Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes Recipe (2024)

Adding sour cream to mashed potatoes brings wonderful flavor and richness. This Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes recipe is totally company-worthy, yet easy enough to make as everyday dinner potatoes.

If you can’t get enough of Classic Mashed Potatoes, wait until you try these extra-flavorful and creamy sour cream mashed potatoes.

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These fluffy and buttery sour cream mashed potatoes are a family-favorite side dish. They’re totally company-worthy but so easy to make, you’ll want them on your table for Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, and beyond. Pair them with Prime Rib or Juicy Roast Turkey drizzled with Turkey Gravy.

Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes Recipe

We LOVE potatoes so we get creative with them, making everything from Au Gratin Potatoes to Potato Soup. We’re sharing our best tips for making super creamy sour cream mashed potatoes that the whole family will request again and again.Here’s why you will love this recipe:

• Simple –These creamy mashed potatoes are made with basic kitchen ingredients.
• Flavorful –The combination of butter, milk, and sour cream really makes these potatoes something special.
• Versatile –These fluffy sour cream mashed potatoes recipe can be made ahead and reheats well (see instructions below)

Ingredients

Below is an overview of everything you’ll need to make these velvety sour cream mashed potatoes.Don’t forget to refer to the recipe card with the full amounts:

• Potatoes – We usually use Yukon gold potatoes for this recipe, but you can use just about any starchy potato. You’ll need about 10 medium-sized potatoes.
• Milk –Adding warm milk (whole or 2%) to mashed potatoes helps lighten up the texture while keeping the potatoes warm.
• Butter –We use unsalted butter. Good quality butter adds a silky texture and flavor to the potatoes. If you’re using salted butter then add salt to taste later.
• Sour Cream – Sour cream lends extra richness and creaminess and tastes better.
• Chives – Fresh chopped chives make a great but optional garnish, for a nice pop of color.

Pro Tip: After you’ve peeled and chopped your potatoes, place them in a bowl with water to keep the potato pieces from browning.

How to Make Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream

Here’s how easy it is to make these simple yet flavorful sour cream mashed potatoes:

1. Boil the Potatoes –Peel and cut your potatoes into chunks about an inch in size, then add them to a large pot with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender (see timing chart below).
2. Heat the Milk –In a separate saucepan warm the butter and milk until it just begins to steam and the butter is fully melted, then cover and set it aside.
3. Mash the Potatoes –Drain the cooked potatoes and return them to the pot. Mash while drizzling in the milk mixture to reach your desired consistency. Be careful not to over-mash the potatoes, as they may become gluey.
4. Add Sour Cream – Lastly, mash in the sour cream and season the potatoes with salt. Cover to keep them warm until you’re ready to serve.
5. Serve –Load your sour cream mashed potatoes into a serving dish. If you’d like, serve with additional butter and a garnish of fresh chives and pepper.

Pro Tip: To avoid gummy mashed potatoes, avoid overcooking. Also, drain them well and mash them while the potatoes are still hot.

How Long Should I Boil Potatoes?

How long it takes to boil your potatoes for mashing depends on how large or small you cut your potato pieces. The easiest way to tell if a potato is boiled through is to poke it with a fork: if it’s pierced with little resistance, the potato is cooked.

Below are some average boiling times for different potato sizes:

• 1-inch Pieces: 10-12 minutes (start the timer after the water comes to a boil).
• Quartered Potatoes (1½-inch thick): 15 to 18 minutes.
• Whole, Peeled Potatoes (Medium-Sized): 20 to 25 minutes.

The Best Method for Mashing Potatoes

You can mash your potatoes by hand using a potato masher, but we’ve found that using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer is the fastest and easiest method for the smoothest mashed potatoes.

Common Questions

What to Serve with Mashed Potatoes

We love these creamy mashed potatoes as a Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish next. They’re great for entertaining, and everyone always asks for seconds. Here are more ways to serve sour cream mashed potatoes:

• Gravy –Drizzle mashed potatoes with Easy Mushroom Gravy or round out a meal of Instant Pot Chicken and Gravy, or even saucy Beef Stroganoff.
• Pot Roasts –Nothing pairs better with a cozy Mississippi Pot Roast than fluffy sour cream mashed potatoes.
• Ham –Serve sour cream mashed potatoes with Baked Ham for the holidays.

Make-Ahead

Here’s how to easily store and reheat mashed potatoes if you have leftovers or if you’re making them ahead of time.

• To keep mashed potatoes warm: A slow cooker is the best way to keep potatoes warm. Generously butter the slow cooker, spread the warm mashed potatoes inside evenly, and drizzle with more butter. Cover with the lid and set the crockpot to the “warm” setting and it can stay warm for 3-4 hours.
• To Refrigerate: Once the potatoes have cooled, store them airtight and refrigerate for up to 3-5 days. Storing in an oven-safe container makes it easy to reheat in the oven (see below).
• Freezing: Let the mashed potatoes cool completely, then seal them in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• To Reheat in the Oven: Ensure the potatoes are in an oven-safe casserole dish, drizzle the top with butter, then cover them with foil and warm them in the oven at 350ºF for 15 minutes, or until hot throughout. You can stir in a bit of additional milk to help loosen them up, as needed.
• To Reheat on the Stovetop: My favorite quick way to reheat mashed potatoes is on the stovetop. Transfer potatoes to a skillet and set over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until potatoes are hot.

No holiday is complete without a generous helping (or two) of delicious homemade mashed potatoes. Prepare to watch these sour cream mashed potatoes disappear from the plate!

More Easy Potato Recipes

If you love this recipe for mashed potatoes, then you won’t want to miss these other easy potato recipes.

• Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
• Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
• Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes
• Scalloped Potatoes
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes