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A spoonful of fluffy whipped mashed potatoes lifted from a pot of smooth whipped potatoes
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Whipped Potatoes (Fluffy Whipped Mashed Potatoes)
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
Whipped potatoes beaten with a hand mixer until fluffy, silky and free of lumps. Just potatoes, milk, butter and kosher salt.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: mashed potatoes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 309 kcal
Author: Let the Baking Begin!
Ingredients
Potatoes for Whipped Mashed Potatoes
  • 5 lb Yukon Gold potatoes About 14 medium
  • 2 tsp kosher salt Morton, added with the hot milk. Taste, and add a pinch more if needed
Hot Milk and Butter for Whipped Potatoes
Garnish
  • fresh chives Optional, or green onions, parsley or red pepper flakes
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
Cook the Potatoes
  1. Peel and quarter 5 lb Yukon Gold potatoes into even chunks and add them to a large pot. Cover with cold water by about 1/2 inch.
  2. Bring to a boil over high heat. No salt in the water; it goes in with the milk.
  3. Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes after the water comes to a boil - set a timer. Drain right at 20 minutes - potatoes left in longer soak up water and taste watery. If you cut them smaller than quarters, they need less time.
  4. Heat the dairy while the potatoes cook: warm 1 cup whole milk and 8 oz unsalted butter in a saucepan or the microwave (about 4 minutes) until steaming hot, too hot to keep a finger in. Do not use cold milk - it makes the potatoes pasty and can turn them gray.
  5. Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pot. Whip them right away - potatoes that sit and cool turn gluey.
Whip the Mashed Potatoes
  1. Whip them dry with a hand mixer on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until no big chunks are left. No liquid yet. (Note 1)
  2. Add half the hot milk and butter with 2 tsp kosher salt. Start on low, then whip on high until the milk disappears into the potatoes.
  3. Add the rest gradually, about 1/4 cup at a time, whipping on high, until the potatoes are a little softer than you want to serve them. They firm up as they sit and absorb the liquid. Stop once smooth - whipping past smooth turns them gluey. (Note 2)
  4. Scrape the pot bottom for stuck pieces, whip once more, and top with fresh chives. Serve hot, or keep warm (Note 4).
Recipe Notes
  1. No hand mixer: mash with a potato masher or press through a ricer, then stir in the hot milk and butter by hand. Never use a food processor or blender - it turns potatoes into paste.
  2. Milk and butter ratio: plan on a little more than 1 cup of hot liquid for every 2 1/2 lb of potatoes. For everyday dinners I keep butter or cream to about a quarter of the liquid. For holidays I go up to half.
  3. Richer potatoes: swap some or all of the milk for heavy cream, heated the same way.
  4. Keep them warm: spoon the whipped potatoes into a slow cooker or an Instant Pot on the Keep Warm setting until dinner.
  5. Lighter potatoes: replace as much of the butter with milk as you like.
  6. Best fresh: I never make them ahead. Reheated whipped potatoes change texture and need more milk or cream to loosen. If you must, refrigerate up to 2 days and reheat in the microwave, stirring a few times, or in a skillet over medium heat, stirring in hot milk or cream until smooth. I don't freeze them - they thaw watery.
  7. Peel ahead: peel the potatoes, leave them whole or in big halves, cover with cold water, and refrigerate. Don't cut them into small cubes ahead, or they soak up too much water and turn watery.
Nutrition Facts
Whipped Potatoes (Fluffy Whipped Mashed Potatoes)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 309 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Cholesterol 51mg17%
Sodium 395mg17%
Potassium 974mg28%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 606IU12%
Vitamin C 26mg32%
Calcium 101mg10%
Iron 7mg39%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.