in an Instant Pot

Peel and chop the potatoes first, then place them in the Instant Pot with water and salt. Lock the lid in place and set the valve to seal. Cook on manual pressure for 8 minutes.

Once they’re done, quick release the pressure and drain the potatoes. Place them back in the pot with the rest of the ingredients and mash until smooth.

How to make mashed potatoes in a crockpot

Again, peel and chop the potatoes into chunks before placing them in the bowl of a slow cooker. Instead of water, cover the potatoes in vegetable or chicken stock (so they’re extra flavorful instead of waterlogged). Cover with a lid and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours (or until soft).

Add the rest of the ingredients into the pot when they’re done and mash until smooth.

Helpful recipe tips

Heat up the cream before pouring it into the potatoes. This will keep everything steaming hot before serving.
Leave the potatoes unpeeled for more texture or remove the peel. It’s up to you!
Don’t skimp on the fat! Heavy cream or whole milk will break down the natural starch and make the mash super creamy.

Variations and substitutions

Want the creamy texture without so much fat? Swap the heavy cream for Greek yogurt, sour cream, or dairy-free milk.
Make vegan mashed potatoes instead. Simply swap the dairy for a plant-based butter or cream cheese and unsweetened plant milk (like almond milk).
Add mix-ins for extra flavor. Stir in 2 or 3 minced cloves of garlic, crispy bacon, fresh parsley or chives, or shredded cheddar cheese or parmesan.
Mashed potatoes with gravy are what dreams are made of. Pour on your favorite storebought gravy or use my recipe for homemade red wine gravy.
Lower the carbs! Substitute half of the potatoes for cauliflower instead.
Can’t find Yukon gold potatoes? This recipe will still work whether you use Russet, red, or sweet potatoes.

Storing leftovers

Place the leftover mash in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

To reheat, transfer the mash to a microwave-safe dish and microwave for 2 or 3 minutes (stirring in between). Alternatively, reheat the leftovers in a pot in a 350ºF oven for 20 to 30 minutes.

What to serve with mashed potatoes

There’s no competition: mashed potatoes are the best side dish. They can be a soft bed for vinegar chicken and beef short ribs, or served on the side of a grilled flank steak.

Make them a part of a long line of side dishes for the holidays. They would pair so nicely with miso butter glazed carrots, butternut squash risotto, sautéed broccolini, chopped salad, or chicken pot pie.

More potato recipes

You’re going to love these warm and satisfying potato recipes:

If you give these Easy And Creamy Mashed Potatoes a try, let me know in the comments below. I love seeing your pictures too, so please tag me on Instagram @lenaskitchenblog and use #lenaskitchenblog so I can share them to my page!