How long does it take to make Mashed Potatoes?

Cook potatoes from cold water about 25 minutes or more, depending on the variety, until a fork goes in easily.

36 minTotal

13 minActive time

22 minSetting

Step by Step

#	What to do	How long
1	Peel the potatoes and cut into similar-size pieces	3 min
2	Cook the potatoes in a pot of cold salted water covering it by about 2 cm, 20–25 minutes from the boil	22 min
3	Drain and return them to the hot pot over low heat for a minute: the excess moisture evaporates	3 min
4	Heat the milk and butter to just below boiling	5 min
5	Mash the potatoes with a hand masher, gradually adding the milk and butter	1 min
6	Season with salt and stir briefly and serve hot	1 min

How to Tell It's Done

until a fork goes into it easily
until there are no lumps

Common Mistakes

The milk and butter go in hot and in small portions: cold liquid cools the mash, and too much liquid makes it runny.
Mash by hand, not in a food processor or blender: the blades release starch and the mash turns gluey.

More Ways

Heat the milk and butter ahead and add them hot to the mashed potatoes.
An extra-rich version: 200 g butter and 200 g milk per kilo of potatoes, pushed through a fine sieve.

The full recipe: Mashed Potatoes →

Recipes with Mashed Potatoes

Shepherd's Pie with Meat and Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Butter