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Transform a simple potato into a rich, creamy side dish with this single serve Mashed Potatoes recipe. Made with a combination of milk and cream, these mashed potatoes are perfectly smooth, flavorful, and wonderfully satisfying. This recipe is perfect for one or two people to enjoy and makes an excellent addition to any meal.
Looking for more delicious side dishes made just for one? Try my buttery sautéed green beans perfectly seasoned and tender. Or whip up a small batch of cornbread that’s golden and soft with a hint of sweetness. For something heartier, my creamy broccoli casserole is packed with flavor, and the rich, velvety risotto is always a favorite.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Incredibly Creamy: Cooking the potatoes in milk and cream gives them a rich, luxurious texture you won’t get with water.
- Big Flavor: A hint of garlic, ground coriander, and stone-ground mustard takes these mashed potatoes to the next level.
- Ready in No Time: You can enjoy this comforting side dish in under 30 minutes—no special occasion required.
- Perfectly Sized: This recipe makes just enough for one serving, with no leftovers to store. It’s also a great side for a dinner for two.
- Easily Scaled: Need more? You can easily double or triple the recipe to serve guests without any extra hassle.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this creamy mashed potatoes recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes are my favorite for mashed potatoes. Their natural buttery flavor and creamy texture make them perfect for this recipe. If you have extras, they work wonderfully in Shepherd’s Pie or Beef Stew.
- Milk: You can use any type of milk—skim, whole, or anything in between. While the fat content may vary slightly, the texture of the mashed potatoes remains smooth and creamy.
- Heavy Cream: This is the key to achieving an indulgent, creamy consistency. For the creamiest results, you can use heavy cream alone and skip the milk. For a lighter option, substitute with half-and-half. Leftover cream can be used in recipes like Chicken Alfredo, a Crustless Pizza Quiche, or a Strawberry Milkshake.
- Flavor Enhancers: Garlic, ground coriander, stone-ground mustard, salt, and black pepper add layers of flavor to the potatoes. Adjust the seasonings to suit your taste. For a different twist, try smoked paprika or a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.
- Butter: Salted butter adds richness and enhances the flavor. If you use unsalted butter, you may need to add a pinch more salt to balance the taste.
- Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil adds a bold, authentic flavor and is my preferred choice for this recipe. For a milder taste, you can use light olive oil.
How To Make Mashed Potatoes For One
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a small batch of mashed potatoes. See the recipe below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Chop the potatoes into quarters and place them in a small saucepan. Add the milk, cream, garlic, and coriander and stir. Add a little extra milk or cream if the potatoes are not almost completely covered by the liquid.
- Cook on medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender and the tip of a knife easily goes through.
- When the potatoes are tender, put a bowl on the counter and a colander inside that bowl. Pour the potatoes through the colander, and the cream will collect in the bowl.
- Put the potatoes back into the pot and pour some of the garlic-infused cream over them. Mash the potatoes with either a potato masher or an immersion blender.
- Add butter, olive oil, and stone ground mustard and stir. Add more of the reserved cream, if necessary so that the mashed potatoes are the consistency you prefer.
Expert Tips
- Choose Yukon Gold Potatoes: For the creamiest and most flavorful mashed potatoes, Yukon Golds are the way to go. Their naturally buttery taste enhances the overall dish.
- Personalize with Herbs and Spices: Don’t hesitate to make this recipe your own. Incorporate your favorite herbs like rosemary or thyme to kick the flavor up a notch.
- Mustard Variations: While stone-ground mustard adds a unique depth to the dish, you can easily substitute it with Dijon mustard for a smoother flavor profile.
RELATED: 20 Single Serving Meatless Meals
What To Serve With Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are the ultimate side dish. They pair well with everything from a juicy steak to a vegetable casserole.
- Roast Chicken: The creamy texture complements the juicy meat of a well-roasted chicken.
- Beef Tenderloin: For an upscale dinner, serve these creamy mashed potatoes next to a succulent beef tenderloin.
- BBQ Ribs: Elevate your comfort food game by pairing these creamy mashed potatoes with succulent BBQ ribs. The smoky, tangy flavors of the ribs perfectly complement the rich and buttery texture of the potatoes.
