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Garlic Mashed Potatoes made with a whole head of sweet roasted garlic are the creamiest, most comforting side dish on the table. I started making these for Sunday dinners years ago, and now Maddie and Lizzie ask for them with everything from holiday ham to weeknight chicken. If you love a rich, buttery side, you will want these next to our savory mashed sweet potatoes.
A whole head of garlic roasts until golden and mellow, then gets mashed into tender baby potatoes with butter, sour cream, and fresh herbs for a side that disappears fast.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 1 hour
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 6 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 204kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Creamy, buttery, rich with sweet roasted garlic
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our savory mashed sweet potatoes
Quick Answer
Roast a whole head of garlic drizzled with olive oil at 375 degrees for about an hour until soft and golden, then squeeze out the cloves. Boil baby potatoes until fork tender, drain, and mash them with the roasted garlic, butter, chicken broth, sour cream, thyme, rosemary, and plenty of salt until creamy.
Jump to:
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes FAQs
- Other Recommended Easy Side Dish Recipes
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Roasting the garlic mellows it. Roasting a whole head turns sharp raw garlic into sweet, soft, caramelized cloves that mash right into the potatoes.
- Baby dutch potatoes are creamy. Thin skinned yellow potatoes are naturally buttery and creamy, so they mash up smooth without turning gluey like russets can.
- Butter and sour cream for richness. A generous amount of butter plus a scoop of sour cream make these ultra creamy with a subtle tang.
- Chicken broth adds savory depth. Mashing in a little warm chicken broth loosens the potatoes and adds savory flavor without watering them down.
- Fresh herbs brighten it up. Minced thyme and rosemary add a fresh, earthy note that balances all the richness.
- Plenty of salt is the secret. Potatoes need a lot of salt to taste their best, so season generously and taste as you go.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are the ultimate comfort side, creamy and buttery with sweet roasted garlic in every bite.
- A short list of simple ingredients turns into a side dish that tastes special enough for any holiday.
- They go with everything, from a holiday honey baked ham to a simple weeknight chicken dinner.
Key Ingredients
Here is what makes these garlic mashed potatoes so creamy and flavorful. See the recipe card below for the exact amounts.
- Baby dutch yellow potatoes: Their thin skins and creamy texture mash up smooth and buttery. Skip russets, which can turn gluey.
- Garlic: A whole head, roasted until sweet and soft, is the star. Do not be tempted to use raw garlic here.
- Butter and sour cream: The combo that makes these rich, creamy, and tangy all at once.
- Chicken broth: A splash loosens the potatoes and adds savory depth, just like our savory mashed sweet potatoes.
- Fresh thyme and rosemary: Minced herbs add a bright, earthy note. Plenty of kosher salt ties it all together.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Here are a few easy ways to make these garlic mashed potatoes your own.
- Stir in shredded parmesan or sharp cheddar for cheesy garlic mashed potatoes.
- Use heavy cream or whole milk in place of the broth for an even richer, smoother mash.
- Leave the skins on for a more rustic texture, or peel them for a silkier finish.
- Add a swirl of extra roasted garlic on top to match a rich main like our beef short rib ragu.
How to Make Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the top off a head of garlic to expose the cloves, set it on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then crinkle the foil into a little pouch.
- Roast the garlic for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the cloves are light golden and soft with no resistance when pierced. Let it cool, then squeeze the cloves out of the skins.
- Rinse the baby dutch potatoes and place them in a large pot covered with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until fork tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. Drain well.
- Add the roasted garlic, butter, chicken broth, sour cream, minced thyme, rosemary, and salt to the drained potatoes.
- Mash to your preferred consistency, keeping them a little chunky if you like, then taste and adjust the salt. These potatoes take a lot of salt, so do not be shy. Serve warm.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Roast the garlic ahead of time. It can be made a day or two early and refrigerated until you are ready to mash.
- Use baby dutch yellow potatoes, not russets, for the creamiest, most buttery texture.
- Warm your butter and broth before mashing so the potatoes stay hot and creamy.
- Do not over mash. Stop when they reach the texture you like, since overworking makes them gummy.
- Season generously. Potatoes need a lot of salt, so taste and adjust until they really pop.
- Keep them warm in a covered pot or slow cooker on low if serving alongside a big main like our honey baked ham.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These garlic mashed potatoes are the perfect side for just about any meal. Pile them high next to a holiday main, a weeknight roast chicken, or a cozy comfort food dinner.
Serve them with a honey baked ham and some cheesy scalloped zucchini for a holiday spread, or alongside our cheesy fried chicken for a Sunday supper.
They also make a fantastic base for an open faced hot plate. Spoon leftover gravy or saucy meats right over the top for a comforting next day meal.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes FAQs
Baby dutch yellow potatoes are best for garlic mashed potatoes because their thin skins and creamy flesh mash up smooth and buttery. Yukon golds also work well. Avoid russets and other baking potatoes, which can turn gluey.
Yes. You can roast the garlic a day or two ahead, and the finished potatoes can be made a few hours early and kept warm in a covered pot or slow cooker on low. Stir in a splash of warm broth before serving to loosen them.
Roasting the garlic is what gives this dish its signature sweet, mellow flavor, so it is worth the time. If you are in a hurry, you can saute minced garlic in the butter instead, but the flavor will be sharper.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of broth or milk, stirring until creamy again.
Yes, mashed potatoes with butter and sour cream freeze well. Cool completely, freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight and reheat gently with a little extra butter or broth.
Gluey mashed potatoes usually come from using russets or over mashing. Stick with creamy baby dutch potatoes and stop mashing as soon as they reach the texture you like.
Looking for more cozy sides? Try our savory mashed sweet potatoes next, then come back and tell us how your garlic mashed potatoes turned out.
Spoon a saucy serving of our venison stew right over these creamy mashed potatoes.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
Roasted Garlic
- 1 head garlic
- 1 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cracks fresh black pepper
Mashed Potatoes
- 1 1/2 pounds baby dutch yellow potatoes or potatoes of your choice, I do not suggest russets for this recipe or any other baking potato
- 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
- 6 Tablespoons butter
- 4 Tablespoons sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary minced
- 1 teaspoon or more kosher salt
Instructions
Roasted Garlic
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut off the top of the garlic head, to expose the cloves. Place in a large piece of foil cut side up, drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Crinkle foil around the garlic to make a little pouch. Place in oven and cook for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check after one hour.
- Garlic will be light golden brown and when pierced with a fork into a clove with having no resistance. I suggest making the garlic ahead of time and letting it cool completely before taking the cloves out.
Mashed Potatoes
- Rinse off potatoes and trim off any bad spots and/or dirt. Place in a medium to a large sized stock pot and cover with cold water. Place on stove and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender about 30 to 45 minutes.
- Drain, add in the roasted garlic, butter, stock, sour cream, herbs and salt to taste. Mash with a potato masher to the consistency you prefer, I like to keep them a little chunky. Taste, adjust seasoning. (These potatoes take a lot of salt! Don’t be surprised.) Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure that you use baby potatoes whether they be yellow or red.
- We use fresh herbs in this recipe but you can swap out dried if needed.
- If you aren’t a fan of chicken broth heavy cream can be substituted for that.
- These can be frozen, look at my tips above.
Nutrition
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