Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats and NYT Cooking.
This follows the classic buttery mash method, but with a whole roasted head of garlic mashed into slightly less butter and a scattering of chives to finish.
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Method
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Equipment
- large saucepan (at least 4 litres)
- colander
- potato ricer or food mill (or a masher)
- small saucepan
- flexible spatula
- foil
- small baking dish
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 319 kcal |
| Protein | 6.5 g |
| Carbohydrate | 42 g |
| of which sugars | 4.4 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 14.8 g |
| of which saturates | 8.8 g |
| Fibre | 4.6 g |
| Salt | 1.06 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
2 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
Metric · 6 servings
Potatoes
- 1.5 kg floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper, King Edward or russet)
- 10 g fine salt, for the cooking water
Garlic
- 1 whole head of garlic (about 60 g)
- 1 tsp olive oil
Mash
- 90 g unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature
- 300 ml whole milk
- 3 g fine sea salt or table salt about ½ tsp
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
To serve
- 1 tbsp snipped chives
- 1
Roast the Garlic. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) at least 20 minutes ahead. Slice the top 5 mm off the garlic head, drizzle with the oil, wrap tightly in foil and roast for 45-60 minutes, until the cloves are deep golden and soft as jam. Slow roasting mellows garlic's sharp raw bite into something sweet and nutty, which is why it works folded into butter rather than used raw.
- 2
Cool and Mash the Cloves. Let the garlic cool for 10 minutes, then squeeze the cloves out of their skins and mash to a smooth paste with a fork. Setting it aside now means it's ready to fold straight into the butter later.
- 3
Peel, Cut and Simmer the Potatoes. Peel the potatoes and cut into 4-5 cm chunks, rinsing until the water runs clear. Cover with fresh cold water by 2 cm, add the 10 g salt, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance; starting from cold lets the chunks cook through evenly.
- 4
Drain and Press Through a Ricer. Drain, rinse briefly under hot water to wash off loose starch, then dry the potatoes over low heat for a minute before passing them through a ricer or food mill back into the pot. A ricer keeps the texture light, unlike a blender, which turns the starch to glue.
- 5
Fold in the Garlic Butter. Fold in the 90 g butter together with the roasted garlic paste until fully absorbed. Because the garlic has already lost its sharpness in the oven, it melts straight into the butter rather than needing any extra cooking.
- 6
Fold in the Milk. Heat the milk until steaming and fold it through in three additions over low heat, until the mash is soft enough to slump from a spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 7
Finish With Chives. Scatter the snipped chives over the top and serve straight away. Their fresh, mild onion flavour cuts nicely through the richness of the roasted garlic butter.
Storage
Keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the hob or in the microwave with a splash of milk, stirring until piping hot (74°C) throughout. It freezes well for up to 1 month — thaw fully and loosen with a little extra milk when reheating. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
