Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Redskin Mashed Potatoes with cream cheese and Parmesan cheese are the creamiest, most flavorful mashed potatoes ever. And they take about 5 minutes to prep and under 30 minutes to cook.

Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan are THE best mashed potatoes! The cream cheese, heavy cream, and butter make them super smooth and creamy and the fresh garlic, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper add rich flavor.

As for the prep, it couldn't be easier. Just quarter the potatoes and peel the garlic. That's it! The thin skins on the red potatoes are soft and tender, so there's no need to peel them.

Creamy garlic red mashed potatoes are the perfect addition to your holiday dinner or weeknight meal.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Creamy mashed potatoes made from simple ingredients
• Easy enough for weeknights, special enough for Christmas dinner
• Fast and easy prep -- just quarter the potatoes and peel the garlic

Ingredients

Please refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.

• Red skin potatoes. Redskin potatoes are naturally smooth and creamy, so they have a great texture for mashed potatoes. And the thinner skins means you don't even need to peel them!
• Fresh garlic. Keep the garlic cloves whole -- all you need to do is peel them. No chopping, no mincing -- nothing! As the whole garlic cloves boil with the potatoes, they soften enough to mash right into the potatoes.
• Butter. Soften the butter to room temperature so it will melt into the mashed potato mixture without cooling it down. I use unsalted butter because that's what I have. You can use salted butter, just be sure to taste before adding more salt.
• Cream cheese. Half of a brick of cream cheese makes these potatoes unbelievably creamy.
• Heavy cream. The thick consistency of heavy cream makes the mashed potatoes luscious and creamy. Sour cream or whole milk would also work.
• Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese adds sharp, nutty flavor and saltiness to the potatoes. I love this OXO cheese grater because it comes apart and stores flat in my utensil drawer.
• Salt and pepper. Liberally salt the potato water and the mashed potatoes or they'll taste like nothing. A hefty dash of black pepper at the end is all the spice these potatoes need.

How to Make Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes

1. Prep the potatoes and garlic.

Cut the potatoes into quarters, leaving the skin on. Cut larger and smaller potatoes accordingly to keep everything about the same size.

Peel the garlic and slice off the woody ends.

2. Boil the potatoes.

Place potatoes, garlic, and one tablespoon of salt in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover the potatoes by a couple of inches.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

Drain the potatoes in a colander and place them back in the dry pot, letting the excess water evaporate.

How to Keep Mashed Potatoes Warm in Slow Cooker

If you're making redskin mashed potatoes ahead of time for a gathering, place the warmed, cooked potatoes in a slow cooker on the low or warm setting. Be sure the spray the insert with nonstick cooking spray before adding the potatoes to make clean-up a breeze.

Add a splash of milk or cream and a couple of tablespoons of butter to keep them from drying out.

Stir the potatoes in the slow cooker from time to time to keep them from developing a crust.

Make Ahead & Reheating

Garlic mashed potatoes can be made a day or two ahead of time, then reheated on the stove, microwave, oven, or slow cooker.

For all reheating methods, stir in a little butter, milk, or cream to keep the mashed potatoes smooth and creamy and keep them from drying out and reheat to 165 degrees.

• Stovetop. Place the cold mashed potatoes in a covered small saucepan over low heat. Stir to keep them from sticking to the pan. Heat until warmed through.
• Oven. Place the cold mashed potatoes in an oven-safe baking dish and let them sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Top the potatoes with a few pats of butter and a splash of milk or cream. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes until hot. Stir in the melted butter and cream.
• Microwave. Microwave for one minute on high and stir. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second increments until warm.
• Slow cooker. Reheat the mashed potatoes using one of the methods listed above. Spray the insert of the slow cooker with nonstick spray and add the hot potatoes. Heat on low and stir occasionally. Add splashes of milk or cream or a few tablespoons of butter to keep them creamy.

Expert Tips

• Heavily salt the water before boiling the potatoes. Since potatoes are very bland, salted water is your best chance to season them.

• Start the potatoes in cold water. This will help them cook evenly for the creamiest, lump-free mashed potatoes.

• Use room temperature butter, cream, and cream cheese. They'll absorb better into the potatoes and keep them from cooling down.

• Use a fork, potato masher or hand mixer on low to mash the potatoes in the pot. Stay away from anything too high powered like an immersion blender or food processor can overwork them and make them gluey.

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