These Red Skin Mashed Potatoes require no peeling and are loaded with butter, sour cream, and garlic. This side dish pairs perfectly with just about anything and is perfect for holiday dinners. Plus mashed potatoes freeze great!
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This skin on mashed red potatoes recipe is one of the sides I make the most.
Some of my other go-tos include, Baked Potatoes in the Oven or Air Fryer Potato Skins.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Red skin mashed potatoes with sour cream are super rich and creamy (of course). Sour cream adds more flavor compared to cream cheese.
- This recipe is made with no milk. Instead it uses half and half.
- These restaurant style red skin mashed potatoes are the perfect side dish for any protein.
- The garlic adds so much flavor to this mash.
- These potatoes can be boiled on the stove or the Instant Pot. I prefer the Instant Pot because it is faster (because of high heat and pressure).
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Water/Broth: If I have chicken broth on hand, I like to use it to infuse a little more flavor while boiling the potatoes. Water also works perfectly.
- Half and Half: Swap for milk or heavy cream. Milk is lighter while heavy cream is richer. I like half and half because it is in the middle in terms of fat content.
- Sour Cream: While reduced fat sour cream can be used, full fat results in smoother and creamier potatoes so I highly recommend it.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
Quick Overview
- Pressure cook or boil the potatoes.
- Warm up the cold ingredients.
- Mash the potatoes & fold in the milk and butter mixture.
- Add more salt and pepper if needed.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Place the potato halves directly into the bottom of the Instant Pot. Pour the chicken broth on top. Option: Place potatoes in a large pot. Fill it with water or broth so the potatoes are completely covered. Bring to a boil and boil for 20-25 minutes or until fork tender.
Step 2: Place the lid on the pot and be sure the valve is switched to the sealing position. Select Pressure Cook (manual) and High Pressure. Set the timer to 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, quick release (valve switched to venting) immediately and turn the pot off.
Step 3: While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter over medium heat. Sauté the garlic in it for 1-2 minutes.
Step 4: Turn the heat to low and add the half and half, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth.
TIP - Heat the butter mixture while the potatoes cook so everything is ready at the same time.
Step 5: Drain the potatoes. Mash the potatoes using a ricer or handheld masher.
Step 6: Stir in the butter mixture and garnish with additional butter pats, chives, and cracked pepper if desired.
TIP - Use a ricer for smoother potatoes and a masher for chunky.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Mashed potatoes can be served with a variety of dishes. Here are just a few of my favorites:
- Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak
- Perfect Pork Tenderloin
- Oven BBQ St. Louis Ribs
- Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Breast or easy Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breast
- Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken
- Bavette Steaks (Flank)
Freezing & Reheating
How to Freeze
- Allow the mashed red skin potatoes to cool completely in the fridge for a few hours overnight.
- Portion desired amount into freezer safe bags or airtight containers.
- Store in the freezer for 2-3 months.
How to Reheat
Add a splash of milk, cream, broth, or water to leftover reheated potatoes to reach desired consistency. They tend to try out.
- Stovetop: Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently until heated through.
- Microwave: Microwave for 3-4 minutes in microwave safe dish. Stir. If needed, continue to microwave in 1 minute intervals, until heated through.
- Oven: Spread the potatoes in an even layer in a baking dish. Bake at 350 for about 25-35 minutes, or until heated through.
Expert Tips & Variations
- Cut the potatoes in half. This ensures they cook fully.
- Use full fat ingredients. While low fat sour cream or lower fat milks can be used for this recipe, full fat dairy products yield the creamiest and most flavor garlic mashed potatoes.
- Leave the skin on. The skin adds delicious flavor and texture. Plus not peeling the potatoes saves time!
- Don’t forget to drain the broth. Remove all of the cooking liquid before mashing the potatoes.
- Use the proper mashing tool. If you like lumpy potatoes, be sure to use a potato masher. For super smooth potatoes, use a ricer. Some like to use a hand mixer, which can make red skin potatoes dense and gummy. I recommend low speed with an electric mixer and a light hand.
