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Mashed potatoes for one, ready in under 30 minutes. Yukon Gold potatoes cook directly in milk and cream with garlic, then get mashed with butter and stone-ground mustard for a single serving of mashed potatoes that’s smooth, rich, and full of flavor.
Featured Comment
“Made these 3 times now, just a perfect portion and I’ve never made mashed potatoes in cream before -never going back to the other way! Thank you!!”
– Alison
The Secret To Creamy Mashed Potatoes For One
Most recipes tell you to boil the potatoes in water, drain them, then add your dairy. The problem with that method is that the water pulls flavor out of the potatoes as they cook, and then you drain it all away. This recipe skips that step entirely.
I cook the potatoes directly in the milk and cream with garlic. They soak up flavor the whole time. By the time you drain them, that liquid is rich and garlicky, and it goes right back into the mash. Nothing gets lost.
For a single serving, this technique works especially well. You’re working with a small amount of liquid in a small pan, and nothing gets lost.
The butter and stone-ground mustard go in at the end. The mustard is subtle. You won’t bite into these and think “mustard,” but it adds something that plain mashed potatoes don’t have. A little sharpness, a little depth. I’ve been adding it for years and can’t imagine making these without it.
If you love potato recipes for one, my scalloped potatoes for one, potato gnocchi for one, or colcannon for one are all worth trying.
Ingredient Notes And Substitutions
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch mashed potatoes recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Yukon Golds are my first choice for mashed potatoes. Their naturally buttery flavor and creamy texture give you a better base than a russet. Two medium potatoes makes one generous serving. Extras work well in my shepherd’s pie for one, borscht for one, small batch potatoes O’Brien, or small beef stew recipe.
Milk: Any milk works, from skim to whole. The fat content affects richness slightly, but the texture stays smooth either way.
Heavy Cream: This is what makes the difference. The potatoes cook in the cream, absorb it, and get mashed back into it. Half-and-half works as a lighter substitute. Use leftover cream in chicken alfredo for one, a crustless pizza quiche, or a strawberry milkshake.
Garlic: Two cloves cook in the liquid with the potatoes. The garlic mellows completely, leaving a subtle savory depth in the cream rather than a sharp garlic flavor.
Ground Coriander: My secret ingredient. Most mashed potatoes rely solely on salt and pepper, but a small amount of ground coriander adds a warm, savory depth that brings out the natural sweetness of the Yukon Golds. It’s the ingredient people can never quite name, but they always ask why these potatoes taste so much better than standard ones. If you don’t have it, ground cumin is the closest substitute, though it brings a slightly earthier, smokier note. A small pinch of nutmeg is another option and works beautifully in mashed potatoes.
Butter: Goes in after mashing. One tablespoon of salted butter adds richness and seasons the potatoes at the same time.
Olive Oil: A tablespoon alongside the butter gives these potatoes a silkiness that butter alone doesn’t achieve. It’s an uncommon addition but one I’ve used in this recipe for years.
Stone-Ground Mustard: One tablespoon is stirred in at the end. It adds mild, tangy depth without making the potatoes taste like mustard. Dijon works as a substitute for a smoother, slightly sharper result.
Salt and Pepper: Season after everything is combined. The butter and mustard both bring saltiness, so taste first. You may need less than you think.
How To Make Mashed Potatoes For One
These photos walk you through how to make a small batch of mashed potatoes from start to finish. See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full instructions.
- Cut the potatoes into quarters and place them in a small saucepan. Add the milk, cream, garlic, and coriander. The potatoes should be almost fully covered. Add a little more milk or cream if needed.
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and a knife slides through easily.
- Set a colander over a bowl and drain the potatoes, reserving the cooking liquid in the bowl.
- Return the potatoes to the saucepan. Pour a small amount of the reserved cream over the potatoes and mash with a potato masher or immersion blender until mostly smooth.
- Stir in the butter, olive oil, and stone-ground mustard. Add more reserved cream, as needed, until the mashed potatoes reach your preferred consistency.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper. The garlic mashed potatoes should be creamy and smooth with a rich, savory flavor.
Expert Tips
Use Two Medium Potatoes: Two medium Yukon Gold potatoes is the right amount for one generous single serving of mashed potatoes. One potato won’t give you enough volume to mash properly, and the cooking liquid ratio won’t work as well.
