Adding these creamy low fat mashed potatoes to your recipe arsenal means you can make mashed potatoes more regularly, without the guilt!
To say my husband was skeptical about a low-fat, healthy mashed potato recipe would be an understatement. And really, who can blame him? After all, the Thanksgiving feast is traditionally all about butter and cream. Don't get me wrong, I love buttery, rich dishes as much as the next Pilgrim. However, I am also determined to make it out the other side of the holiday without popping the seams of my favorite jeans. Perhaps more faulty reasoning would be that I can eat more pumpkin pie and pour on extra gravy if the mashed potatoes don't contain a weekend's worth of saturated fat. (By the way, be sure to head to How to Make Turkey Gravy: Recipe & Troubleshooting for some helpful tips.)
So, how do you achieve creamy, tantalizing mashed potatoes with only a modicum of fat? The first step is to cut the potatoes into cubes. Not only will they cook faster, but they will be the perfect size for the next step. Once cooked, drained and quickly dried in the pot, the potatoes are ready for the food mill. My trusty OXO food mill does the trick every time (really, is there anything this company doesn't make well?) but a potato ricer is a great substitute. If you don't have either of these kitchen tools, don't fret. You can also use a hand-mixer. The potatoes won't be quite as a lump-free, but very close.
The potatoes are whipped right into a mixture of skim milk, 1 tablespoon (!) of butter and seasonings. I know, I know - sounds like a pathetic mixture, right? Au contraire, my spud-loving friends. My husband was very surprised and impressed at the texture and taste of these potatoes and gave me a very enthusiastic nod of approval. Coming from a man who makes a gigantic volcano of mashed potatoes, filled with a crater full of gravy, that's saying something.
The low fat mashed potatoes recipe:
Place cubed potatoes in a large saucepan and cover potatoes with cold water. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and set saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.
Drain potatoes, return to saucepan and set over medium heat, stirring the potatoes until dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep potatoes warm.
In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine milk, butter, remaining salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir occasionally until butter is melted. Reduce heat to low.
Rest a food mill, fitted with the medium disc, on top of the saucepan with the milk mixture.
Working with about one-third of the potatoes at a time, run the potatoes through the food mill, directly into the saucepan. Alternatively, use a potato ricer.
If you don't have a food mill or potato ricer, a hand-held mixer can also be used.
Using a rubber spatula (a heatproof one, please) stir the potatoes into the milk mixture until completely combined. Be sure to taste the mashed potatoes and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Serve.
Other holiday-worthy potato recipes:
Twice-Baked Sweet Potato with Chipotle Pecan Streusel
Scalloped Potatoes with Gorgonzola, Parmesan & Cheddar Cheeses
Printable Recipe
Creamy & Low-Fat Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- â…” cup non-fat or low-fat 1% milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place cubed potatoes in a large saucepan and cover potatoes with cold water. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and set saucepan over high heat.
- Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.
- Drain potatoes, return to saucepan and set over medium heat, stirring the potatoes until dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep potatoes warm.
- In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine milk, butter, remaining salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir occasionally until butter is melted.
- Reduce heat to low.
- Rest a food mill, fitted with the medium disc, on top of the saucepan with the milk mixture.
- Working with about one-third of the potatoes at a time, run the potatoes through the food mill, directly into the saucepan. Alternatively, use a potato ricer.
- Using a rubber spatula (a heatproof one, please) stir the potatoes into the milk mixture until completely combined. Be sure to taste the mashed potatoes and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Serve.
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen
I have that some food mill and I love it too!
carolinaheartstrings
Thanks for sharing such a yummy looking recipe just in time for the holidays. Cannot wait to try. Come over and visit. We have a wonderful pumpkin cheesecake today.
Katrina
While I will admit I do love a cream-laden, butter-filled mashed potato, I agree with you 100%. I pretty much never make the full fat kind, just as you said, to save room for other more important calories! Great post!
Katrina, Baking and Boys! Funny, but I noticed whenever I comment on your blog I'm always right after another Katrina! 😉
Katrina
These sound delicious! I could just eat this for lunch!
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme
Great option for mashed potatoes, Dara! Funny that they've never been part of our holiday meal. Sweet potatoes in every imaginable way, yes, but regular mashed potatoes, no.
Krista {Budget Gourmet Mom}
We usually fatten up our Thanksgiving taters with whole milk but throughout the year I usually use skim milk. They turn out so good! Perhaps this Thanksgiving I will opt to serve the usual lighter version. Gotta leave room for pie!
Maria
You can't have Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes, these look perfect!
Cassie @ Bake Your Day
I don't attempt low-fat mashed potatoes...my husband can smell them. His mom uses cream cheese and sour cream in hers. I have no chance at making healthier ones for him! These sound wonderful!
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc.
would love to dive into these!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks, Alison. They were a hit with the mashed potato lovers in my house.
Barbara | Creative Culinary
I admit; I like my mashed potatoes with more butter BUT I also love trying ways to cut it too. I will add some low fat Greek yogurt and/or herbs or garlic to up the flavor a bit without the butter. I like smashed potatoes; my daughter likes mashed; we both need less butter so great recommendation.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Barb, believe me, I love butter as much as the next gal. However, in a day filled with so many butter-laden dishes, it's nice to have an option to go a little lighter.