Step up your potato game with these creamy rosemary mashed potatoes. Infused with garlic and fresh rosemary, these lightened-up potatoes are holiday-worthy.
Rosemary mashed potatoes reign supreme in the comfort food arena. These heavenly spuds are the perfect side dish for a cozy family dinner, a holiday feast, or any time you're craving some serious comfort food.
But guess what? I lightened up these mashed potatoes, so there’s no need to steer away from this side dish if you’re watching your calories. Using naturally creamy gold potatoes eliminates the need for a stick of butter or whole milk. The potatoes do all the heavy lifting!
The milk is infused with fresh rosemary and grated garlic. Warm the milk with the added aromatics. Then let the mixture steep, like tea, before stirring it into the mashed potatoes.
If you’re a fan of rosemary potatoes, mashed, roasted or grilled, check out my Potatoes with Rosemary and Smoked Paprika.
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Tips for making this recipe
- Potato Choice: Start with gold potatoes; they're naturally creamy and perfect for mashing. Yukon Gold or yellow potatoes can be substituted as they have similar flavors and starch levels.
- Salt the Water: Don’t forget to salt the water before cooking the potatoes. This is your chance to infuse the potatoes with extra flavor.
- Flavor the Milk: Don't skip the step of steeping rosemary and garlic in the warm milk. This infuses the milk with a wonderful flavor that gets absorbed by the potatoes.
- Grate the garlic: Finely grate the garlic using a zester. The produces a smooth texture without the chance of biting down on a chunk of garlic.
- Mash Smart: Use a potato masher, ricer or food mill for the creamiest results. Avoid over-mixing to prevent gluey potatoes.
Ingredients for garlic rosemary mashed potatoes
See recipe card below for full ingredients list & recipe directions.
- POTATOES: Gold potatoes have a wonderful creamy texture and buttery flavor. They can be found in most produce sections.
- MILK: I lightened up this recipe by using 2% milk rather than whole milk.
- BUTTER: Use unsalted butter.
- ROSEMARY: I highly recommend using fresh rosemary in this recipe.
- GARLIC: Two medium-sized cloves of garlic.
- SALT AND PEPPER: Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste.
Substitutions
▪️ POTATOES: Yukon gold or “yellow” potatoes can be substituted for “gold” potatoes. Russet potatoes can be used in a pinch, but the flavor and texture is distinctly different from gold potatoes. You may need to adjust the amount of milk and butter used in the recipe if you switch to russets.
▪️ MILK: Either 1% or whole milk can be substituted. You can make these potatoes dairy-free by using plant-based milk and a dairy-free butter substitute. The texture of the final product and the fat content will vary depending on which milk you use.
▪️ HERBS: Feel free to swap out the rosemary with fresh thyme or sage. The flavor will be different, but still delicious.
How to make rosemary mashed potatoes
PREPARE THE POTATOES: Peel the potatoes and cut into 1 ½- to 2-inch chunks. As you cut them, put them into a large saucepan or Dutch oven filled with cold water. Stir the potatoes briefly to release excess starch, then pour out the water. Refill with fresh cold water, about 1 inch above the potatoes. Salt the water generously (I used 2 teaspoons kosher salt).
COOK THE POTATOES: Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-high to maintain a gentle boil. Stir the potatoes occasionally. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
DRY THE POTATOES: Drain the potatoes into a colander, then immediately return them to the saucepan. Set the saucepan over medium heat to dry the potatoes. Stir the potatoes constantly for about 1 minute to dry up any excess water. Remove from the heat.
INFUSE THE MILK: In a small saucepan, combine the milk, butter, minced fresh rosemary and garlic. Use a zester to grate the garlic. Heat the milk over medium heat. DO NOT let it boil. Once the milk is warm, turn the heat to the lowest setting and allow the mixture to steep for 15 to 20 minutes.
MASH THE POTATOES: Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until very smooth. Alternatively, use a potato ricer or food mill. Add the milk mixture, along with salt and pepper, and continue to mash and stir until the potatoes are smooth and the milk is incorporated. Take care not to over-mash the potatoes. You don’t want gluey potatoes! Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
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Meal Prep and Storage
I prefer these potato straight from the stovetop. But if you want to get ahead of the game, you can make them up to a day in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
When you're ready to serve the potatoes, gently reheat them on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a bit of milk to bring back the creaminess and loosen up the potatoes.
What to serve them with
Mashed potatoes are incredibly versatile. Pair them with chicken, beef, pork, seafood, or even a hearty vegetarian stew. They're the ultimate sidekick to your main course. Here are a few suggestions:
- Holiday: Serve them with the BEST roasted turkey, along with my turkey gravy, stuffing and green beans. Or try it with roast chicken.
- Meat: Pair them with baked chicken breast or garlic butter pork chop for an easy weeknight meal.
- Seafood: Dollop a serving of mashed potatoes on the side of baked salmon or paprika shrimp.
- Vegetarian: Use them to round out a vegetarian meal such as lentil chili.
Frequently Asked Questions:
For a vegan version of these mashed potatoes, replace the 2% milk with an unsweetened plant-based milk, such as soy milk. Replace the butter with a dairy-free version.
If your mashed potatoes are too thick, you can add a little more warm milk or butter while stirring until you reach your desired consistency. If they are too thin, you can simmer them on low heat to evaporate excess moisture, or add more mashed potatoes to thicken them up.
Other Potato Recipes You'll Love
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and comment underneath the recipe card below. Thank you!
Printable Recipe
Rosemary Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds gold or yellow potatoes (See Note 1)
- Kosher salt for the cooking water (I used 2 teaspoons - See Note 2)
- â…” cup reduced fat (2%) milk (See Note 3)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 medium-sized garlic cloves peeled & grated on a zester
- 1 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut into 1 ½- to 2-inch chunks. As you cut them, put them into a large saucepan filled with cold water. Stir the potatoes briefly to release excess starch, then pour out the water. Refill with fresh cold water, about 1 inch above the potatoes. Salt the water generously (I used 2 teaspoons kosher salt).
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-high to maintain a gentle boil. Stir the potatoes occasionally. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes (or more if needed, depending on the heat of your stove).
- Drain the potatoes into a colander, then immediately return them to the saucepan. Set the saucepan over medium heat to dry the potatoes. Stir the potatoes constantly for about 1 minute to dry up any excess water. Remove from the heat and place on a heat-safe surface.
- While the potatoes are cooking: In a small saucepan, combine the milk, butter, minced fresh rosemary and garlic. Use a zester to grate the garlic. Heat the milk over medium heat. DO NOT let it boil. Once the milk is warm, turn the heat to the lowest setting and allow the mixture to steep for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until very smooth. Alternatively, use a potato ricer or food mill. Add the milk mixture, along with salt and pepper, and continue to mash and stir until the potatoes are smooth and the milk is incorporated. Take care not to over-mash the potatoes. You don’t want gluey potatoes! Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
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Notes
Nutrition
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