Nothing says comfort food like the delicious combination of smoked garlic, creamy butter, and potatoes! These smoky garlic mashed potatoes are a must-try recipe for Sunday dinner and holiday feasts!

For this side dish recipe, we are using either gold potatoes (Yukon Gold), or red potatoes. We prefer them to russets because they have a much smoother consistency when mashed. Also, you don’t have to worry about peeling them! The skins are easily removed, and if you choose to leave some of the skins intact, it will make these garlic mashed potatoes even more delicious!

Ingredients

3 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes (sub with red potatoes)
1 head of smoked garlic or roasted (about 10-12 cloves)
Heavy whipping cream
Evaporated milk (sub with whole milk)
Butter
Cream cheese, whipper (sub with sour cream)
Salt to taste
Black pepper
Fresh chives, optional

How to make smoky garlic mashed potatoes

Roast garlic in the smoker as instructed. Let it cool for 20-30 minutes, and extract the individual cloves.
Heat a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes by 2 inches.
Once up to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt.
Make shallow lengthwise slits on the skins along one side of the potatoes, and add them whole to the boiling water.
Boil potatoes for 30 minutes or until completely tender.
Drain the potatoes in a colander.
Let them sit for a few minutes until they are easy enough to handle.
Carefully peel off the skins. It’s okay if some remains in tact. It adds texture and a rustic vibe.
Warm the cream, milk, and butter in a saucepan on the stove over low heat. Do not scald or boil the milk.
Once the butter is melted, remove the pot from the heat and keep it warm.
Next, place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and mash them along with the smoked (or roasted) garlic cloves with a masher or hand mixer.
Carefully pour in the heavy cream mixture and combine with a spoon.
Next, stir in the cream cheese, salt (start with 1/2 teaspoon and work up from there), and black pepper.
Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.

Serving and storing leftovers

Transfer garlic mashed potatoes to a serving dish and top with extra pats of butter. Pair with our delicious turkey gravy or homemade beef gravy.
Store these leftover garlic mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat them in the microwave and enjoy!

Garlic mashed potato variations

Make them smokier: If you’d like these mashed potatoes to have a deeper smoky flavor, follow our smoked baked potato method, but substitute the russets with Yukon gold potatoes instead. Adjust the cooking time as needed.
Bacon it up: Add 3-4 strips of cooked and chopped bacon to these smoky garlic mashed potatoes for a nice, savory, salty crunch.

Perfect mains

Pair these smoky garlic mashed potatoes with the following dishes!

Smoky Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These smoky garlic mashed potatoes are a must-try recipe for Sunday dinner and holiday feasts!

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: garlic mashed potatoes

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 1

Servings: servings

Calories: 473kcal

Ingredients

3 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 head of smoked garlic or roasted about 10-12 cloves (see recipe instructions or link to smoked garlic recipes0
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup evaporated milk sub with whole milk
1/4 cup butter melted (plus 2-3 pats of butter for topping)
1/2 cup whipped cream cheese full fat
Salt to taste (plus extra for boiling potatoes)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Smoke the garlic as instructed. Let it cool for 20-30 minutes, and extract the individual cloves.
Heat a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes by 2 inches.
Once up to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt.
Make shallow lengthwise slits on the skins along one side of the potatoes, and add them whole to the boiling water.
Boil potatoes for 30 minutes or until completely tender.
Drain the potatoes in a colander.
Let them sit for a few minutes until they are easy enough to handle.
Carefully peel off the skins. It’s okay if some remains. It adds to the rustic vibe of the dish.
Warm the cream, milk, and butter in a saucepan on the stove over low heat. Do not scald or boil the milk.
Once the butter is melted, remove the pot from the heat and keep it warm.
Next, place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and mash them along with the smoked (or roasted) garlic cloves with a masher or hand mixer.
Carefully pour in the heavy cream mixture and combine with a spoon.
Next, stir in the cream cheese, salt (start with 1/2 teaspoon and work up from there), and black pepper.
Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
Transfer garlic mashed potatoes to a serving dish and top with extra pats of butter.
Store leftovers within 2 hours of serving.