Take your mashed potatoes to a new level of rich, flavorful goodness with these Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, blending oven-roasted garlic with creamy red potatoes. These are perfect for your Thanksgiving menu (Do you know what day Thanksgiving is this year?) or Christmas menu, but I could add these as a side dish to any meal, they are so good! For a rustic twist, I also have Skins On Mashed Potatoes, which you might want to add to your list of potato recipes, too!
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes Ingredients & Substitutions
- Garlic: Look for 8 large heads of garlic, about 10-12 cloves each head. The cloves will be drizzled with olive oil before being roasted in the oven and mashed. It is worth the extra time, for sure! That might seem like a lot of garlic, but once it is roasted, the garlic mellows out. Then, you are left with a delicious roasted garlic flavor in every bite of the mashed potatoes!
- Potatoes: I like red potatoes because of their creaminess. It is up to you if you peel the potatoes or not–I like the texture of the skins. (Plus, it saves time!) Yukon Gold potatoes would also work well in this recipe. If you use Russet potatoes, they will give you a fluffier texture, but still be delicious!
- Butter: Using unsalted butter lets you control the amount of salt added to the potatoes. That is what I mostly use in baking, too. If using salted butter, you may want to lessen the amount of salt added. I also like to drizzle some extra melted butter over my pile of potatoes! But, that is up to you, of course.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Heavy whipping cream, or heavy cream, helps the mashed potatoes have a silky texture. For a lighter option, half-and-half or whole milk can be used.
- Salt and Pepper: I gave you a suggested amount of salt and pepper, but you can certainly salt and pepper to taste!
Can You Roast The Garlic Ahead Of Time?
Sure! Roasting the garlic ahead of time is a great way to save time when ready to make the mashed potatoes. Here is how:
- Roast the garlic according to the instructions, then let it cool down.
- Once cooled, remove the cloves from the skins and place them in an airtight container.
- Store it in the refrigerator for up to several days.
- When ready to use the roasted garlic in the potatoes, take it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
- Mash or mince the roasted garlic cloves as needed and incorporate them into the potatoes as instructed.
Can You Make Mashed Potatoes Without Roasting Garlic?
Well, the star of this recipe is the roasted garlic–it does really take the potatoes to a whole new level of garlicky deliciousness. And, you can get it roasted ahead of time! So, I would not recommend using jarred or bottled garlic. However, if you must use minced garlic, you may want to sauté the garlic briefly in some butter or oil before adding it to the potatoes.
Storing & Reheating Mashed Potatoes
To Store: To store roasted garlic mashed potatoes, first, let them cool to room temperature. Next, keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will last up to 3-4 days.
To Reheat: Reheat the mashed potatoes gently on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently. Or, cover the potatoes with aluminum foil and reheat in the oven. To restore the creaminess, I like to add a splash of heavy cream or milk.
Can You Freeze Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes?
Yes, you can freeze these mashed potatoes–they actually freeze pretty well! Once cooled to room temperature, store the potatoes in a freezer-safe sealable bag or freezer-safe container. They can be frozen for up to 1-2 months. When ready to serve, let the potatoes thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Heat them on the stovetop, in the stove, or microwave. Add a little milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream (if needed) to get the potatoes to reach your desired consistency.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 8 large heads of garlic
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 pounds red potatoes, washed, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (238 g) heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- melted butter, for garnish (optional)
- parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, leaving enough on the ends to create a packet.
- Peel and discard the papery outer layer of the garlic bulbs, keeping the bulbs intact.
- Cut off the top ½ inch of each garlic bulb to expose the cloves.
- Place the garlic heads, cut side up, on the lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil.
- Fold the aluminum foil over the garlic, creating a large packet.
- Bake the garlic for 45-55 minutes, or until the cloves are soft and deep golden brown.
- Set the roasted garlic aside to cool.
- Place the potatoes into a large pot. Cover with water.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for about 25 minutes, or until fork-tender.
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot, off the heat.
- Lightly mash the potatoes in the pot.
- Add the butter and heavy cream to the potatoes. Mash the mixture to your desired consistency.
- Squeeze all of the roasted garlic cloves into a medium bowl, discarding the remaining skin.
- Mash the garlic until smooth. (This makes about 1 cup.)
- Add the mashed garlic, salt, and pepper to the potatoes. Mix well.
- Serve the mashed potatoes warm, topped with more melted butter and fresh parsley.
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
These are fantastic! The roasted garlic adds a rich, sweet flavor that makes them stand out from regular mashed potatoes.
Elizabeth
Forget the main dish, I will just scoop a pile of these potatoes onto my plate! Wow, these are SO GOOD!
Annabelle
These potatoes had classy, nutty flavor from the roasted garlic. I really liked them!
Bella
These mashed potatoes are incredible. The roasted garlic adds a wonderful flavor, and the creamy consistency is spot on. A perfect side dish for any meal!
Selena
These potatoes might be my new go-to when it comes to a side dish of mashed potatoes! I highly recommend these for any meal!
I never use to like to cook when younger but have grown to love it. I am always looking for recipes and have made a lot of your recipes. First I love your recipes how you make it easy for the home cook to follow them 2nd thank you for sharing them with everyone and I will continue to try them if you continue to share them and plus my family enjoys me making them thank you.
I forgot to rate it.
Love the roasted garlic flavor and the heavy cream
They were so yummy
I added a little Parmesan cheese and green onions on mine🥰
Roasting the garlic makes all the difference. Amazing dish.
8 heads of garlic seems excessive. I would half the recipe, but even 4 for 3 lbs of potatoes seems like a lot.
Its not excessive, it’s delicious. 🙂 I always recommend trying the recipe as is before making changes.
These sound truly amazing. I make mashed potatoes like 4 different ways, and I’m definitely going to try this way. Then I’ll tweak it to my way and try it also, then I’ll post the out come.
Yes, Please do let me know what you think!