Mistakes Everyone Makes When Making Mashed Potatoes

Creamy, buttery and silky mashed potatoes are just heavenly. This simple side dish, when cooked correctly, will be a crowd favorite with its perfectly rich flavor and texture. They are easy to make, but if you don’t know the techniques to have the right consistency and taste, you will mess them up. If your finished product always turns out gluey and soggy, consider this list of mistakes everyone makes when making mashed potatoes by Mashed. This way, you will no longer make runny or dry servings and only cook the best-mashed potatoes that will surprise your guests. Watch the video below for the full explanation.

Here are 13 mistakes everyone makes when making mashed potatoes:

1. Using non-starchy potatoes

Red bliss potatoes don’t play well with mashed potatoes because of their waxy texture. Russet potatoes tend to get soft and starchy when boiling them, making a smooth texture to your mashed potatoes. You can also use Yukon gold potatoes as they have a naturally creamy and robust texture. For the best results, use a combination of the two.

2. Boiling your potatoes

Start with your spuds in cold water if you want them to be creamy and don’t taste over-processed.  Putting them straight into boiling water can cause them to cook unevenly. When you heat the water while your potatoes are in the pot, they’ll be cooked more evenly.

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3. Too-small or irregular dicing

Too-small spuds can soak up a lot of water, making them overly saturated when mashed. Soggy spuds can be difficult to combine with butter, sour cream, milk, or any other ingredients you will add later. The right way is to cut them into 1-inch pieces. This size of potatoes will let them cook quickly, but they won’t soak in too much excess water.

4. Not salting the water

Salting your potato water will transform your spuds from bland to beautiful. The amount of salt you’ll add is up to you. You can also add herbs to the pot.

5. Not rinsing your potatoes

According to Idaho Potato, washing them is a crucial way to get an excellent potato flavor without sand or dust. Wash them even if you are peeling them. Scrub the nooks on the potatoes to fully remove the dust.

6. Not using a potato ricer

If you want professional-grade mashed potatoes, consider investing in a potato ricer. Not only it will shear your spuds into tiny strands, but it will also aerate them and minimize the amount of mixing you have to do. Don’t over-mix your potatoes as they will be gluey potatoes.

7. Mixing in cold mix

It’s essential to get your temperature right. According to Martha Stewart, using warm milk will give you creamy, cloud-like mashed potatoes. You can heat them on the stove or microwave but not boiling.

8. Forgetting the baking powder

A pinch of baking powder will give your potatoes a silky texture.

9. Not adding sour cream

Sour cream can help your potatoes come out smooth and give a slightly tangy and deep flavor.

10. Cooking them too early

Mashed potatoes are best when hot and fresh.

11. Not mixing in potato water

Potato water is a great way to add starchy liquid to your taters and help them achieve an airier texture.

12. Forgetting fresh herbs

Fresh herbs add extra flavors to your spuds. You can add them while boiling or at the end.

13. Not adding nutmeg

This will give a deep rich flavor to your potatoes. Not overdo it as you don’t want them to taste a coffee cake.

Mistakes Everyone Makes When Making Mashed Potatoes