Jeff Mauro's Dairy Triple-Threat For The Best Mashed Potatoes Ever

A classic side dish, mashed potatoes can grace the dinner table on a regular weekday, be made in large batches for holiday parties or potlucks, or even come gussied up at a Michelin-starred steakhouse. Yet, as simple as they seem, they can be a little tricky to get just right. 

Recently, we spoke with chef Jeff Mauro of Mauro Provisions at the New York City Wine & Food Festival and asked him about how he prepares his mashed potatoes. Mauro uses a trifecta of creamy dairy products to take his taters over the top. "I make my mom's famous mashed potatoes every year, which is stuffed with butter, cream, and cream cheese," he shares. 

Most traditional mashed potato recipes call for three simple ingredients: potatoes, butter, and milk. However, one of the mashed potato secrets you need to know (and chef Mauro confirms) is that incorporating cream will ensure they are as luscious as they deserve to be. And adding cream cheese to the mix will give your potatoes an even creamier, denser texture with a touch of tangy flavor.

Of the many tricks to upgrade your mashed potatoes, using cream works so well because of the ingredient's high milkfat content. To put this in context, whole milk typically contains 3.25% milkfat, while heavy cream generally has 36% milkfat or higher. We all know that fat equals flavor, so using dairy with more fat not only gives the mashed potatoes a creamier mouthfeel but also improves taste. Cream cheese also has a high milkfat content (at least 33%), plus its smooth, thick texture adds density. It also gives potatoes a mild tangy flavor because its pH level is typically between 4.4 and 4.9, meaning it's more acidic than heavy cream and milk. (You can also get this tangy boost without as much heaviness by subbing sour cream.)

Mauro's recipe calls for half-and-half, which is equal parts whole milk and heavy cream. Since the recipe incorporates cream cheese (which is already thick), using half-and-half keeps the flavor boost of the cream while thinning the liquid enough to ensure the potatoes are still fluffy and smooth.

To make sure your mashed potatoes are the best they can be, don't skimp on the butter. Butter is essential to mashed potatoes because it coats the starch molecules, keeping them from absorbing as much water. Too much water absorption (and overprocessing) can make mashed potatoes gummy.