Red Skin Mashed Potatoes

This Red Skin Mashed Potatoes Recipe is super easy and quick to pull off! Using 5 ingredients and taking only 30 minutes, these potatoes are so creamy and absolutely delicious as a holiday side or a dose of comfort any time the mood strikes!

What Makes These Mashed Potatoes So Good

• This recipe couldn’t be any easier to make! Red potatoes have thin and tender skin, so no need to peel them. After washing the potatoes, you’ll boil them until very tender, mash them with a potato masher, and add all the creamy goodness, aka butter and milk—then add toppings and eat!
• These mashed potatoes make a yummy holiday side! Since this is pretty effortless and doesn’t require any special equipment, they’re ready quickly to give you extra time to focus on more demanding dishes.

Cheryl’s Tested Notes & Tips

• Feel free to add any extra seasoning if you’d like! A little garlic powder, freshly cracked peppercorns, or even a handful of cheese would enhance this side dish and give it a twist.
• Add the cubed potatoes into cold water before bringing them to a boil. Adding potatoes to already boiling water will cook the outside too quickly while the inside is underdone—we don’t want that! Keep the water at a low boil the whole time for even cooking.
• Try not to over-mash them. No need to make them smooth, as this is the perfect recipe for chunkier mashed potato lovers.

Ingredient Notes

Red Potatoes – these make a creamy, slightly chunky mash, so leave the thin skins on for color and texture (just scrub the potatoes well). Use a hand masher and stop once you reach a consistency you want.

Whole milk – is what I recommend for the creamiest result. Avoid non-fat milk as it’s more watery, 2% will work too, but whole is the best choice in my experience. If you’re dairy-free, follow this recipe but use unpeeled red skin potatoes instead of Yukon gold or russet, which work better peeled.

Butter – salted or unsalted butter works. I like to use salted and adjust the taste when I’ve blended everything.

Chives – love me some chives, it’s a classic topping, or use thinly sliced green onion, which is a great sub.

My Serving Suggestions

• All the holidays. This is a solid, reliable side for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. And it goes incredibly well with turkey and ham.
• Backyard BBQs. So awesome for 4th of July! Pair with smoked brisket, pulled pork, or grilled chicken. Load these mashed potatoes up with shredded cheddar, crispy bacon, and sliced green onions for an epic side.
• Sunday dinner with the family. Spoon alongside pot roast, meatloaf, or roast chicken, with pan gravy and a green vegetable, like broccoli.

Storage & Make Ahead Options

• Fridge: Store these mashed potatoes up to 4 days. Reheat either in a covered baking dish at 350°F or in a microwave. Add a splash of milk and a little butter to restore their creaminess.
• Making Ahead: When I’m running ragged with my schedule, I prepare this s 1 -2 days before the holiday; it saves me so much time and stress!
• Freezing: I wouldn’t freeze this one, as it’s best eaten fresh. Freezing it will make the texture really grainy, which is pretty yucky!

Recipe FAQs

1. Do I need to peel red potatoes before mashing? No! That’s the beauty of this recipe, you can cut them into cubes, boil them, mash to a chunkier texture, add the butter/milk, and it’s done in 30 minutes!
2. Why are my mashed potatoes gummy? Be careful of overmixing, as that can make the potatoes gluey. Use a hand potato masher and not a food processor or blender.
3. How do I keep mashed potatoes from turning watery? This can be a common issue! My method is to make sure the I’ve cooked the potoates till fork-tender, drain them very thoroughly, and always let the excess moisture steam off before mashing, and add the milk gradually not all at once.

More Easy Side Dishes To Try

• Creamy Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
• Air Fryer Butternut Squash
• Whipped Sweet Potatoes
• Texas Roadhouse Green Beans
• Air Fryer Zucchini Fries