- Be sure to heat the cold ingredients. Cooking the garlic makes it less pungent. Heating the dairy mixes into the potatoes better and prevents the mash from getting cold.
- Brown the butter. Before you add the garlic, heat the butter until it becomes foamy and brown bits form.
- Add cheese. Add ½ - 1 cup of cheese to the butter mixture on the stove, like cheddar, parmesan, gruyere, or pepper jack. Add an extra splash of half and half if the potatoes are too thick.
Recipe FAQs
Do not over mash or work the potatoes! If you do (more common when using an electric mixer), the starches become almost rubbery or gluey.
Red skin potatoes taste pretty similar to other white potatoes, like russet potatoes. They are slightly sweeter.
Red potatoes are more waxy and less starchy compared to white potatoes. They are usually cooked with the skin left intact. This makes them perfect for no peel mashed potatoes.
Red skinned potatoes are good for roasting, frying, grilling, steaming/boiling (like for seafood boils), and making scalloped potatoes.
I prefer red compared to russet for mashing. I like the flavor and skin on red potatoes better. Be sure to not over mash them or they become gluey. However, Yukon gold potatoes are probably the best potato for mashing.
More Side Dishes
If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and/or comment! I always appreciate your feedback. Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook & Instagram.
Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds washed skin on whole red potatoes, halved*
- 32 ounces (4 cups) water or broth*
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced finely
- ¾ cup half and half, plus more as needed*
- ¾ cup full fat sour cream*
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
- Place the potato halves directly into the bottom of the Instant Pot. Pour the chicken broth on top. Option: Place potatoes in a large pot. Fill it with water or broth so the potatoes are completely covered. Bring to a boil and boil for 20-25 minutes or until fork tender.
- Place the lid on the pot and be sure the valve is switched to the sealing position. Select Pressure Cook (manual) and High Pressure. Set the timer to 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, quick release (valve switched to venting) immediately and turn the pot off.
- While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter over medium heat. Sauté the garlic in it for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn the heat to low and add the half and half, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth.
- Drain the potatoes. Mash the potatoes using a ricer or handheld masher.
- Stir in the butter mixture and garnish with additional butter pats, chives, and cracked pepper if desired.
Notes:
- Water/Broth: If I have chicken broth on hand, I like to use it to infuse a little more flavor while boiling the potatoes. Water also works perfectly.
- Half and Half: Swap for milk or heavy cream. Milk is lighter while heavy cream is richer. I like half and half because it is in the middle in terms of fat content.
- Sour Cream: While reduced fat sour cream can be used, full fat results in smoother and creamier potatoes so I highly recommend it.
- Use full fat ingredients. While low fat sour cream or lower fat milks can be used for this recipe, full fat dairy products yield the creamiest and most flavor mashed potatoes.
- Leave the skin on. The skin adds delicious flavor and texture. Plus not peeling the potatoes saves time!
- Be sure to heat the cold ingredients. Cooking the garlic makes it less pungent. Heating the dairy mixes into the potatoes better and prevents the mash from getting cold.
- Brown the butter. Before you add the garlic, heat the butter until it becomes foamy and brown bits form.
- Add cheese. Add ½ - 1 cup of cheese to the butter mixture on the stove, like cheddar, parmesan, gruyere, or pepper jack. Add an extra splash of half and half if the potatoes are too thick.
Honestly, I'm such a fan of the fact we didn't have to peel these, but this dish was creamy and buttery, might be something we also make this Thanksgiving instead of our usual.
These mashed potatoes are so creamy and flavorful! They made the perfect side dish for family dinner.
These mashed potatoes came out super creamy and fluffy. The addition of the sour cream made it over the top delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
love these mashed potatoes so much! so rich and flavorful!
So creamy...we loved the velvety smooth texture mixed with those red skins.
best mashed potates I have ever tried. Amazing Recipe!
Thanks for a great recipe