How to make homemade Healthy Mashed Potatoes that are creamy, fluffy, and flavorful! With just 4 simple ingredients, this is easy and classic side dish.

For other Holiday side dishes be sure to check out this delicious healthy green bean casserole, sauteed brussels sprouts and healthy sweet potato casserole.

A closeup of healthy mashed potatoes with melted butter, pepper and green onion on top.

As someone who grew up in the former USSR, I know my potatoes. In Ukraine, potatoes were like our bread and butter. Baked, boiled, fried, and mashed, they were a year-round, multi-weekly addition to our table.

Which is why it’s great to have a healthy mashed potatoes recipe to turn to for all the flavor but only a fraction of the fat used in many traditional mashed potato recipes.

That means it’s a perfect side dish to all sorts of mid-week meals and not just the Holidays. Though it is, of course, a must at any Thanksgiving table too!

Are Mashed Potatoes Healthy?

The truth is, potatoes get a bit of a bad rep as a carby food, but you could certainly do a lot worse, with far more empty calories.

In fact, potatoes pack in several vitamins, minerals, and health benefits, including:

  • Vitamin C. One potato contains more vitamin C than one medium tomato or sweet potato, which supports the immune system, helps collagen production, and iron absorption.
  • Potassium. Potatoes rank in the top 20 raw foods with a high potassium content (even higher than a banana). Potassium helps our bodies to transmit nerve impulses, help muscles contract, and maintain normal blood pressure.
  • More health benefits: Potatoes are also a source of vitamin B6, are low in sodium, and are fat-free.

Why This Recipe Works?

  • Healthy mashed potatoes have fluffy and creamy texture with just a fraction of the fat and calories!
  • Swap out the heavy cream and sticks of butter for whole milk and a reduced amount of butter for fantastic flavor!
  • This recipe requires just 4 ingredients plus salt and pepper, with real ingredients and fewer empty calories!
  • It’s ready in under 30 minutes!
  • Plus, you can enjoy this homemade mashed potatoes recipe with dairy or dairy-free!
  • This recipe can also be prepared ahead and saved in the fridge or freezer, so it’s ready whenever needed!
  • There are also tons of ways to adjust this recipe with extra flavors and ingredients, and without adding tons of extra calories.
Healthier mashed potatoes garnished with green onion in a pie dish.

Ingredients for Healthy Mashed Potato Recipe

  • Potatoes: Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes are the best potatoes for homemade mashed potatoes.
  • Butter: Use room temperature butter, so it absorbs better without cooling down the potatoes. Ghee would also work.
  • Milk: Since this healthy mashed potato recipe doesn’t rely on cream, I recommend whole milk for the creamiest results.
  • Seasonings: All you need for the base of healthy mashed potatoes is garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Russet potatoes, milk, butter, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

How to Make Healthy Mashed Potatoes

  • Prepare the potatoes: First, clean, peel, and cube the potatoes. Try to chop them around the same size so that they cook at an even rate. I chopped them into pieces that are around 1-inch pieces, so they cook faster.
  • Cook the potatoes: In a large pot, add the potatoes, salt, and enough cold water to cover the potatoes with around ½-inch on top. Don’t be tempted to use hot water or they’ll cook unevenly. Then cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil. After reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until tender.
  • Heat the milk: Then, in a separate small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil, stirring often. Watch the milk carefully as it can scorch on the bottom of the pan.
  • Drain the potatoes: When the potatoes are cooked, drain the liquid. To drain it all, you can do this through a colander or using the lid with just a small opening.
  • Combine the ingredients: Then add the butter, half the hot milk, garlic powder, pepper, and remaining salt. Then mash until smooth, adding the remaining milk bit-by-bit while mashing.

