Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes

Once I discovered browned butter—which is just regular butter, cooked until the milk solids get roasty-toasty—I started adding it to everything. Nowadays, I use it in my favorite sour cream banana bread, add it to peanut butter cookies, and seek out browned butter recipes like browned butter chocolate chip cookies. But I’d never thought of making browned butter mashed potatoes until I found this recipe.

A bowlful of this rich side dish would be a perfect upgrade to your holiday meals. It’s also a great way to make everyday dinners just a little bit more exciting.

Ingredients for Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes

• Potatoes: Some cooks love to use starchy russet potatoes for mashing, and that’s a totally reasonable choice. However, I prefer the buttery taste of Yukon gold potatoes or German butterballs. The texture may not be as smooth, but the flavor is worth it.
• Salt and pepper: Don’t make potatoes without these simple seasonings. Before serving your mashed potatoes with browned butter, taste them and add additional salt and pepper to taste.
• Butter: Butter is the star of this show! Use your favorite salted or unsalted butter brand, but make sure the sticks are nice and fresh so their flavor really comes through.
• Garlic: Using plenty of garlic adds punch to a recipe that is otherwise ultra lush and creamy, so don’t skip it.
• Milk: Some mashed potato recipes call for decadent heavy whipping cream or half-and-half cream. We find that regular whole milk works well here because it allows the buttery flavor to shine. However, you can use 2% or skim milk if you prefer.
• Chives: Chives add a savory flavor and a nice color boost to the potatoes, but they aren’t necessary for success. Feel free to omit them if you don’t have any on hand (or you can start growing chives at home so you’re never without them).

Directions

Step 1: Cook the potatoes

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Place the potatoes in a stock pot and add water to cover. Season the water with 1 teaspoon of salt.

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Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cook the potatoes, uncovered, until they’re tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the water and return the potatoes to the pot.

Step 2: Brown the butter

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Meanwhile, place the butter in a medium skillet. Cook it over medium heat until it’s golden brown, five to seven minutes, stirring occasionally.

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Add the garlic during the last minute of cooking and stir constantly. Remove the butter from the heat and set it aside.

Editor’s Tip: Butter is made up of fat, water and milk solids. When you brown butter, the milk solids will rise to the top and look like a milky white foam. As the cooking continues, that foam will fall to the bottom of the pot and start to brown. It will turn golden and then a deeper brown, deepening the flavor of the butter until it becomes nutty and toasty.

Step 3: Mash the potatoes with browned butter

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Gently mash the potatoes while gradually adding milk and browned butter until you reach the desired consistency. Stir in the remaining teaspoon of salt and the pepper. Serve the browned butter mashed potatoes with chives if desired.

Editor’s Tip: If you don’t own a potato masher, you can mash potatoes with a stiff whisk (restaurant chefs love this trick) or a pastry blender (a must-have pastry tool).

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Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes Variations

• Add herbs: Adding fresh herbs to the browned butter during the last minute of cooking can make this dish even more wonderful. Rosemary and sage are particularly good matches for fall flavors, but thyme, oregano and bay leaves would work well, too.
• Make them with broth: To reduce the fat in the recipe, you can mash the potatoes with chicken or turkey stock instead of milk. It gives the mash a meaty flavor that’s reminiscent of turkey gravy.
• Use other roots and tubers: Sweet potatoes, rutabagas or a combination of roots and tubers can be used in this recipe, with or without the potatoes in the mix. All of them taste great with browned butter.

How to Store Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes

Scoop leftover mashed potatoes with browned butter into an airtight container and store them in the fridge. I like to store leftovers in glass rather than plastic containers, as they don’t pick up food aromas over time.

How long do browned butter mashed potatoes last?

Browned butter mashed potatoes will last in the fridge for up to four days.

Can you freeze browned butter mashed potatoes?

You can freeze mashed potatoes, but it could change their texture. Freezing usually works best when you use lots of fat in the mash. That said, you can freeze this browned butter mashed potatoes recipe once the potatoes have cooled. Package them in freezer-safe containers, basing your portions on how much you’ll want to thaw at once. Freeze them for up to two months and thaw them in the refrigerator before reheating them.

Can you make browned butter mashed potatoes ahead of time?

Browned butter mashed potatoes are ideal just after being made, but it’s fine to make and reheat mashed potatoes. However, you’ll want to reheat them gently. I like to put them in a baking dish, cover it with foil and bake them in a 350°F oven until they’re heated through.

Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes Tips

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What’s the best way to mash potatoes?

The most foolproof method for mashing potatoes is to use a hand-held tool like a potato masher, ricer or food mill. A whisk or pastry blender works well, too. It may seem tempting to use a food processor to mash potatoes, but you need to do so with care! Since the tubers are so starchy, they can get gluey if they’re overprocessed.

What can you serve with browned butter mashed potatoes?

The taste of browned butter gives autumnal vibes, so serve these mashed potatoes alongside your favorite fall dishes. They’d be great as a complement to a juicy roasted chicken or some rosemary thyme lamb chops. You could also use browned butter mashed potatoes as a filling in homemade pierogi. On the lighter side, try this taste-of-fall salad.

Can you mix cheese into mashed potatoes with browned butter?

You can add cheese to any mashed potato recipe. Here, you should look for a cheese that pairs well with the flavor of browned butter. A few possibilities include Brie or Camembert, goat cheese, Parmesan (specifically Parmigiano Reggiano), manchego or aged Gouda.