20+ Easy Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes Recipes

September 17, 2019
Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
The turkey may be the star of the show, but mashed potatoes are undoubtedly the workhorse of every Thanksgiving table. Whether prepared in a Crock-pot or an Instant Pot, made with olive oil or buttermilk, or flavored with garlic or chocolate (yes, you read that right), everyone loves this holiday staple. Check out our favorite Thanksgiving mashed potato recipes before you plan the big meal this year. 
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Kale Mashed Potatoes

Photo: Jason Wallis; Styling: Cindy Barr    
Kale Mashed Potatoes Recipe

We stir in a bit of greens to up the nutritional value in Kale Mashed Potatoes. This side dish gets a head start with frozen mashed potatoes.

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Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

Jennifer Causey
Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Herb-infused olive oil and Greek yogurt replace much of the butter and milk you’d find in traditional mashed potatoes. The finished dish has a lightly tangy, herbal fruity flavor that’s irresistible. You can make the potatoes a day ahead, but anticipate that you may need to stir in a little milk to restore the creamy texture.

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Garlic Mashed Potatoes With Chile-Paprika Butter

Jennifer Causey
Garlic Mashed Potatoes With Chile-Paprika Butter Recipe

These potatoes are bright with garlic, and the chile butter adds a hint of spice. Leaving the skins on the Yukon Golds adds a slightly rustic texture. Aleppo is a flaky smoked chile pepper you’ll find at specialty stores; it’s a great spice to keep on hand, but you can omit it here if you don’t have it.

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Bacon-Leek Mashed Potatoes

Caitlin Bensel
Bacon-Leek Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Boring potatoes these are not, thanks to flavor-packed stir-ins. Leeks add gut-friendly prebiotic fiber to this dish; a smart amount of center-cut bacon imparts smoky, salty undertones. Be sure to pick up Yukon Gold potatoes; their higher starch content yields a fluffier, creamier mash.

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Chocolate Mashed Potatoes

Meredith Food Studios
Chocolate Mashed Potatoes Recipe

As the kids say—YOLO. 

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Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes

Photo: Alison Miksch; Food Styling: Mary Clair Britton and Kady Wohlfarth; Prop Styling: Prissy Lee
Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe

These simple mashed potatoes get their creaminess and richness from plenty of butter and milk. Adding a bay leaf unveils a surprisingly full layer of a savory aromatic without being at all forward or cloying.

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Rosemary Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Shallots

Photo: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Deborah Williams
Rosemary Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Shallots Recipe
A little sweet and a little salty, this side dish stands out.

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Camembert Mashed Potatoes

Camembert Mashed Potatoes Recipe

The buttery taste and creamy texture of Camembert cheese glorifies these potatoes. Camembert is similar in flavor and texture to Brie, which makes a fine substitute. The rind is easiest to remove if the cheese is well chilled.

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Triple-Onion Mashed Potatoes

Jennifer Causey
Triple-Onion Mashed Potatoes Recipe

You can omit the shallot topper for simpler spuds that are still delicious.

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Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Victor Protasio
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes Recipe
In this traditional recipe, the texture and flavor of Russet potatoes, a favorite choice when making mashed potatoes, is enhanced with a trio of dairy flavors: tangy buttermilk, creamy butter, and velvety rich crème fraîche.

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Mashed Potatoes with Bacon and Crispy Scallions

Victor Protasio
Mashed Potatoes with Bacon and Crispy Scallions Recipe
Mashed potatoes should be more than an excuse to eat gravy. With the right ingredients, mashed potatoes can become a standout star on the Thanksgiving table that your family will request ahead for next year.

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Rustic Mashed Red Potatoes with Parmesan

Victor Protasio
Rustic Mashed Red Potatoes with Parmesan Recipe
This recipe takes your favorite buttermilk mashed potatoes, but adds herbed cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and chives for an elevated dish perfect for your holiday feast.
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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Time Inc. Video Studio
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Easy enough for a weeknight meal, impressively decadent enough for a holiday dinner—the Instant Pot has done it again. Beyond their creamy texture and richly savory flavor, we love these Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes for the time they save. With this method, your potatoes cook in half the time and there’s no need to drain—saving an extra step and a strainer to wash. You could also apply this technique for mashed sweet potatoes.

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Silky-Smooth Mashed Potatoes

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
Silky-Smooth Mashed Potatoes Recipe
This method completely eliminates potato lumps, so every bite is like velvet on your palate. The amount of milk and butter we use here yields potatoes that are a great mix of fluffy and creamy.

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Rustic Mashed Potatoes with Whole-Grain Mustard

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Tami Hardeman
Rustic Mashed Potatoes with Whole-Grain Mustard Recipe
These mashed potatoes are not your average buttery taters. The whole-grain mustard (use your favorite brand from the grocery store) adds a unique flavor that you would never expect to go so well with potatoes, but other than some butter, milk, and salt and pepper, that is all that is found on this short ingredient list.
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Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Photo: Jennifer Causey  
Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Maple mashed potatoes are much healthier take on the traditional marshmallow-topped casserole. By cutting out most of the added sugar, we let the natural flavor of sweet potatoes shine.

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Mashed Celery Root and Potatoes

Photo: Alison Miksch; Food Styling: Cat Steele; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower
Mashed Celery Root and Potatoes Recipe

These are like mashed potatoes, but celery root adds an earthy flavor. And just like mashed potatoes, this recipe invites variations. Throw in fresh herbs, such as minced chives or rosemary, use a good olive oil in place of the butter, or substitute buttermilk or sour cream for milk. You can also add a handful of green peas for color. I happen to like potatoes lumpy, but if you like them very smooth, use a ricer or food mill. Prep: 10 minutes, Cook: 40 minutes.

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Savory Sweet Potato Mash

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
Savory Sweet Potato Mash Recipe
These savory mashed sweet potatoes are ready in less than 25 minutes, making them a great addition to your weeknight routine, or a last-minute party or potluck side. Naturally sweet on their own, sweet potatoes pair perfectly with savory flavors such as chopped fresh thyme, salt, and pepper.
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Quick BBQ Chicken Thighs with Mashed Potatoes

Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
Quick BBQ Chicken Thighs with Mashed Potatoes Recipe

We speed up this cookout classic by using boneless thighs and a hot grill pan. A homemade barbecue sauce comes together surprisingly quickly and is a great way to control sodium and added sugar.

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Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes Recipe
We call for plain goat cheese, but for something a little different, you can substitute a flavored goat cheese such as garlic and herb, or even sun-dried tomato. Instead of topping the mashed potatoes with chives—a classic combination—you can substitute parsley, rosemary, or thyme.
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