Tips for Best Mashed Potatoes

  • Cook in cold water. It might be tempting to cover the potatoes with hot tap water to speed up the boiling process. Doing so will result in an undercooked inside and falling apart outside, though.
  • The cooking water: Even if you’re reducing salt intake, I don’t recommend omitting the salt from the cooking water. It’s vital for infusing the spuds with extra flavor.
  • Use room temperature butter. It will be absorbed more easily and will not cool down the potatoes.
  • Avoid using a blender or food processor: The heat and speed of the blades will react with the starch in the potatoes and make them gummy. A hand held electric mixer can work, but only if used carefully.
  • For a smooth potato puree: You can press the mashed potato mixture through a sieve for super-smooth pureed potato. Think 5-star restaurant meal-type silky smooth spuds.
  • For softer mashed potato: If even after all the milk, you still prefer your potatoes to be softer, then you can add in some of the reserved cooking water, mashing in-between, until you reach your desired consistency.

Optional Add-In’s and Variations

There are several ways you can adapt this recipe for healthy mashed potatoes without adding tons of extra fat and calories, including:

  • Fresh herbs: Either stir them into the healthy mashed potatoes or use them to garnish for extra flavor. I recommend parsley, chives, scallions, rosemary, or even thyme.
  • Aromatics: Caramelized onions or roasted garlic for garnish or mixed into the creamy mashed potatoes for more flavor. You could also substitute the garlic powder for fresh garlic. Around 1 small grated clove either raw or added into the pot with the cooking spuds.
  • Greens: Feel free to mix in some greens for an even more nutritious healthy mashed potato recipe. Peas, spinach, and kale would all work. Fold them into the mashed mixture and the heat will wilt and cook them naturally, but you could pre-sauté them too.
  • Cheese: For a slightly richer yet still healthy mashed potatoes dish, you could add just a few spoonfuls of cream cheese. Alternatively, you could serve the potato with just a little freshly grated parmesan over the top.
  • Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream: Add a dollop of either for a slight tang and extra dimension to the mashed potatoes.
  • Chicken stock: You can reduce the amount of milk slightly, replacing it with low calorie chicken broth for tons of flavor. Use reduced-sodium, if preferred. Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
  • Dairy-free: Feel free to make vegan mashed potatoes by using vegan butter and dairy-free milk.
  • Healthy swaps: You don’t have to go all or nothing. For a low calorie healthy mashed potatoes recipe, you could swap out just a portion of the potatoes (around 1/4th – 1/3rd) for cauliflower. It’s fewer calories and carbs, and you’ll barely be able to tell!
Homemade creamy mashed potatoes in a yellow dish garnished with green onion.

FAQs

What are the best potatoes for mashing?

I recommend using starchy varieties like Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes for the most creamy, fluffy, and flavor-packed homemade mashed potatoes.

Russets are super light and fluffy when mashed. Meanwhile, Yukon Gold’s have a slightly buttery flavor so the results are a little creamier.

If you use a more waxy type like red potatoes or white potatoes (been there, done that), it will take you longer to mash them and the taste will not be the same.

Because of the lower starch levels, they just won’t break down properly and are far more likely to become gummy. They also don’t seem to absorb the milk or butter as much either.

How do I get the best fluffy mashed potatoes?

The way you mash the potatoes is important for achieving wonderfully fluffy mashed potatoes. Use a potato masher or ricer while slowly mixing in the warm milk for the best results.

Avoid using a food processor or immersion blender unless you want super gummy results.

What makes this recipe a healthy mashed potatoes?

Everyone’s ‘healthy’ is something different. The point of this healthy mashed potatoes recipe was to enjoy spuds that are creamy and flavorful but without tons of cream and butter.

Instead, this recipe uses a minimal amount of butter with whole milk in place of the cream.

Can I use sweet potatoes?

I actually have a recipe here for healthy mashed sweet potatoes!

How do I make this dairy free?

It’s super simple! Just swap out the dairy for dairy-free alternatives. I recommend using a creamy whole vegan milk, like oat milk or cashew milk, for the creamiest results. It may not be as creamy as the dairy version though.

How long do I boil potatoes for mash?

The time needed to boil the potatoes depends on how finely you chop the potato pieces. For pieces that are 1/2-1 inch cubed pieces, it can take between 15-25 minutes, based on the exact size.

Do you have to peel the potatoes?

While I’m 100% an advocate for eating potato skins for extra nutrients wherever possible, for mashed potato – get rid of it!

The only time you can leave the peels on when cooking is if you use a potato ricer to mash the potatoes. The ricer will automatically leave the skins in the ricer to separate them when mashing.

Mashed Potato Serving Recommendations

To say that these healthy mashed potatoes are versatile would be an understatement. In Ukraine, we could eat them with everything!

Here are just a few of the dishes you could enjoy them with:

Making Them in Advance

Make ahead: You can pre-peel and chop the potatoes, storing them in a bowl of cold water in the fridge for up to 2 days. Cold water helps to avoid oxidization and browning. Then continue with the recipe as written.

This is great for avoiding the holiday rush like Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas day.

Alternatively, you can cook the potatoes up to an hour in advance. Simply keep the cooked potatoes in the cooking liquid for up to an hour before draining and mashing before serving.

Storing

Storing: Store the leftover mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freeze: The dairy in the mashed potatoes allows them to freeze well. For easy thawing, I recommend freezing it in portions in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Then, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for 4-5 hours before reheating.

Reheat: Reheat the mashed potatoes either in the microwave or on the stovetop with an extra splash of milk to make it smooth and creamy once more.

More Potato Side Dishes To Try

Mashed potatoes in a bowl.
mashed potatoes in a bowl

Healthy Mashed Potatoes

How to make homemade Healthy Mashed Potatoes that are creamy, fluffy, and flavorful but with only a fraction of the fat and calories! With just 4 ingredients, these potatoes are decadent and easy to make.
5 from 3 votes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 274
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • In a large pot, add potatoes, 1/4 tsp salt and enough cold water to cover.
  • Cover with lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
  • In a small saucepan, bring milk to a boil. Don't walk away and watch milk not to burn.
  • Drain potatoes very well by holding onto the lid and leaving a small opening or in a colander.
  • Add butter, half the hot milk, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, garlic powder and pepper. Mash until smooth adding remaining hot milk half way through mashing.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • Freeze: Unlike potato cubes, mashed potatoes freeze well because they are mashed with dairy. Freeze in portions with future use in mind in an airtight container container for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter for 4-5 hours or in the fridge overnight. Warm up on the stove on low with a splash of milk.
  • Make Ahead: Refrigerate peeled and cubed potatoes in a bowl with cold water for up to 2 days. Cook as per recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 393mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Ukrainian
Author: Olena Osipov
Did you make this recipe?Mention @ifoodreal or tag #ifoodreal!

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About Olena

Welcome! I grew up in Ukraine watching my grandma cook with simple ingredients. I have spent the last 11 years making it my mission to help you cook quick and easy meals for your family!

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This mashed potato recipe looks really light! I’ll definitely make this and add lion’s mane mushroom powder for extra taste and nutrients

  2. Where I live, you get a lot of Potato flakes.
    How do I use them to make healthy, flavorful mashed potatos?

    1. Sorry this recipe uses real potatoes so I am not exactly sure, but you might be able to use these same ingredients to give your flakes a nice taste.

  3. My question is what makes these “healthy” or healthier than normal? It uses the same ingredients I use fo my regular mashed potatoes. What am I missing? Or have I been making healthy mashed potatoes all my life? 🙂

    1. Lower in carbs and starch. All real food is healthy including mashed potatoes with normal amount of butter and not cups of heavy cream. It’s all relative. Cauliflower ones are good for when you want to eat less carbs. I think it all comes down to our lifestyle where we don’t move enough anymore so we don’t use up all the energy from carbs. That’s me.

  4. 5 stars
    I couldn’t wait until Thanksgiving and made your mashed potatoes tonight. They turned great! Just like on a photo.

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