How to Make Mashed Potatoes from Baked Potatoes

Learn you to make the best mashed potatoes by using Russet potatoes that you bake in the oven. Once baked the potatoes will be easier to peel.

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Can baking potatoes be used for mashing? You can make mashed potatoes by using baked Russet potatoes. Just prepare the potatoes as you would a baked potato. Remove the flesh from the skin and then prepare them just as you would potatoes you boiled.

There is more than one way to make mashed potatoes! I will be exploring different options throughout the unofficial mashed potato month of November. I want to encourage to try something new this Thanksgiving. You spend so much time and effort on the turkey, pies, and sides, why not give some love to the potatoes too.

How does mashed potatoes that have a big bold potato flavor sound to you? Don't boil the potatoes, bake them!

Jump to:

• ⚙️ Why This Works
• 🛒 Ingredients
• 📋 Instructions
• 💡 Top Tip
• Mashed Potatoes Made from Baked Potatoes

⚙️ Why This Works

Think about whenever you boil something. You are doing so in water. Water, well tastes like water. Of course some of that water will get inside the potatoes, diluting their flavor. Instead of boiling them, you could just steam them, again water still getting into the potato. What you need is a dry environment, where the potato can be cooked and without any dilution of flavor.

Just as I would if I was preparing baked potatoes, I turn to the Russet potato for this application. This high starch potato baked up nice and fluffy. Around Thanksgiving time you can get them for dirt cheap, I have gotten a 10 potato bag for a measly $2.99.

We haven't even touched on the best part of this recipe - no vegetable peeler needed!!!! Just bake these puppies up, pop them open and get the goodness out. How is that for a happier Thanksgiving!

🛒 Ingredients

Here is what you will need from the kosher store to make these mashed potatoes:

• 3 lbs Russet potatoes, cleaned and pierced with a fork
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup to ½ cup warm milk or warm heavy cream
• kosher salt to taste

If you are buying your potatoes by the bag, they will be smaller in size. They are usually cheaper this way too.

Do you like adding other ingredients to your mashed potatoes. Here are the amounts I would recommend:

• If you like sour cream in your mashed potatoes you can use about ½ cup - ¾ cup of sour cream that you will add at the end. If the potatoes are too thick, you can add in a little more milk.
• If you like cream cheese, then add 8 ounces.
• If you like cheddar cheese, then add 2-3 cups. I recommend using a sharp cheddar that you grate yourself.
• If you like green onions, chop up 1 to 2 bunches and fold in at the end.

Can You Use Other Types of Potatoes?

Can you try this method with Yukon Gold potatoes or Red potatoes? I haven't as I don't think those type of waxy potatoes will bake up as nicely as Russet. But you sure could try if you like preparing your mashed potatoes with either of those.

📋 Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Bake the potatoes directly on the rack, no need to use waste foil on them. Make sure to pierce them with a fork first so steam can come out and so they won't explode on you. I have had this happen a couple times.

Once the potatoes can be easily pierce with a fork in about an hour, remove them from the oven. As soon as you handle them pop them open, which will allow steam to escape. This will lead to fluffier potatoes.

Remove all the flesh of the potatoes from the size and put into a large mixing bowl. Gently warm the milk and butter before adding. Then mash your potatoes using a potato masher or you can whip them with a hand mixer.

🍠 Did you know that you could do this same thing with sweet potatoes? Follow all the same steps except use sweet potatoes.

💡 Top Tip

There is one more key to making these potatoes, the best you will ever have. That's running the potatoes through a potato ricer. Trust me on this, you will know the difference the first time you have potatoes that have been riced. It makes for an amazing texture and prevent gummy potatoes. If there ever was a day to go all out in the kitchen it's Thanksgiving.

A food mill could be used in place of a potato ricer.

Once those potatoes have been riced, some milk or cream, butter, and a short 10 to 15 second whipping by a hand mixer and you will be in mashed potato heaven.

Want to make your mashed potatoes prettier? Try using purple potatoes instead of Russet for baking. They work well too. Or you can swirl together two different types of potatoes.