Our Best Mashed Potatoes Ever

• servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

4 lb. medium Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed

4 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more

1½ cups whole milk

½ cup heavy cream

1 head of garlic, halved crosswise

3 sprigs rosemary

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces

Freshly ground black pepper

A potato ricer or food mill fitted with fine disk

Directions

Place 4 lb. medium Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, in a large pot and pour in cold water to cover by 1". Add a large handful of kosher salt (water should taste briny, like the ocean) and bring to a boil on the stovetop over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender (very tender but not crumbly, 30–35 minutes). Drain, briefly rinse with cool water to remove any excess starch, and return potatoes to warm pot (off heat) to dry while you heat the milk mixture.

Warm 1½ cups whole milk, ½ cup heavy cream, 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise, and 3 sprigs rosemary in a small saucepan over medium until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

Pass hot potatoes through ricer or food mill into a large bowl (cold potatoes will become gummy; ricer will catch potato skins, remove and discard as needed if they start to block grate). Add 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces, and 4 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2½ tsp. Morton kosher salt and stir until butter is completely incorporated. Strain warm milk mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring glass. Pour into potatoes ½-cupful at a time, stirring after each addition until liquid is fully incorporated and mixture is smooth before adding more.

Serve mashed potatoes topped with a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Do ahead: Mashed potatoes can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Reheat over medium, stirring often and adding ¼ cup milk or stock to thin out if needed. Editor’s note: This mashed potato recipe was first printed in our November 2017 issue as “Ultra-Creamy Mashed Potatoes;” it has been updated for style. Head this way for more of our favorite potato recipes →