Given these epically luxurious mashed potatoes were meant to be shared for the holidays, I go all out for richness and luxury (while maintaining a dish that is incredibly simple to make). These are the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
1/4teaspoonfreshly-ground black peppermore to taste
1/4cupchopped parsley or chives(optional)
Instructions
Bring a large pot of unsalted water to boil. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Chop the potatoes into 2-inch cubes, leaving the skin on if you’re lazy like I am. (Conveniently, the skin also adds texture and depth of flavor, but feel free to ditch them if you’re not into the potato skin thing.) Add potatoes to boiling water. Allow to boil until you can easily skewer the chunks with a fork. Drain potatoes thoroughly and return to the pot.
Immediately add the butter to the potatoes and stir well to get the butter melting. Add cheese, salt, and pepper. Mash with a potato masher until everything is melted and well incorporated. Taste the potatoes, adding more salt or pepper as you prefer.
Scoop the potatoes into an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish and slide into the oven. Bake until the top is a nice golden color in places. Serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped parsley or chives.
*For the love of all that is holy, please put away that green cylinder of prefab Parmesan-flavored powder. That is, unless you’re topping an enormous pile of Tater Buds, in which case… by all means.
Notes
Half a cup of butter is no joke, and you can certainly decrease the amount of butter if you like, but going all-out will make this dish far more memorable.It’s also worth a mention that I use Yukon Gold potatoes, which mash down into a creamier texture than the stalwart Idaho Russets a lot of us grew up with. That said, if you prefer fluffier mashed potatoes, feel free to use the Russets. NOTE! I prefer a little texture in my version of the dish, but mash until you’ve got the texture you like best - though be careful of over-mashing, as this can turn potato starch into a gloopy mess. (Which is why we never put mashed potatoes into a food processor. The more you know!)