- Vegetable Casserole: Imagine a colorful medley of roasted vegetables and melted cheese, all baked to perfection. The creamy texture of the mashed potatoes acts as a wonderful counterpoint to the varied textures and flavors in the vegetable casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely, you can prepare these mashed potatoes in advance and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just be sure to cover them tightly. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, add a dollop of butter for extra creaminess and reheat in the microwave. This storage tip is great for meal planning and ensures you’ll have a delicious side dish ready in minutes.
Absolutely, you can easily double this mashed potatoes recipe. Simply double the amount of each ingredient and switch to a larger pot to accommodate the increased volume.
You can use a fork or a whisk to mash the potatoes. However, a potato masher or an immersion blender will produce a smoother and creamier texture.
For optimal results, a 2-quart saucepan works best. For best results, please use a pan of similar size.
More Delicious Potato Recipes To Explore
Craving more potato goodness? Discover a world of flavors with these other single serving and small batch potato recipes:
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried these creamy mashed potatoes or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Mashed Potatoes For One
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 medium Gold potatoes -quartered and unpeeled
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cloves garlic -peeled and smashed
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- pinch coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- Chop the potatoes into quarters and place them in a small saucepan. Add the milk, cream, garlic, and coriander and stir. Add a little extra milk or cream if the potatoes are not almost completely covered by the liquid.
- Cook on medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender and the tip of a knife easily goes through.
- When the potatoes are tender, put a bowl on the counter and a colander inside that bowl. Pour the potatoes through the colander, and the cream will collect in the bowl.
- Put the potatoes back into the pot and mash them with either a potato masher or an immersion blender. Next, take some of the garlic-infused cream and fold it back into the potatoes until smooth and creamy.
- Fold in the butter, olive oil and the stone ground mustard.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve.
Notes
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- Use Yukon Gold Potatoes: For the creamiest and most flavorful mashed potatoes, Yukon Golds are the way to go. Their naturally buttery taste enhances the overall dish.
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- Personalize with Herbs and Spices: Don’t hesitate to make this recipe your own. Incorporate your favorite herbs like rosemary or thyme to kick the flavor up a notch.
-
- Mustard Variations: While stone-ground mustard adds a unique depth to the dish, you can easily substitute it with Dijon mustard for a smoother, more refined flavor profile.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
We really enjoyed the potatoes. I only had russett so maybe not as creamy as should have been. I did need to monitor the cooking in cream and milk to keep from overboiling. I had to cook on med low. The addition of the mustard was something I have never heard of but we didn’t mind it. I will make it again but with the gold potatoes. Served it with your mini Turkey Meatloaf.
I’m so happy you enjoyed them.
All good – Except – milk scalds good cookware and is very difficult to remove! Potatoes should have cooked in the microwave if using milk.
I actually disagree. I’ve never had an issue with ruining cookware or difficulty cleaning cookware after making mashed potatoes this way. I also would not recommend making this mashed potatoes recipe in the microwave. The potatoes should be cooked on the stove and if the mashed potatoes were cooked following this recipe and on medium-high heat, not high heat, there should not be a problem.
Would it be ok to use dijon mustard instead of stone ground?
Yes.
so happppy since I (ashamed) have been eating those instant cup mashed potatoes….now I can enjoy the home made version!!! yipppeee
what happens to the rest of the liquid after step 3?
Not all of the liquid will be used. Slowly add back the liquid, a little at a time until you arrive at the consistency you like.
thank you 🙂
Is there a reason the potatoes are unpeeled in this recipe, or is it just personal preference?
It sounds so wonderful!
It’s personal preference and also because the skin on Yukon Gold potatoes is thinner and I don’t believe that peeling them is necessary.
You can't go wrong with mashed potatoes! This dish looks fantastic!
I love your Thanksgiving for One series! It's the perfect size for me when my husband is away on business!
These look so creamy and delicious!
These mashed potatoes look WONDERFUL! And I love that you've made a recipe for a single person — that is REALLY helpful!
Thank you, Jennifer!