Blow-Your-Mind Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes (8 Ingredients)

Simple But Chef-Level Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes To Blow Your Potato-Loving Mind

As a mashed potato fanatic, I mean it when I say these garlicky Yukon gold mashed potatoes are blow-your-mind good. 🤯

Here at the PWWB House, we’ve been making Chris’ Famous Roasted Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes for years. The caramelized sweetness of roasted garlic paired with fluffy potatoes is hard to beat. But honestly, 9 times out of 10, I don’t have buttermilk in the fridge—or the patience to roast garlic for an hour.

So, I set out to create the dreamiest Garlic Mashed Potatoes—no roasted garlic needed. It took a bit of recipe testing to get the flavor just right. After all, if you’re making garlic herb mashed potatoes, they should taste garlicky!

But I finally found the secret. 😎

A close-up overhead shot of garlic mashed potatoes topped with pats of butter and snipped chives in a blue bowl. — Potato snob-approved creamy garlic mashed potatoes made with tender Yukon gold potatoes, good-quality butter, and garlic and herb-infused heavy cream. A simple yet restaurant-worthy side dish!

Infusing heavy cream with 2 whole heads of garlic, fresh herbs, and peppercorns creates layers of aromatic flavor—and it takes only a few minutes on the stovetop. When you mash this garlicky cream into Yukon gold potatoes, you get rich, aromatic flavor with zero roasting required.

The result? The best garlic mashed potatoes imaginable: creamy-dreamy texture, loads of garlic flavor, and quick enough to make alongside special main dishes like Thanksgiving turkey or a holiday roast. It’s easy, yet the results are seriously impressive.

From one potato snob to another, I promise these are the most delicious (and easiest!) garlic and herb mashed potatoes you’ll ever have! 💁🏻‍♀️

Baked sourdough sausage stuffing in a round baking dish with a spoonful taken out of it. The dish sits atop a checkered linen napkin on a light blue surface. Next to the serving dish is a small plate of stuffing, along with some fresh herbs.

Classic Sides Everyone Will Love

The ultimate Thanksgiving side dishes to complete your holiday table (make-ahead options included!). Cause, let’s be honest, the sides are the real stars.

An overhead shot of ingredients displayed on a wood cutting board and white marbled surface: quartered potatoes, butter, cream, fresh herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. — These garlic mashed potatoes are easy to make with just 8 simple ingredients: potatoes, butter, cream, garlic, fresh herbs, and peppercorns. For best results, use naturally buttery and creamy Yukon Gold potatoes.

A Non-Negotiable for the Best Mashed Potatoes: Buttery Yukon Golds

For truly great mashed potatoes, Yukon Golds are essential—I use them in all my recipes! With their medium starch content, natural buttery flavor, and ultra-tender texture, they’re the perfect choice for mashing.

The best way to prep potatoes for mashing is by chopping them into chunky pieces and boiling. Cutting them first helps prevent the potatoes from getting waterlogged since it reduces the cook time needed to make them tender—plus, it ensures even cooking!

An overhead shot of Yukon gold potatoes in a large pot of boiling water atop a white surface. — First, boil the potatoes in generously salted water.

How to boil Yukon Golds for mashed potatoes. ⇢ Add the roughly chopped potatoes to a large pot and cover with at least 2 inches of cold water—starting with cold water ensures the potatoes cook evenly. Add 3 tablespoons of kosher salt (potatoes can handle a lot of seasoning!), bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until the potatoes are nice and tender, about 20 minutes.

🥔To peel, or not to peel? ⇢ Another reason to love Yukon Gold potatoes—since their skins are extra-thin and delicate, there’s no need to peel them! Just dice ’em up and get ’em boiling—easy!

The Secret Weapon: Infuse Heavy Cream for Mega-Garlicky Flavor

The secret to the best garlic mashed potatoes? Infusing the cream with fresh herbs and garlic. Heavy cream is already a must-have for ultra-creamy mashed potatoes, but taking a few minutes to steep it with fresh aromatics creates next-level flavor—without the fuss of roasting garlic in the oven! 🙌🏼

For easy multi-tasking, I infuse the heavy cream with garlic and herbs while the potatoes boil. It takes less than 10 minutes and ensures everything is ready to go at the same time.

An overhead shot of heavy cream simmering in a large pot with garlic, peppercorns and fresh herbs. — While the potatoes boil, gently simmer heavy cream with garlic and fresh herbs.

To infuse heavy cream. ⇢ Add cream to a saucepan with 2 halved heads of garlic, fresh rosemary and thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cream just reaches a gentle simmer. Once steaming and lightly bubbling, remove from heat and set aside to steep.

4 Steps to Extra-Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

With the Yukon Gold potatoes boiled and garlic-and-herb-infused cream ready to go, all that’s left is to bring everything together with plenty of butter—easy!

I like to mash the potatoes right in the pot I used for boiling—no need to dirty another dish! The residual heat from the pot helps keep the potatoes warm as you mash, making it easier to combine them with the butter and cream without over-mixing.

An overhead shot of cooked potatoes being run through a potato ricer in a large white pot atop a white surface. — For a more rustic texture, use a potato masher. Or, for ultra-smooth mashed potatoes, pass the hot Yukon Golds through a potato ricer—the fine grate will catch any potato skins for you.

An overhead shot of riced potatoes, cubed butter and herb-infused cream in a large white pot atop a white surface. — Halfway through mashing, strain the garlic-and-herb-infused cream into the pot along with diced butter. Let the warmth of the potatoes melt everything as you finish mashing.

🧈Remember, great butter = great mashed potatoes. ⇢ Since mashed potatoes are so simple, butter plays an important role in creating tons of flavor and richness. For best results, I highly recommend using really good-quality butter, such as Kerrygold.

An overhead shot of a wooden spoon stirring cream into mashed potatoes in a large white pot atop a white surface. — Gently stir to combine the melted butter and garlic cream into the Yukon Gold potatoes. Be careful not to over-mix, which can lead to a gummy or gluey texture.

An overhead shot of creamy garlic mashed potatoes in a large white pot atop a white surface. — Season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Start with ½ teaspoon, taste, and adjust. Remember, potatoes can handle a lot of salt!

An overhead shot of garlic mashed potatoes topped with pats of butter and snipped chives in a blue bowl. The bowl sits on a white surface alongside a striped cloth and a bowl of chives. — The potatoes are ready when they’re smooth, creamy, and seasoned to perfection. Serve warm with extra butter and fresh chives!

Serving Suggestions

Garlic and herb mashed potatoes are the ultimate melt-in-your-mouth comfort food!

They’re the perfect easy side dish for cozy dinners like my Meltingly Tender Red Wine Braised Beef, Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder, or our All-Time Favorite Chicken Cacciatore. Nothing beats the way buttery, creamy mashed potatoes soak up a rich sauce.

Garlic mashed potatoes are also a must-have holiday side dish! Serve them with your Thanksgiving Roast Spatchcock Turkey, Christmas Garlic and Herb Prime Rib, or a Valentine’s Day Individual Beef Wellington dinner.

I can’t wait for you to try these Creamy Garlic and Herb Mashed Potatoes! They’re so quick and easy to make, packing a crave-worthy punch of buttery, garlicky flavor. Nothing not to love!

If you do give them a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!