Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese

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These garlic mashed potatoes with cream cheese are the ones I make every Thanksgiving and honestly at least twice more before the year is out. The total time is about 70 minutes, but most of that is the garlic roasting in the oven while you do something else. Your actual hands-on work is closer to 20 minutes.

The cream cheese is what makes these different from a standard mash. It adds enough body that the potatoes hold a soft mound in the bowl instead of pooling flat, and it gives a very faint tang that keeps things from tasting too heavy. I learned the hard way that you have to use softened cream cheese, not cold straight from the fridge. Cold cream cheese leaves little white lumps that never fully disappear no matter how long you mash.

If you want to cut down on day-of work, roast the garlic the night before and leave it in the fridge. The rest comes together quickly once the potatoes are boiled and drained.

Why you will love this

• The cream cheese gives the mash body so it holds its shape in the serving bowl without turning stiff or gluey.
• Roasted garlic is mellow and almost sweet, nothing sharp or raw-tasting, and you can prep it up to two days ahead.
• One batch feeds 8 people as a generous side, which makes it practical for holidays or a big family dinner.
• You can keep the finished potatoes warm in a 200-degree oven for up to 30 minutes, which frees you up to focus on everything else.
• Leftovers reheat well on the stovetop with a splash of warm cream, so nothing goes to waste.

Tips for success

• Let your butter and cream cheese come fully to room temperature before they go into the hot potatoes. Cold dairy cools everything down fast and you end up with dense, lumpy mash that is hard to recover.
• After draining, put the pot back on low heat for about a minute and shake it. That extra step dries out the potatoes so the finished texture is fluffy, not watery.
• Add the warmed milk or cream in two additions rather than all at once. It is much easier to add more than to fix potatoes that have gone too loose.
• Cook the potatoes until a fork slides in with zero resistance. If there is any firmness left in the center, give them two more minutes. Under-cooked potatoes never mash smooth, no matter how hard you work them.

Common questions

• Can I use Yukon Gold potatoes instead of russet? Yes. Yukons are a little waxier and have a naturally buttery flavor. The texture will be slightly denser but still very good.
• My potatoes seem stiff after mashing. What happened? Most likely the dairy was too cold or the potatoes lost too much heat while you were draining them. Stir in another splash of warm cream over low heat and they should loosen up.
• Can I double the recipe? Yes, though you will need a very large pot for boiling. Everything else scales evenly.

Substitutions

Yukon Gold potatoes work in place of russets and have a naturally buttery flavor, though the mash will be slightly denser. Neufchatel cheese is an easy lower-fat swap for cream cheese with nearly identical results. For a dairy-free version, plant-based butter and dairy-free cream cheese both work, just make sure they are softened before mixing in.

If you are out of time for roasting a whole head of garlic, one teaspoon of garlic powder stirred into the butter before mashing will do the job. The flavor is sharper and less mellow than roasted, but it works in a pinch. Fresh chives on top are optional but worth it if you have them.

Make-ahead and storage

Roast the garlic up to two days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. You can also make the full recipe one day ahead. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring in two to three tablespoons of warm cream or milk until the texture comes back together. You can also reheat covered in a 325-degree oven for about 20 minutes. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.

I do not recommend freezing these. The cream cheese tends to break during thawing and the texture turns grainy. They are better made fresh or one day ahead.

Brittany Stage

Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese

Russet potatoes mashed with roasted garlic, softened cream cheese, and warm butter create a rich, creamy side dish that holds its shape on the plate and tastes like something people will talk about all year.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 340

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 lbs russet potatoes peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 whole head garlic for roasting
• 1 tsp olive oil for roasting garlic
• 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter softened to room temperature, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream warmed, plus more as needed
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt plus more for the boiling water
• 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
• 2 tbsp fresh chives thinly sliced, for garnish, optional

Equipment

• large pot
• baking sheet or small oven-safe dish
• potato masher or hand mixer
• colander

Method

 

1. Roast the garlic first since this step takes the longest. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the top quarter off the head of garlic to expose the cloves, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap it tightly in foil. Place it on a small baking sheet and roast for 40 to 45 minutes until the cloves feel completely soft when you press on them and they are golden at the tips. Let it cool until you can handle it, then squeeze the softened cloves out into a small bowl and mash them into a smooth paste with a fork. Set aside. If making a day ahead, refrigerate in a covered container.
2. Place the peeled, chunked potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by about 2 inches. Add a generous pinch of salt, enough to make the water taste lightly seasoned. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 15 to 18 minutes. The potatoes are ready when a fork slides in with no resistance at all. Do not under-cook them; dense potatoes never mash smoothly.
3. Drain the potatoes thoroughly in a colander and return them to the warm pot. Set the pot over low heat for about 1 minute, shaking it gently. This dries out any lingering moisture, which is one of the small steps that keeps mashed potatoes fluffy instead of watery.
4. Add the softened cream cheese, softened butter pieces, and roasted garlic paste to the hot potatoes. Mash everything together with a potato masher or a hand mixer on low speed until smooth. Add the warmed milk or cream in two additions, stirring after each, until the potatoes reach the consistency you like. They should be creamy and just loose enough to fall slowly from a spoon. Season with salt and pepper, taste, and adjust.
5. Transfer to a serving bowl, make a shallow well in the center, and add an extra pat of butter if you like. Garnish with sliced chives. Serve immediately, or keep warm covered in a low 200-degree oven for up to 30 minutes with a piece of foil pressed directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

Notes

Warming the dairy before adding it is important. Cold cream or milk straight from the refrigerator cools the potatoes down fast, making them stiffen before you can finish seasoning and serving. A quick 30 seconds in the microwave is all they need.

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