Nothing is better than a hearty dinner on a cold day like stew, roast dinner or even a slice of shepherd’s pie, and none of these dishes feel complete without a side of mashed potatoes. Making mashed potatoes might seem simple, but often lacking in flavour if you do not add enough moisture while cooking them.
However, Jeanine Donofrio – a cook and founder of Love and Lemon – has shared the key to delicious mash is not butter or milk, but rather adding a dollop of sour cream to the recipe. She said: “I’m not kidding when I say that these are the best mashed potatoes I’ve tried. They’re ultra-rich and blissfully creamy, and the sour cream gives them a delicious tangy kick.”
Sour cream is rich in fat and lactic acid, which brightens up the flavour of the potatoes and stops them tasting plain to get a more satisfying side dish.
It also contains moisture which gives mashed potatoes a much silkier texture so they feel smooth and soft without making them watery.
Using just a little sour cream will also help balance the richness of the butter and milk so you get really creamy mashed potatoes without any extra effort.
How to make creamier mashed potatoes
You will need:
- 1.4kg of potatoes
- 114g of unsalted butter
- 240ml of whole milk
- Three garlic cloves
- 120ml of sour cream
- Salt and pepper
- Chopped chives (optional)
It should be noted that Yukon Gold or russet potatoes are best for mashed potatoes as they break down easily when boiled which will make mashing them a lot easier. Waxy potatoes will hold their shape even after cooking so are more likely to result in lumpy or gluey mashed potatoes.
Method
To begin, peel the potatoes and cut them into large but even sized chunks. Then place the potatoes and garlic in a big pot and cover with cold water.
Add one tablespoon of salt into the cold water, and place the pot on a high heat until the water begins boiling. Then, lower the heat to medium and let the potatoes boil for 15 to 20 minutes until they are fork tender.
Drain the water out of the pot and then use a masher on the potatoes and garlic. Once they are partially mashed, add the butter, milk, a teaspoon of salt and a good amount of pepper.
Keep mashing the potatoes until they are smooth, then pour in the sour cream and use a spatula to fold it into the mixture.
Top the mashed potatoes with chives if you wish, and your mashed potatoes should taste wonderfully creamy and be completely packed with flavour.