Easy Mashed Potatoes with Red Skin

Mashed potatoes with red skin are a creamy, butter, slightly chunky take on traditional mashed potatoes. Satisfying and fancy enough to serve at a holiday feast, but simple enough to enjoy everyday.

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I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like.

In fact, I think if I had to only eat one food for the rest of my life that potatoes would be a top contendor.

(It would be a battle between potatoes, pasta, and cheese tbh.)

And these mashed potatoes with red skins are a delicious reason to support the potatoes as the winner of the battle.

They are easy enough since you don’t have to peel them and super rich and delicious.

Perfect as a Thanksgiving side or on your weeknight dinner table, you’ll enjoy every potato filled bite!

Ingredients and Kitchen Supplies

Here’s what you need for mashed potatoes with red skin:

• Red Skinned Potatoes – This is probably self-explanatory given the recipe. What needs mentioning is we based the ingredient amounts on about 1.5 pounds of potatoes. You should not skin the potatoes prior to cooking or mashing, unless you really want to, but again, this defeats the purpose of mashed potatoes with red skin.
• Cream – We use either light or heavy cream, but an argument can be made for milk, half and half, or non-dairy alternatives. We used about 3/4 of a cup of light cream. Why about? Some people like different levels of stiffness to their mashed potatoes. Adding more cream makes them a bit silkier and looser, while adding less keeps them a bit more intact. If you don’t plan to use parmesan cheese, you may want to reduce the amount of cream you use because it may be too much.
• Butter – Yes, butter makes everything better, especially mashed potatoes. We used a half stick of butter or 4 tablespoons.
• Salt and Pepper – For some seasoning, we used a bit of salt and pepper. You can add as much as you like, but you probably want to stick to about 1/2 teaspoon of salt to avoid being too salty. But taste the mashed potatoes as you mash to help judge exactly how much you want.
• Parmesan Cheese – This is an optional ingreident, but we tend to add it to our mashed potato recipes. This adds some extra flavor and saltiness to the potatoes.

You do not need any special equipment for mashed potatoes with red skin, but you should have these on hand:

• Chef’s Knife
• Potato Masher
• Large Pot
• Colander

How to Make Mashed Potatoes with Red Skin

1. Prepare the potatoes.

Thoroughly wash and scrub (as needed) your potatoes to remove any dirt or other debris on them.

Using a sharp knife, slice the potatoes into roughly 1 inch cubes and place in a large pot.

Once you have all the potatoes cubed, fill the pot with cool water.

You want the water to be about the same temperature or cooler than the potatoes so that it heats up evenly with the potatoes.

Place the pot on the stove and heat over high heat.

Allow to come to a boil and then cook the potatoes for about 12 to 15 minutes or until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork.

Remove from the stove and allow to cool some before draining the potatoes in a colander.

2. Mash the potatoes.

Transfer the cooked potatoes from the colander to a large bowl.

Use a potato masher or a large spoon to start crushing the potatoes with the butter (it helps if you let it come up to room temperature first).

Once you have started to crush the potatoes, add in the cream and mash to combine.

Add in the parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.

Keep mashing or mixing until you reach a texture you like.

Taste the potatoes.

Is there enough salt? Pepper? Are they too runny?

If they are too runny, add a small amount of parmesan cheese and mix it in.

If they are too thick, you can add a bit more cream or milk.

Only add a little at a time so you can get the right consistency without over-correcting.

Serving

Mashed potatoes with red skin go with just about any main dish.

You can serve them with a beef roast, roasted turkey, or stuffed chicken.

They also compliment Italian grilled chicken nicely.

You can also use them on top of a shepard’s pie.

Top them with homemade gravy, cheese, or any of your favorite toppings.

Storing

Got a busy holiday cooking session planned?

You can make mashed potatoes with red skin a day or two in advance of the date you need them.

To store, allow them to cool and then scoop them into an air tight container.

Place them in the fridge for up to about 5 days.

You can store left overs in a similar fashion.

You can reheat in the microwave or on the stove top over low heat.

Tips and Tricks

• Over time, mashed potatoes tend to dry out some. When reheating, try adding a small amount of milk or cream to reinvigorate them and prevent them from being too dry.
• It makes it a bit easier to mash if the butter is room temperature before you start mashing.
• Mashed potatoes have a bit of a learning curve to make perfect. It is really a matter of balancing out the dryness of the potatoes with the cream or milk. It is best to add ingredients a little at a time, adjusting only as needed in small increments.
• Mashed potatoes with red skin are going to have some chunks in them from, well, the skins. You can remove the skin from the potatoes before cooking them if you prefer for smoother mashed potatoes.
• The cream you use can make a difference in how the potatoes turn out. In general, heavy cream creates the creamiest mashed potatoes. Light cream has a similar effect with a slightly lighter taste. Half and half balances between creaminess and lighter feel. Lower fat milks add some moisture, but they have less of an effect on the overall creaminess of the potatoes.

Did you make this? Let me know!

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