Listen, if you think you know mashed potatoes, you haven’t had them until you’ve tried them with this secret weapon! Nothing screams pure comfort food like a big, fluffy scoop of potatoes swimming in butter. But honestly, standard mashed potatoes are just *fine*. We want amazing, right?

That’s where the roasting comes in. I am absolutely obsessed—I mean *obsessed*—with slow-roasting a whole head of garlic until it turns sweet and jammy. It completely transforms the dish. When I serve my Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, people always ask me what I did differently because the flavor is just so deeply savory. It’s my go-to for any holiday gathering; my husband always jokes that he’s only coming to Thanksgiving for this specific side dish now!

Why You Will Love These Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (Experience & Trust)

I promise you, these aren’t your average weeknight potatoes. Once you get used to the mild, sweet flavor of roasted garlic, going back to plain mashed seems impossible. Trust me on this one, the payoff is huge for very little extra effort!

They are surprisingly simple to make. Roasting the garlic happens while the potatoes boil—it’s practically hands-off time!
The flavor punch is incredible. That mellow, earthy sweetness lifts the whole side dish right into the fancy category.

Seriously, once you taste this, you’ll be looking up other ways to use potatoes—you might even want to check out some other irresistible potato ideas! They go with everything from simple roast chicken to your biggest holiday spread.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Gathering your ingredients is half the battle, and with this recipe, we keep things wonderfully simple. We are using Russet potatoes here, and you need about 2 pounds of them, peeled and cut into quarters. Russets are the best because they are so starchy; they break down beautifully when boiled and give you that fluffy texture we are aiming for.

Next up is our star: one whole head of garlic. Don’t be shy with the olive oil—we need 3 tablespoons to get that garlic nice and golden in the oven.

For creaminess, you need 4 tablespoons of softened, unsalted butter and about 1/2 cup of milk. I always make sure my milk is warmed up before it goes into the potatoes. Cold milk lowers the temperature too much and can make your final mash a little gummy. Don’t forget your simple seasonings: 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. That’s really it! It’s amazing what quality ingredients can do.

Speaking of simple mixes, if you ever need a simple syrup for drinks, you should check out this guide on how to make simple syrup while you wait for your potatoes to boil!

Expert Tips for Roasting the Garlic for Your Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Roasting the garlic is where the magic happens, and honestly, it’s the easiest part, but people always overthink it! First things first: preheat that oven to 400°F (200°C). Now, take your whole head of garlic and use a sharp knife to slice straight across the top—just enough to expose those little tops of the cloves underneath. You don’t want to decapitate the head, just give them an opening!

Drizzle those exposed cloves generously with olive oil. Not the cheapest stuff you have, maybe something decent, because the flavor really permeates. Wrap the whole thing up tight in aluminum foil. This traps the steam and helps them get super soft. They need about 30 to 40 minutes in the oven. You’ll know they are perfect when they are deeply golden brown and the cloves feel like soft butter when you gently squeeze the bottom.

The absolute most crucial step? Letting them cool down a little bit before you try to squeeze that sweet pulp out! If you rush this, you are going to burn your fingers, and that’s no fun. Patience here ensures you get all that amazing, mellow garlic straight into your potatoes.

Make-Ahead Tip for Roasted Garlic

You don’t even need to do this the day you plan to serve dinner! This step is so helpful for busy nights. You can totally roast the garlic a day ahead. Just let it cool completely after roasting, keep it covered tightly, and stick it right in the fridge. It’s just as good the next day, ready to be squeezed into your mashed potatoes!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Okay, time to put it all together! My grandmother always said that the way you cook the potatoes themselves matters just as much as what you put into them later. First, make sure that garlic is roasted and cooling down while you tackle the spuds. Get your oven going at 400°F (200°C) and get that garlic wrapped up!

For the potatoes, place your peeled and quartered Russets in a big pot. Cover them completely with cold water, and make sure you add a good pinch of salt to the water—it seasons them from the inside out! Bring that whole thing to a boil, and cook them down for about 15 to 20 minutes. They are done when you can easily slip a fork right through them with no resistance, you know? They should feel totally tender before you drain them.

Here’s a pro tip that I learned the hard way: Drain those potatoes really well, and then put them *back* into the hot, empty pot for about a minute. Trust me, this lets the excess steam escape. If you skip this, your potatoes end up watery, and nobody wants watery mashed potatoes!

Now for the fun part! Squeeze that sweet, soft garlic pulp right out of its skin directly into the hot potatoes. Follow that up immediately with your softened butter and the warm milk. Don’t use cold milk; I already told you that! Use a sturdy potato masher—I find this is better than an electric mixer because you don’t want to overwork the starches. Mash everything until it looks perfectly smooth and creamy. Finish by stirring in your salt and pepper. Always taste it before serving; maybe it needs a tiny bit more salt, maybe a dab more butter. Perfectly seasoned **Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes** are worth the final check!