Cut the Potatoes Evenly: Uneven pieces don’t cook at the same rate. By the time the larger pieces are tender, the smaller ones have already started to fall apart and absorb too much liquid. Aim for quarters of roughly the same size.
Keep the Heat at Medium-High: High heat can scorch the milk and cream before the potatoes are fully cooked. Medium-high gives you a steady, gentle boil that cooks the potatoes through without burning the bottom of the pan.
Mash While Hot: Cold potatoes release more starch when mashed, which turns them dense and gluey. Mash them straight from the pan while they’re still steaming for the smoothest result.
Add the Cooking Liquid Gradually: Pour the reserved liquid back in a little at a time. Every potato absorbs differently depending on size and starch content, so the amount you need will vary. Add too much at once and the potatoes become soupy.
Don’t Overmix: Once the potatoes are smooth, stop. Overworking them breaks down the starch granules and creates a paste rather than a mash.
What To Serve With Mashed Potatoes
These single serving mashed potatoes pair well with almost any protein or vegetable main dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Two medium Yukon Gold potatoes is the right amount for one serving of mashed potatoes. One potato doesn’t give you enough volume to mash properly, and the cooking liquid ratio won’t work as well.
One serving of mashed potatoes is roughly 1.5 to 2 cups. This recipe uses two medium Yukon Gold potatoes and makes one generous single serving. Two medium potatoes weigh approximately 10 to 12 ounces raw, which yields about 1.5 to 2 cups once cooked and mashed with the milk, cream, butter, and olive oil.
Cook the potatoes directly in milk and cream instead of water. The potatoes absorb the liquid as they cook, so by the time you mash them they’re already rich and flavored all the way through. Add the cooking liquid back gradually after mashing until you reach your preferred consistency.
Yes. Make them a few hours ahead and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring often and adding a splash of milk or cream to loosen them back up.
Reheat slowly on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each one. Add a small splash of milk or cream as you go. Reheating too fast or without added liquid dries them out.
Yes. Cook the potatoes in water or unsweetened oat milk instead of dairy milk and cream. Use olive oil in place of butter. The potatoes won’t be as rich, but they’ll still be smooth and flavorful. Unsweetened oat milk gives the closest result to dairy. If you’re lactose intolerant rather than fully dairy free, lactose free milk and lactose free cream work perfectly in this recipe with no adjustments needed.
Yes, though the texture changes slightly after freezing. Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to one month. Reheat slowly on the stovetop with a splash of milk or cream, stirring until smooth. They won’t be quite as creamy as fresh but are still good. If you want to make them ahead without freezing, they keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Yes. Double all the ingredients and use a larger saucepan. The cooking time stays roughly the same.
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 this small batch mashed potatoes recipe 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.
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Mashed Potatoes For One
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 medium yukon 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
- Cut the potatoes into quarters and place them in a small saucepan. Add the milk, cream, garlic, and coriander. The potatoes should be almost fully covered; add a little more milk or cream if needed.
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and a knife slides through easily.
- Set a colander over a bowl and drain the potatoes, reserving the garlic-infused cream in the bowl.
- Return the potatoes to the saucepan. Pour a small amount of the reserved cream over the potatoes and mash with a potato masher or immersion blender until mostly smooth.
- Stir in the butter, olive oil, and stone-ground mustard. Add more reserved cream, as needed, until the mashed potatoes reach your preferred consistency.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Notes
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.
Made these 3 time now, just perfect portion and I’ve never made mashed potatoes in cream before-never going back to the other way! Thank you!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Cooking the potatoes in cream really does make such a difference.
Since I am lactose intolerant, can I leave out the cream or use something else.
Yes, you can leave out the cream. You can cook the potatoes in water instead, and while they won’t be quite as rich, they’ll still be creamy and flavorful once mashed. You can also use a lactose-free milk or a dairy-free alternative if that works better for you.
I love your recipes! I bought the book. This mashed potato recipe did not work. I think the med-high heat was the mistake. My potatoes burned. Your Scalloped Potato were fantastic.
Any suggestions?
Thank you so much for the kind words and for getting the cookbook! I’m so glad you enjoyed the scalloped potatoes. For the mashed potatoes, it sounds like the heat may have been a little too high. I cook mine over medium-high heat just until the potatoes are tender — if the heat is higher than that, they can burn before they soften.
Thank you!