This roasted garlic mashed potatoes recipe only has 4 ingredients! You'll get silky mashed potatoes loaded with garlic flavor. They're made with olive oil, so they're dairy-free and vegan, too.
This recipe poses a question with a very important answer: Are they garlic mashed potatoes? Yes, they are. But more importantly, they are ROASTED garlic mashed potatoes.
What's the difference? Well, I'm glad you asked. Roasting the garlic adds a caramel-like sweetness and toastiness. It makes the garlic flavor a little more subtle, welcoming, and cozy.
And how do we ensure you get that garlic flavor throughout all the potatoes all the time? By adding garlic 3 ways: We'll cook garlic cloves in the boiling water with the potatoes and mash them all together, then stir roasted garlic cloves into the potatoes, and finally we'll add more roasted garlic on top for serving.
Need more mashed potatoes ideas? Try these Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes or Irish Colcannon Potatoes!
Jump to:
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes ingredients
- Yukon Gold potatoes: We want a waxy potato for the best mashed potato texture, and for my money Yukon Gold potatoes are the ultimate! They also have a subtle sweetness which will complement the roasted garlic. Red potatoes or new potatoes will work, too.
- Garlic heads (also called garlic bulbs): Look for heads of garlic that are tight and have no mushy spots or green sprouts coming out of the top. (But there should be some evidence of the dried roots on the bottom.)
- Olive oil: Olive oil will make the mashed potatoes so silky. We'll also use it to roast the garlic and drizzle some on top of the finished dish.
- Fresh thyme: Thyme's earthiness goes perfectly with potatoes, we'll add it on top just before serving to keep the fresh flavor.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to make roasted garlic mashed potatoes
Step 1: Roast the garlic!
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice across the top of the heads of garlic to remove the tips of the cloves and expose their interiors.
Lay the garlic heads on top of a sheet of foil, then drizzle olive oil over the tops of the cloves, making sure they are all coated and it gets into the nooks and crannies.
Fold up the foil into a tightly closed packet and roast for 40 to 70 minutes, until the garlic is tender and caramelized. Set aside to cool.
Gently squeeze the garlic heads from the bottom to force the cloves out and set aside. (This is MUCH easier when they are cool. See tip below.)
Step 2: Prep and cook the potatoes
Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Remove the skins from three garlic cloves.
Want to save this recipe?
I will email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
You'll be added to my email list!
Place the potatoes and the garlic cloves in a large pot of heavily salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife. Drain in a colander.
Step 4: Mash the potatoes
Working in batches, run the cooked potatoes and the cloves of garlic that were in the pot with them through a potato ricer or food mill over a large mixing bowl. (Or just use a potato masher or a fork and mash them gently in the bowl.)
Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and add ยผ cup olive oil. Stir gently to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Step 5: Stir in the roasted garlic and serve!
Gently stir ยพ of the roasted garlic cloves into the mashed potatoes, reserving ยผ for topping. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Toss the reserved roasted garlic cloves in a bit of olive oil and put them on top of the mashed potatoes, sprinkle with fresh thyme, add a drizzle of olive oil, and freshly ground black pepper.
Pro tip
When it's time to garnish the mashed potatoes, if you have a whole lot of roasted garlic cloves left, you can just put some of them on top, and put the rest of them in a small bowl with some olive oil and serve them on the side.
Tips for the best roasted garlic mashed potatoes
- or the silkiest mashed potatoes, use a potato ricer or food mill to mash the potatoes. These tools allow you to mash the potatoes to the perfect texture, without overworking them, so they have less opportunity to get gummy. I use a potato ricer, because they are affordable and don't take up too much space.
- Let the heads of roasted garlic cool for a bit before trying to remove the cloves. First, you won't burn your fingers this way. Second, the individual garlic cloves will be easier to pop out. We want them whole, and when they are hot, they smush easily.
- Instead of fresh thyme, you could try fresh chives or fresh tarragon on top
FAQ
Yes, you can. Boil the potatoes just until they are easily pierced with a knife. If you boil them too long until they are close to falling apart, that will make the final product too watery when you go to mash them.
