Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
It is finally time to share my favorite mashed potato recipe! These Red Skin Mashed Potatoes are rich, creamy, and loaded with roasted garlic. Super simple and easy to make in the Instant Pot or on the stove. They are the perfect side dish and comfort food.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 medium head garlic*
- drizzle of olive oil
- 2 ½ - 3 pounds washed whole red potatoes skin on*
- 32 ounces chicken broth*
- 1 stick unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces
- ½ cup half and half*
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Optional: chives and roasted garlic cloves for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°. Cut the top of the head of the garlic off to expose the cloves (about ½ inch). Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
- Wrap the head of garlic in foil. Roast for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil from the garlic.
- Roast for another 15 minutes unwrapped. Set aside and let the garlic cool.
- While the garlic is roasting unwrapped, you will cook the potatoes. Place the potatoes and the chicken broth in the Instant Pot. Season the liquid with a pinch of salt. Place the lid on the pot and turn the valve to “sealing”. Select the pressure cook or manual setting, high pressure, and set the timer for 10 minutes. The Instant Pot will begin coming to pressure and show the timer once it reaches the correct pressure.
- After the garlic finishes roasting, let it cool. Once you can handle the garlic, squeeze each clove out of the head into a bowl. Mash them with a fork. Set aside.
- After 9 minutes, switch the valve to “venting”. The pot will release steam and the lid will unlock. Remove the lid and set the pot to the “keep warm” setting. Drain the excess liquid from the potatoes and place back in the pot.
- Add the butter, half and half, sour cream, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper.
- Mash until smooth using a rice or potato masher.
Notes
Chicken broth - swap for water
Garlic - swap for 3 cloves of raw grated garlic or ½ teaspoon of granulated garlic
Red potatoes - swap for russet or yukon gold potatoes
Half and half - swap for milk (for lighter potatoes) or cream (for richer mashed potatoes)
Cooking potatoes on the stove - If you do not have an Instant Pot, you can easily cook the potatoes on the stove. First you will need to quarter the potatoes so that they will cook faster. Place the quartered potatoes and the chicken broth in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the potatoes (the chicken broth will not be enough liquid). Season the water with a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil over medium high heat. Cook the potatoes for about 20 minutes or until fork tender. Keep an eye on the potatoes as they boil and turn the heat down to medium if needed.
Make sure you salt the broth well. Potatoes need a lot of salt. There is nothing worse than bland potatoes. Seasoning the broth with salt will add more flavor.
Work quickly. As soon as you drain the potatoes. Get them back into the pot and add all of the other ingredients. The hot potatoes will help melt the butter and cheese.
Mash the potatoes in the Instant Pot "keep warm". The hot plate inside the pot keeps the potatoes warm and helps the other ingredients melt.
I do not recommend using an electric mixer to mash the potatoes. They will become rubbery and have an odd texture.