Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Make Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes with nutty brown butter, garlic, and Parmesan for supremely creamy, flavorful mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, divided
- 3 pounds potatoes (I use half Yukon Gold, half Russet potatoes)
- 8 large cloves garlic, minced
- fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed
- 1 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- toppings: chopped fresh chives or green onions, freshly-cracked black pepper
Instructions
Step 1: Cut the potatoes
Peel or leave the skins on—your call—then cut the Yukon Golds and Russets into evenly-sized, roughly 1-inch chunks. Transfer the chunks into a large, cold stockpot and cover them with cold water so the line sits about an inch above the potatoes. Sprinkle a tablespoon of fine sea salt into the pot; this is the first seasoning that penetrates the potatoes as they cook.
Step 2: Boil the potatoes
Bring the pot to a lively boil over high heat, then lower the heat just enough to maintain a steady boil and cook until a knife slides into the center of a chunk with almost no resistance, about 10–12 minutes. When tender, carefully drain all the water and set the pot back on the hot burner for the brief “pan-dry” shake later—don’t cool them down. Keep everything warm; warm potatoes absorb butter and milk more readily.
Step 3: Sauté the garlic
While the potatoes are working, melt a tablespoon of butter in a large sauté pan and add the minced garlic. Stir it over medium-high heat until the garlic turns lightly golden and fragrant—about two minutes—then transfer the garlic to a small plate so it stops cooking. These little browned bits will add sweet, toasty notes to the finished mash.
Step 4: Brown the butter
In the same pan melt the remaining butter and keep it over medium-high, stirring as it foams. Watch closely: once the milk solids turn a warm golden-brown and the aroma is toasty, immediately pour the brown butter into a heat‑proof bowl so it stops cooking. That caramelized butter is the star flavor: nutty, amber, and glossy.
Step 5: Pan-dry the potatoes
After draining, return the hot potato chunks to the empty stockpot, set it on the still-warm burner, and shake the pot gently for about a minute to drive off excess steam—this helps the mashed potatoes stay fluffy instead of watery. Remove the pot from the heat and set it on a heatproof surface so it’s ready to receive the butter and other mix-ins.
Step 6: Mash the potatoes
Add the reserved brown butter, sautéed garlic, warmed whole milk, and freshly-grated Parmesan to the hot potatoes. Using a sturdy potato masher, press and fold until you reach your preferred texture—somewhere between silky and slightly rustic is perfect. If the mash needs loosening, add more warm milk a little at a time. Taste as you go and adjust the texture and creaminess.
Step 7: Taste and season
Always take a spoonful and taste. Add extra fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to lift the flavors—don’t be shy with the salt here, it makes a huge difference. Fold in most of the chopped chives (reserve a few for garnish) and check balance once more for butter, cheese, and seasoning.
Step 8: Serve warm
Spoon the mashed potatoes into the serving bowl, coaxing gentle peaks with the back of the spoon so the brown butter pools in the crevices. Finish with a generous drizzle of the remaining brown butter, a scatter of chopped chives, and a final crack of fresh black pepper. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- Warm the milk before adding to potatoes to keep the mash smooth.
- Watch the butter closely when browning; it can go from golden to burned fast.
- Use a mix of Yukon Gold and Russet potatoes for the best texture.
- Press plastic wrap on leftovers to prevent a skin from forming.
- Reheat gently with a splash of warmed milk and a little butter.