If you’re looking for other simple ways to use up pantry ingredients, you might enjoy learning how to make homemade croutons while you are in kitchen mode!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Creamy Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I know we all have different pantries, which is fine! The recipe calls for Russet potatoes, and that’s because their high starch level makes them fluffy once mashed. Trying to use waxy yellow potatoes usually ends up with something a little gluey, and we definitely don’t want that heavy texture here.

For the liquid, the recipe says milk, but if you want to go totally over the top rich, just swap in heavy cream instead. It makes the potatoes unbelievably decadent. You could also try making your own homemade almond milk if you needed a dairy-free option, though you might need to add a little more butter to compensate for richness.

And if you’re out of unsalted butter? Honestly, just use salted, but cut back slightly on the 1/2 teaspoon of salt we add later. We need that fat content to make these potatoes sing!

Serving Suggestions for Your Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These mashed potatoes are so rich and flavorful, they demand a great partner on the plate! You don’t need complicated recipes when your side dish is this good.

They are absolutely stunning next to a perfectly roasted chicken fresh from the oven. If you are cooking for a weekend dinner, definitely pair them with a thick, juicy steak. The earthy garlic flavor cuts right through the richness of the meat beautifully.

And of course, during the holidays, they need to be served alongside whatever you are roasting. If you need a showstopper main dish idea, you have to check out this guide on the ultimate slow-cooker pot roast—it’s the perfect comforting partner for these potatoes!

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Don’t worry if you have leftovers, although I have never had many! You can safely store these creamy delights in an airtight container in your fridge for up to four days. When you are ready for round two, skip the microwave if you can, okay? Microwave reheating can sometimes make potatoes dry or pasty.

The absolute best way to bring them back to life is over low heat on the stovetop. Just toss them in a pot with a small splash of warm milk or another tablespoon of softened butter. Stir gently until everything is silky smooth and piping hot again. It tastes almost as good as fresh!

Frequently Asked Questions About Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Whenever I share this recipe, people always have similar questions about getting the texture just right or dialing in the garlic flavor. It totally reminds me of when my sister first tried to make these and ended up with something closer to glue! Don’t let that happen to you!

If you’re looking for more side dish inspiration, this whole section reminds me of other great cooking projects, like checking out more irresistible potato recipes!

Can I use cream cheese instead of butter in Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes?

Oh, you absolutely can, but it changes the deal! Using cream cheese will make your mashed potatoes much tangier and super dense because it has less water content than butter does. It creates a richer, almost cheesecake-like texture, which is yummy, but it’s not exactly the classic fluffiness we shoot for here.

What type of potato works best for Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes?

Stick with Russets, please, or maybe an Idaho potato if you can find one! They are high in starch, which means when you boil and mash them, they break down beautifully and absorb all that wonderful roasted garlic flavor. Waxy potatoes just get too waxy and heavy when mashed.

Estimated Nutritional Information for Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Now, look, you know I’m not a nutritionist, I’m just a cook who loves making food taste amazing! So, take these numbers with a huge grain of salt. The final count depends entirely on how much butter I splurge on or what brand of milk you grab. But for general reference, based on the recipe divided into 6 servings, here is what we are generally looking at per scoop:

Calories: Roughly 250 a serving.
Fat: About 12 grams total.
Carbohydrates: Around 33 grams.
Protein: About 5 grams.

You can see we’ve got fiber in there from the potatoes (about 4 grams), which is great! And the sodium is hovering around 300mg. If you are watching your sodium, remember you can easily cut back on the added salt during mashing. Just remember, these values are estimates. If I used heavy cream instead of milk, those numbers would jump up quite a bit, but oh my goodness, it would be worth it!

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Author: cocktailmixguide.com
Total Time: 60 min
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

Creamy mashed potatoes flavored with sweet, mellow roasted garlic.

Ingredients

Scale

2 lbs Russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 whole head garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup milk, warmed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Slice the top off the head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle the exposed cloves with olive oil.
Wrap the garlic head tightly in aluminum foil and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cloves are soft and golden brown. Let cool slightly.
Place the peeled and quartered potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes well and return them to the hot, empty pot. Let them sit for one minute to allow excess moisture to evaporate.
Squeeze the roasted garlic pulp out of the skins into the pot with the potatoes.
Add the warm milk and softened butter to the potatoes. Mash with a potato masher until smooth.
Stir in the salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning to your taste.

Notes

For extra richness, substitute heavy cream for the milk.
You can roast the garlic a day ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator.

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 45 min
Category: Side Dish
Method: Boiling and Roasting
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 250
Sugar: 2
Sodium: 300
Fat: 12
Saturated Fat: 7
Unsaturated Fat: 5
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 33
Fiber: 4
Protein: 5
Cholesterol: 25

Keywords: roasted garlic, mashed potatoes, potatoes, side dish, comfort food, creamy potatoes