Step 1

Wash the potatoes (use a vegetable brush if needed) and then either leave them whole – as I do- or optionally peel and chop them into 1-inch pieces.If you have the time, I highly recommend boiling them whole and unpeeled, as chopped potato can lead to more watery mash.

Step 2

Add the potatoes to a large saucepan and cover them with 1-2 inches of cold water. Add the salt and then bring the potatoes to a boil.

Step 3

Lower the heat to a simmer (medium-low), and cook the potatoes until knife or fork tender. For whole potatoes, that's about 40-45 minutes, for cubed potatoes it's about 15-20 minutes.

Step 4

Thoroughly drain the water and allow the potatoes to cool until you're able to handle them before removing the peel. It should slip off easily (you can skip this step, though, if using a potato ricer to mash).Use a kitchen towel to hold the potatoes, if needed. If you’re using chopped potatoes, add them back to the pan so the residual heat can steam out any excess water while you mash.

Step 5

Either in the saucepan or in a large dish with plenty of flat surface area, use a potato masher, food mill/potato ricer (for super fluffy and smooth mash), or a sturdy fork (for thicker, chunkier mash) to mash the potatoes to your desired consistency.While it's possible to use a mixer over low speed, there's a higher chance of the potatoes becoming gummy.

Step 6

Slowly incorporate the butter and cream into the mashed potatoes, first the butter then cream, stirring between every addition until it's reached your desired flavor and consistency.

Step 7

Also, taste and add more salt if preferred before finally serving the creamy mashed potatoes with an optional drizzle of melted butter or olive oil and sprinkle of parsley, chives, green onions, or rosemary. Enjoy!