Best Potatoes For Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving dinner staple as well as the ultimate comfort food. But like most dishes, there’s a secret to the perfect mash, which is choosing the best potatoes for the mashed potatoes.

Therefore, to achieve the perfect creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes, you need the right ones. So, you’ll want to stick with potatoes that are on the starchier, fluffier end of the spectrum. But stay away from the waxy types.

To choose the best potatoes for this dish, consider the following tips.

How To Pick The Best Potatoes For Mashed Potatoes

Your best bet is a middle-of-the-road variety if you want the traditional, creamy, lump-free outcome. And the one many chefs use is Yukon gold, which are not too starchy or too waxy.

If you want to mix things up, other varieties of this type is standard white, yellow, blue, or purple potatoes. All of these could also work.

While Yukon golds may be the gold standard, they are not the only suitable potato for mashing. Russet and Idaho potatoes are great, especially if you like your dish lighter and fluffier. These types lean toward the starchier end of the spectrum.

If you do decide to use a starchier variety, you might consider baking the potatoes until they’re soft enough to mash, rather than boiling them, to help preserve the fluffiness.

Worst Potatoes For Mashed Potatoes

If there’s a best potato for mashed potatoes, that means that there’s also a worst type to use. In general, that’s waxy types, such as fingerlings and red.

These potatoes are known for keeping their shape when boiled, so they’re better suited for roasting or using in your favorite potato salad recipes. And because they keep their shape so well, they tend not to take on moisture. For these reasons, butter, cream, and other ingredients won’t mix in with them as easily.

If you do decide to use waxy types like fingerlings for mashing, you’ll want to use them in a recipe that calls for a more “smashed” texture. Doing so will help you avoid having your dish glue-like.

You may also enjoy reading: Benefits Of Shredded Coconut