Food and Recipes Cooking Tips and Techniques How To Make Perfect Mashed Potatoes By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on March 10, 2017 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas It takes only six ingredients and three simple steps to make rich, fluffy mashed potatoes. We show you how. 01 of 05 Perfect Mashed Potatoes Beth Dreiling Hontzas Yukon gold potatoes yield a texture that's just right for holding a pool of flavorful gravy or melted butter. Ingredients: 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes 2 teaspoons salt, divided 1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup half-and-half 4 ounces cream cheese, softened ¾ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper Yield: Makes about 6 cups Recipe: Perfect Mashed Potatoes 02 of 05 1. Peel, Boil, & Drain Photo by Beth Dreiling Hontzas Peel potatoes, and cut into 1-inch pieces. Bring potatoes, 1 tsp. salt, and cold water to cover to a boil in a medium-size Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 16 to 20 minutes or until fork-tender; drain. 03 of 05 2. Add Creamy Richness Photo by Beth Dreiling Hontzas Return potatoes to Dutch oven. Cook until water evaporates and potatoes look dry. Mound potatoes on 1 side; add butter, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1 tsp. salt to opposite side of Dutch oven. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until butter is melted and mixture boils. 04 of 05 3. Beat Until Smooth Photo by Beth Dreiling Hontzas Remove from heat; beat at medium speed with a hand-held electric mixer 30 seconds to 1 minute or to desired degree of smoothness. (Do not overbeat.) Serve immediately. 05 of 05 Photo by Beth Dreiling Hontzas “An electric mixer creates slightly chunkier potatoes, so everyone knows they’re homemade,” says Lyda Jones Burnette, Test Kitchen Director. “Beat the potatoes just a few seconds beyond the point where they release from the beaters.” Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit