Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Buttermilk
Smooth and creamy mashed potatoes made with buttermilk for a lighter side dish that's perfect for holidays or family dinners. And a couple of simple and easy cooking techniques ensure light and fluffy potatoes that can be made ahead of time and reheat perfectly!
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Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
- 1 Large stock pot
- 1 Small sauce pan
- 1 Potato masher
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1 ½-inch chunks
- Cold water enough to cover the potatoes by 1 inch
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup low-fat buttermilk shaken well and left on the counter for 30 minutes
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper or to taste
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives
Instructions
- Take the buttermilk out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start cooking so it loses its chill. Shake the carton well before measuring.1 cup low-fat buttermilk
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks about 1 ½ inches wide. Drop them directly into a large pot with cold water to keep them from discoloring while working through all the potatoes. Try to keep the pieces the same size so they finish cooking at the same time. When done cutting, be sure cold water covers the potatoes by 1 inch. Stir in 2 teaspoons of salt.3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, Cold water
- Set the pot over high heat and bring to a boil, about 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water bubbles gently. Cook uncovered until a fork slides into a chunk with no resistance, about 8 to 10 minutes. Do not let them go much past this point, because overcooked potatoes soak up water and fall apart.
- While the potatoes cook, pour the buttermilk into a small saucepan and add the butter and olive oil. Set over low heat and stir often until the butter melts and the mixture is just warm to the touch, about 1 to 2 minutes. Do not let it simmer or boil. Remove from the heat.1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Scoop out about ½ cup of the potato cooking water with a measuring cup and set it aside. Drain the potatoes in a colander.
- Return the drained potatoes to the empty pot and set it over low heat. Let them steam dry for 1 to 2 minutes, gently shaking the pot once or twice, until the steam slows down and the potatoes look dry on the outside. Turn off the heat.
- Mash the potatoes with a hand masher using firm up and down presses, about 1 to 2 minutes, until mostly smooth. Do not stir, whip, or beat them.
- Pour in ¾ of the warm buttermilk mixture and gently fold it in with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon using about 6 to 8 folds. Add the rest of the buttermilk mixture, salt, and pepper and fold again. If the potatoes feel too dry, stir in the reserved cooking water a couple of tablespoons at a time until the potatoes are spoonable. You may not need any reserved water.
- Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. Stop mixing as soon as everything is combined.¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Spoon the potatoes into a warm serving bowl and top with the chives.2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives
Notes
Nutrition is an estimate, especially where sodium is concerned because it does not account for the draining off of salt from the cooking water.
When reheating, first add a splash of chicken broth, buttermilk or milk and stir well. Reheat in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl in 1 minute intervals, stirring well in between each interval. At high power, they should reheat in 3-5 minutes.
To reheat on the stovetop, add potatoes to a small sauce pan and add a splash of liquid. Reheat on low heat for 5-8 minutes till heated through.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.75cup | Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 854mg | Potassium: 762mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 61IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg