Description
Make these rich brown butter mashed potatoes. Golden, nutty, and incredibly smooth, they’re a simple side that feels wonderfully special.
Ingredients
Scale
- Base Ingredients:
- 2 lbs Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- Flavor Boosters:
- 1 tbsp sea salt (plus more for cooking water and seasoning)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground (plus more to taste)
- Finishing Touches:
- 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
Instructions
- Prep the Potatoes: Grab those Russet potatoes, peel them (this is where I always get potato peelings everywhere, oops!), and then cut them into roughly 1-inch chunks. Try to make them uniform so they cook evenly – nobody wants crunchy bits in their brown butter mashed potatoes! Pop them into a large pot and cover with cold water by about an inch.
- Boil ‘Em Up: Add a generous tablespoon of sea salt to the pot. This is so important for seasoning the potatoes from the inside out; I always forget this step and regret it later! Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Let them cook until they’re fork-tender, usually 15-20 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when they practically fall apart, perfect for brown butter mashed potatoes.
- Drain & Dry: Once tender, drain the potatoes really well in a colander. Here’s a trick I learned: put them back in the hot, empty pot over low heat for a minute or two, shaking gently. This helps evaporate any excess moisture, which is crucial for fluffy brown butter mashed potatoes, not watery ones!
- Brown the Butter Magic: While the potatoes are drying, grab a small saucepan. Melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Watch it closely! It’ll foam, then the milk solids will start to turn golden brown at the bottom, and a gorgeous nutty aroma will fill your kitchen. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes. Pull it off the heat as soon as it’s amber; burnt butter is a sad, sad thing, and not what we want for our brown butter mashed potatoes.
- Infuse & Mash: Warm the whole milk with the crushed garlic cloves in the same saucepan (after you’ve taken the browned butter out, of course!). Don’t boil it, just get it nice and warm. Remove the garlic cloves. Now, pour the warm milk mixture and most of the brown butter (save a little for drizzling!) over the dried potatoes. Mash them with a potato masher until they’re smooth and creamy brown butter mashed potatoes.
- Season & Serve: Taste your brown butter mashed potatoes! This is the fun part. Add more sea salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Sometimes I add an extra dash of salt because I love that pop. Give it one last gentle mash or stir. Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with the reserved brown butter, and sprinkle with fresh chives. So good, honestly!