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An overhead shot of a white serving bowl filled with Roasted Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes. The bowl sits atop a creamy white textured surface. Three pads of sliced butter sit atop the potatoes in a pool of melted butter. The potatoes are garnished with black pepper and snipped chives. A light gray linen napkin, a gold serving spoon, a white ramekin filled with snipped chives, and a pile of chive scapes and loose snipped chives also rest on the surface & surround the serving bowl.

Roasted Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (includes inactive time)
  • Yield: serves 8
  • Category: Side Dish Recipes, Thanksgiving Recipes
  • Method: Stovetop, Boiling, Roasting
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

An easy & super creamy roasted garlic buttermilk mashed potatoes recipe. Yukon gold potatoes are mashed with butter & buttermilk until perfectly creamy, & finished with deeply caramelized roasted garlic. The perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any comfort food meal!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 head garlic
  • 12 teaspoons olive oil
  • 4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch dice
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
  • 2 cups buttermilk (see Recipe Notes)
  • 1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • for serving, as desired: freshly snipped chives, tons of freshly cracked black pepper 

Instructions

  1. Roast the garlic: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Chop just the top off of the head of garlic, to just reveal its cloves. Lightly rub the garlic to loosen and remove any excess paper. Wrap the garlic in foil, drizzling it with the olive oil before you seal the foil, then place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside. An overhead shot of a bulb of roasted garlic that sits atop a crumpled sheet of aluminum foil previously used to roast it. A small white pinch bowl filled with kosher salt and loose outer garlic skin pieces rest alongside the roasted garlic bulb.
  2. Cook the potatoes: Meanwhile, as the garlic roasts, cook the potatoes. Place the diced potatoes in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven and cover with 8 cups cold water, or enough to completely submerge the potatoes. Season with 1 tablespoon Kosher salt. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Carefully strain the potatoes, then return to the pot. An overhead shot of a dutch oven filled with cut pieces of golden yellow baby potatoes and water sits atop a creamy white textured surface. A blue and white striped linen napkin, a pile of chive scapes, and a small white pinch bowl filled with kosher salt rest alongside the dutch oven.
  3. Mash the potatoes: Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes to your desired consistency. As you’re mashing the potatoes, slowly add in the butter, one tablespoon at a time, and the buttermilk. Alternate as you go – a little butter, then a little buttermilk. Once the potatoes have reached your desired consistency, add in the roasted garlic – the cloves should squeeze out of the garlic bulb very easily. Stir to combine. Taste and season with additional salt and ground black pepper, to taste. I add ½ teaspoon each, taste, go from there. An overhead shot of a dutch oven filled with Roasted Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes. The dutch oven sits atop a creamy white textured surface. A potato masher rests inside the dutch oven. A blue and white striped linen napkin, a pile of chive scapes, two white pinch bowls filled with ground black pepper and kosher salt, and a clear glass bowl previously filled with butter ​also rest on the surface & surround the serving bowl.
  4. Serve the roasted garlic buttermilk mashed potatoes immediately, with lots of freshly cracked black pepper & freshly snipped chives, as desired. Enjoy! An overhead shot of a white serving bowl filled with Roasted Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes. The bowl sits atop a creamy white textured surface. Three pads of sliced butter sit atop the potatoes in a pool of melted butter. The potatoes are garnished with black pepper and snipped chives. A light gray linen napkin, a gold serving spoon, a white ramekin filled with snipped chives, and a pile of chive scapes and loose snipped chives also rest on the surface & surround the serving bowl.

Notes

  • Substitutes for buttermilk in roasted garlic buttermilk mashed potatoes: If you don’t have buttermilk at home, you can easily make a buttermilk substitute by simply adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar or fresh lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Let it sit & curdle for a minute, then give it a stir. Voila! Homemade buttermilk!
  • Alternate cooking methods: If you’re worried about space on the stovetop as you plan out your Thanksgiving dinner timeline, you can prep these mashed potatoes in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot:
    • Slow Cooker Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes: Roast garlic according to Step 1 of Recipe Directions. Place potatoes in the slow cooker, covering with 6 cups cold water (or enough to completely submerge the potatoes) & seasoning with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Slow cook on high for 2-4 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Strain & mash according to Step 3 of Recipe Directions, above. Serve immediately or hold in the slow cooker, using its “Keep Warm” setting for up to 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. 
    • Instant Pot Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes: Roast garlic according to Step 1 of Recipe Directions. Place potatoes in the Instant Pot, covering with 6 cups cold water (or enough to completely submerge the potatoes) & seasoning with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Cook with manual high pressure for 8 minutes. Let Instant Pot naturally release pressure for 2 minutes before carefully manually releasing the remaining pressure. Strain & mash according to Step 3 of Recipe Directions, above. Serve immediately or hold in the Instant Pot, using its “Keep Warm” setting for up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. 
  • Meal prep: By roasting the garlic & prepping the potatoes ahead of time, all you have to do on Thanksgiving Day is boil & mash the potatoes – easy! Here’s what you’ll do:
    • Roast the garlic up to 3 days in advance, storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
    • Dice the potatoes up to 1 day in advance, storing submerged in water in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • Make-Ahead: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes can also be made up to 3 days in advance, stored covered in the refrigerator, & reheated just before your Thanksgiving dinner. 
  • Portions: As written, this roasted garlic mashed potatoes recipe yields a medium batch, serving up to 8 as a side dish. For a different sized crowd…
    • Scaled up: To serve up to 14 as a side dish, double the recipe. Be sure to cook the potatoes in a stockpot or a vessel large enough to cover the potatoes with at least 2 inches of water. 
    • Make it a mini: To serve a cozy crowd of up to 4, halve the recipe. Use the whole head of roasted garlic for extra garlicky mashed potatoes, or put half of it to use in another Thanksgiving side dish, such as risotto, gratin, or mac & cheese.