Use a waxy potato like Yukon Gold or red potatoes, new potatoes, etc. This texture is less starchy and you'll have smoother, creamier mashed potatoes.
Because there is no dairy in the recipe, these mashed potatoes freeze well for up to 2 months. As with freezing anything, there may be a slight texture change once thawed and reheated.
Make ahead and storage
You can roast the garlic up to 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
You can make the mashed potatoes the day before, and add the roasted garlic cloves when reheating. Place the potatoes in a sauce pan and cover with a lid. Cook over medium low heat until warmed through. Don't overcook.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or over medium low heat on the stovetop.
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes are easy to make with simple ingredients
- You only need 4 ingredients. (Technically only 3 if you don't count the olive oil, and we usually don't...)
- The garlic can be roasted ahead of time for easy prep.
- Perfect for a Thanksgiving side dish or Christmas dinner.
- So much garlic flavor. (In a good way.)
- They're dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian.
More holiday side dish recipes
- A Sweet Potato Gratin gives you all the traditional flavors of a potato gratin with a twist!
- Cumin Roasted Carrots is a simple vegan side dish that's easy to prepare, and drizzled with a scrumptious tahini sauce.
- Maple Roasted Acorn Squash is a 5-ingredient recipe that let's you put candied pecans on top of your dinner, so how can you say no?
If you enjoy this recipe, please leave me a 5-star rating in the recipe card! It really helps others find my content and helps my business grow! Sign up for my newsletter for recipes delivered to your inbox and follow me on Instagram and Pinterest! Thank you!
Recipe
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Want to save this recipe?
I will email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
You'll be added to my email list!
Equipment
- potato ricer optional
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- 3 heads + 3 cloves garlic see note
- ¼ cup olive oil plus more for roasting the garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- fresh thyme for serving
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Roast the garlic
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Slice across the top of the heads of garlic to remove the tops of the cloves and expose their interiors. Lay the bulbs on top of a sheet of foil, then drizzle olive oil over the tops of the cloves, making sure they are all coated and it gets into the nooks and crannies. Fold up the foil into a tightly closed packet and roast for 40 to 70 minutes, until the garlic is tender and caramelized. Set aside to cool.
- Gently squeeze the garlic heads from the bottom to force the cloves out and set aside. (This is MUCH easier to do once they have cooled. See tip below.)
Make the mashed potatoes
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Remove the skins from 3 garlic cloves.
- Place the potatoes and the garlic cloves in a large pot of heavily salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife. Drain in a colander.
- Working in batches, run the cooked potatoes and the cloves of garlic that were in the pot with them through a potato ricer or food mill over a large mixing bowl. (Or just use a potato masher or a fork and mash them gently in the bowl.)
- Add 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ cup olive oil. Stir gently to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
- Gently stir ¾ of the roasted garlic cloves into the mashed potatoes, reserving the rest for topping. Transfer to a serving bowl.
- Toss the reserved roasted garlic cloves in a bit of olive oil and put them on top of the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with fresh thyme, add a drizzle of olive oil, and some freshly ground black pepper, and serve.
Notes
- A head of garlic is the entire bulb, with all the cloves attached.
- For the silkiest mashed potatoes, use a potato ricer or food mill to mash the potatoes. These tools allow you to mash the potatoes to the perfect texture, without overworking them, so they have less opportunity to get gummy. I use a potato ricer, because they are affordable and don't take up too much space.
- Let the roasted garlic heads cool for a bit before trying to remove the cloves. First, you won't burn your fingers this way. Second, the individual garlic cloves will be easier to pop out. We want them whole, and when they are hot, they smush easily.
- When it's time to garnish the mashed potatoes, if you have a whole lot of roasted garlic cloves left, you can just put some of them on top, and put the rest of them in a small bowl with some olive oil and serve them on the side.
- Instead of fresh thyme, you could try fresh chives or fresh tarragon on top.
Leave a Reply