Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes are the ultimate creamy and buttery potato side dish. Naturally smooth and rich in flavor, this easy mashed potato recipe showcases the velvety texture of Yukon Golds. Perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or as a make-ahead holiday side, these foolproof mashed potatoes with chives and butter are sure to become a go-to favorite.
Serve with an easy, make-ahead gravy and enjoy a stress-free holiday!
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⭐ Why Melinda Loves Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
The recipe is a wonderful side for turkey and Cranberry Apple Stuffing, ham, pot roast, fried chicken or steak.
Delicious with or without gravy, making it a wonderful side dish for my homemade mustard-glazed meatloaf recipe!
It's easy to make ahead and reheat without losing any flavor or texture. Perfect for busy holidays, along with Orange-Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole and Cranberry Orange Sauce!
🥘 Ingredients to Have on Hand
Yukon Gold Potatoes: Famous for their light yellow, buttery color, Yukon Golds, also known as yellow or golden potatoes, make some of the very best mashed potatoes! The peels are thin enough to leave on, although I recommend leaving just enough to give a "rustic" texture.
Milk or Half-and-Half: Dairy products help boost the creaminess and rich flavor of the best mashed potatoes. Milk (or half-and-half) also adds moisture and helps create a smooth, fluffy texture. I like to keep half-and-half on hand for morning coffee and when I make my Croissant Bread Pudding!
Butter: This ingredient provides extra richness to Yukon Gold Potatoes along with that distinctive and unmistakable buttery flavor.
Fresh Chives: These add a subtle oniony flavor, a pop of color and a delicious contrast to the creamy, rich potatoes.
Sour Cream: This classic, creamy ingredient also adds a slight tanginess to the mashed potatoes.
Scroll to the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
📖 Substitutions
This is a recipe you can easily adjust to suit your family's taste buds.
Fresh Garlic: Switch the garlic powder for a few cloves of fresh garlic. Or better yet, oven roast the garlic.
Bacon: Crumble ½ cup of cooked bacon into the potatoes after mashing. This will create a side dish very similar to my recipe for Double-Baked Mashed Potatoes, which are made with russet potatoes. Extra bacon leftover? Make English Pea Salad, a classic and popular side dish or a homemade, cheesy quiche.
Cheese: Blend in one ½ - 1 cup of your favorite grated cheese. I usually have several varieties on hand just in case I'm in the mood for comfort food like Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese or Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese!
Red Potatoes or Russet Potatoes: Although this substitution would conflict with the headline ingredient of the recipe: "Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes," you could follow the recipe, switch the type of potatoes you use and still have a delicious result. I'm a big fan of using ingredients we have on hand!
Sour Cream: Swap it for the same amount of Greek yogurt.
🥔 Step-by-Step Instructions
Rinse and partially peel 3 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes. The peels or skins on golden potatoes are thin and transparent. You can remove some, most, or all of the peels, depending on how much rustic texture you'd like.
Place the diced potatoes in a pan and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes. Heat on high until boiling, add 1 teaspoon of salt and stir. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Remove ¼ cup of the potato water and place it in a glass bowl or measuring cup. Add the butter and stir until the hot water melts the butter. Add the milk, stir again and set aside.
Drain the potatoes in a colander and leave them to steam for about 5 minutes.
Next, return the potatoes to the pan and use a potato masher to smash the potatoes until nearly all of the large lumps are gone.
Pour ⅓ of the contents of the water/milk/butter mixture and whisk or stir the potatoes to blend the ingredients with the mashed potatoes. Be sure to check the texture and continue adding more liquid until you achieve the creaminess you'd like.
Add the sour cream, garlic powder and chives. Stir to combine.
Top with additional pats of butter and a sprinkle of chives. The Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes are ready to serve!
⭐ Pro Tip
Consider using additional potato cooking water as a substitute for milk or half-and-half in the recipe. The potato water is full of flavor and boosts the creaminess of the mashed potatoes while reducing calories.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Yes, the peels on Yukon Gold potatoes are thin enough to leave on; the result will be a more "rustic", somewhat lumpy mashed potato with a heavier texture. Great for topping with gravy.
The mashed potatoes will be that much creamier. Delicious!
Yes, this recipe freezes well. Prepare as directed in the recipe, cool, then store the mashed potatoes in a freezer-safe, airtight container.
To reheat, defrost the potatoes for 24 hours in the refrigerator, then sprinkle with a few teaspoons of water and warm them either in the microwave, in a pan on the stove over medium-low heat, or in the oven at 325°F until fully heated. Garnish and serve.
🥘 What to Serve with Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
One of the best features of this mashed potato recipe is that it goes great with so many main courses. Serve it on the side with Marmalade Glazed Ham from the Crockpot, with a big platter of Buttermilk Chicken Tenders or with the crowd-favorite Dutch Oven Chicken. From beef to poultry and everything in between, Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes are a delicious, buttery side dish to enjoy!
⭐ Pro Tip
Serving Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes for a holiday meal? Keep them warm in a slow cooker or Crockpot on low with a pat of butter on top. These mashed potatoes will stay fresh and creamy until you are ready to serve dinner.
🥣Leftovers and Storage
Leftover Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, sprinkle a few drops of water on top of the potatoes and heat in the microwave or medium-low heat in a pan on the stove until they reach a proper serving temperature.
🍽 Other Tasty Potato Side Dishes
As a food blogger in Idaho, I'm a big fan of potatoes and use them all the time in my cooking. Here are a few more delicious recipes that use our famous export!
If you make Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes, I'd love to hear how they turned out and if you enjoyed the recipe. Please leave a 🌟🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 star rating and a comment below. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
Recipe
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
(From Melinda) This is such a delicious way to enjoy mashed potatoes, my family loves it and I can't wait to hear what you think of it too!