Ina Garten Mashed Potatoes (Make-Ahead!)
Why stress last minute when you could make these dreamy creamy mashed potatoes ahead of time for the holidays? I swear this is the best make-ahead mashed potatoes recipe I´ve ever tried. It´s also easy and ultra cheesy (thanks to goat cheese and Parmesan). It is a perfect side dish for Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas!
Servings: 6
Calories: 506kcal
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1 to 2 inch chunks
- 5 large garlic cloves peeled
- 7 to 8 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese*
- 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
- 1 & 1/2 cups sour cream
- 1/2 cup half-and-half or milk is fine
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, cover, and set it on the stove over high heat.
- Peel all the potatoes, then chop into 1-2 inch pieces. Add the potatoes to the heating water.
- Smash 5 cloves of garlic and remove the peels. Add the garlic to the water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce so that it doesn't boil over. Boil the potatoes for about 20-25 minutes, until very tender. You should be able to easily crush a potato with a fork.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Drain the potatoes and return to the pot. If you have one, use a food mill to process the potatoes. (Who actually has a food mill??) If not, use an electric mixer or an old fashioned masher. Make sure you stir in the boiled garlic well.
- Stir in the goat cheese, butter, sour cream, half and half, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper.
- Pour the potatoes into a 2 quart dish. (No need to grease the dish) You want a dish that is about 2 inches deep and fairly wide so that you can evenly distribute the Parmesan. I use an 8x11 inch dish.
- Top the potatoes with grated Parmesan cheese.
- At this point you can cover the dish tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- To bake on the same day: Place dish on a baking sheet in case it bubbles over. Bake at 375 for about 35 minutes, or until the Parmesan is golden brown.
- To bake after refrigerating: remove the dish from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, at least an hour. Uncover, place on a baking sheet, and bake at 375 for about 40-45 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.
Notes
*You can use regular goat cheese if you like, if that's all you can find. You could throw some dried herbs in the potatoes to make up for it. Parsley, chives, and thyme would be good.
If you are not a goat cheese lover, you can substitute an 8-ounce package of cream cheese for the goat cheese.
Source: This is a recipe from Ina Garten, available on The Food Network and also in her Make It Ahead Cookbook.Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Potassium: 1097mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1083IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 259mg | Iron: 3mg