Recipes Side Dish Potato Mashed Potato Recipes Chef John's Ultimate Mashed Potatoes 5.0 (5) 5 Reviews 2 Photos Forgot those low-fat or no-fat options... holiday mashed potatoes are supposed to have a ridiculous amount of butter in them! Eating a scoop of these potatoes a few times a year is a well-deserved treat. Garnish with chives if desired. By John Mitzewich John Mitzewich John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on November 19, 2024 Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 2 2 Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Total Time: 45 mins Servings: 8 Yield: 8 servings Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe Not Your Every-Day Mashed Potatoes RecipesEvery year around holiday time, I see people posting recipes for low-fat and no-fat mashed potatoes, which I find as sad as it is perplexing. There's no sane doctor alive, or bartender for that matter, who will tell you eating a scoop of these mashed potatoes a few times a year will, in any way, negatively affect your health. So what's up with the reduced-fat holiday potatoes? Isn't that the reason we try to eat well all year, so on Thanksgiving we can bathe guilt-free in gravy? Sure, serving your loved ones potatoes with a pound of butter in them on a regular basis would be cause for alarm. But for truly special occasions, it's crazy not to enjoy such a pleasure. By the way, this is no viral-video gimmick. Fancy chefs use at least this much butter, and as legend has it, some even flirt with equal parts. Of course, they call it pomme purée, and say it with a French accent, but it's the same stuff. Nobody says you have to go full Joël Robuchon and actually use as much butter as I've recommended in this recipe, but please try to force yourself to add more than the few meager tablespoons that get us through the rest of the year. Anyway, if you're never experienced this ethereal pleasure, I hope you make them a part of your next special occasion menu. Enjoy! Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 3 ¼ pounds russet potatoes 1 pound unsalted European-style butter salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste ¼ cup hot milk 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste Directions Peel potatoes and cut into quarters. Transfer to a bowl of cold water and rinse to remove starch. Drain and transfer to a pot of cold water. Very generously salt the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are soft and the tip of a knife goes in easily, 20 to 25 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, cut butter in chunks and let come to room temperature. Drain potatoes thoroughly and return to the pot. Set over medium-low heat and mash with a potato masher until potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and add ¼ of the softened butter chunks. Mash until butter just about disappears. Add another 1/4 of the butter and mix with a wire whisk until it just about disappears. Whisk in the remaining butter in 2 additions as before; potatoes will be light and creamy after all the butter has been mixed in. Whisk in hot milk until incorporated. Add cayenne and more salt if needed. Serve immediately. fabeveryday Chef's Notes: Use russet potatoes. This will not work with red potatoes as they are too waxy. Thanksgiving gravy warning: For obvious reasons, these aren't very sturdy mashed potatoes, so be careful with the gravy. If you totally drench them, they'll basically melt. I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 556 Calories 46g Fat 34g Carbs 5g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 8 Calories 556 % Daily Value * Total Fat 46g 59% Saturated Fat 29g 147% Cholesterol 123mg 41% Sodium 19mg 1% Total Carbohydrate 34g 12% Dietary Fiber 2g 9% Protein 5g 9% Potassium 794mg 17% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.