Mayo Mashed Potatoes

Mayo mashed potatoes are rich, creamy, and flavorful. Your family and friends will love the buttery, thick, and slightly tangy taste of this easy side dish. The recipe comes together with just 5 basic ingredients and is so easy to make. A great side for your favorite comfort foods!

Mashed potatoes with mayonnaise – The secret to the best mashed potatoes?

If you’re thinking mayonnaise has no place in mashed potatoes, I get it. But bear with me for a minute, because your might be missing out on a seriously delicious side dish.

These easy mayo mashed potatoes are one of my favorite mashed potatoes recipes. They are smooth, fluffy, rich, and creamy and go with almost any entrée, from meatballs, to fried chicken, and pork chops.

The recipe is easy and comes together quickly with only a handful of staple ingredients and no special kitchen tools. If you have a big pot and a potato masher, you’re good to go.

Even better, mashed potatoes with mayonnaise are great to make ahead of time. They are convenient for entertaining, potlucks, and big holiday meals when you don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen all day.

Now, if you are fully opposed to mayonnaise, try our super creamy evaporated milk mashed potatoes or KitchenAid mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

Along with potatoes and mayonnaise, you’ll only need 3 other basic ingredients to make mayo mashed potatoes. To see specific measurements, scroll down to the recipe card toward the end of the post.

• Potatoes: Yukon Golds are the best choice here. They have a dense texture, buttery flavor, and don’t turn mushy, water, or grainy when cooked. Instead, Yukon Golds remain super creamy when mashed. You’ll need 4 pounds total.
• Mayonnaise is my secret ingredient for mashed potatoes. It has a rich, creamy texture + slightly tangy taste, and makes super fluffy and flavorful mashed potatoes. You need just enough to bring the potatoes together into a smooth mash.
• Salted butter adds richness and flavor to the mashed potatoes.
• Salt + pepper enhance the flavors of this dish.

How to make mashed potatoes with mayo

Give the potatoes plenty of time to boil, but otherwise, this mayo mashed potato recipe is about as easy as it gets. Here’s a breakdown of the steps:

#1: Prep potatoes

• Peel the potatoes.
• Cut smaller potatoes in half and larger ones into quarters so that all potatoes have about the same size and cook evenly.

#2: Cook potatoes

• Place the potatoes in a large pot or Dutch oven.
• Add enough water to cover the potatoes by about an inch, and add 1 teaspoon salt.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

#3: Simmer, then drain

• Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are tender when pierced with a fork.
• Drain the potatoes in a colander, then return them to the warm pot.

#4: Mash

• Add the mayonnaise and butter.
• Use a potato masher or an electric mixer to mash the potatoes until creamy. Be careful not to overmix.

#5: Season and serve

• Taste the mashed potatoes and season liberally with salt and pepper according to your taste.
• Transfer the mayo mashed potatoes to a large bowl and serve warm. Optionally garnish with fresh chives, green onion, or other herbs. Enjoy!

Tips for the best mayo mashed potatoes

• Good quality mayonnaise: With such a simple ingredients list, the taste and texture of the mashed potatoes really depend on the mayo. You want to use a full-fat, good-quality mayo that you enjoy eating, whether that’s Duke’s, Hellman’s, Blue Plate, Kraft, Trader Joe’s, or Kewpie.
• Use Yukon Gold potatoes for the creamiest, fluffiest, and most buttery mashed potatoes.
• Avoid overmixing the potatoes: Mash or whip just until smooth and then stop. Too much mixing and stirring gives the potatoes a gummy or glue texture.
• Need fewer servings? Cut the ingredient amounts in half to prepare 4 servings. The rest of the cooking directions remain the same.

Variations

If you’d like to change things up a bit, don’t be shy. In fact, here are some ideas how you can customize this mashed potatoes with mayo recipe.

• Add roasted garlic or just a subtle hint of onion powder or garlic powder to the mashed potatoes.
• Cheese mashed potatoes: Add 2/3 cup freshly grated cheddar or 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese to your mashed potatoes.
• Loaded mashed potatoes: Stir crispy bacon bits and grated cheddar into the potatoes.
• Use unsalted butter if that is what you have on hand. Simply season with more salt at the end.
• Garnish the mashed potatoes with chives, scallions, or fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or oregano right before serving. It looks pretty and lends them a touch of fresh flavor.

Make-ahead tips

It’s really convenient to prepare mayo mashed potatoes ahead of time, and then just reheat them when you’re ready to serve. Here are some tips:

• Prepare potatoes: Peel and dice the potatoes 3 to 4 hours ahead of time. Keep them in a bowl covered with cold water to protect them from browning until you’re ready to boil. This is a great option if you plan to cook and serve the potatoes on the same day.
• Cook potatoes: Cook the potatoes as indicated in the recipe. Drain them well and let them cool to room temperature. Then transfer the cooked potato cubes into an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. This works well if you want to prepare some of the steps a few days ahead of time.
• Mash potatoes: Prepare the mashed potatoes according to the recipe instructions, let cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. This is a great way to make the mashed potatoes 1 to 2 days in advance.

Reheat mayo mashed potatoes

• Counter: When ready to enjoy, allow the dish to come to room temperature on the counter for at least 30 minutes.
• Microwave: Reheat portions in the microwave in 1-minute bursts until warmed through.
• Oven: Alternately, place the mashed potatoes into an oven-safe dish, cover with tin foil, and bake at 350°F / 180C° / gas mark 4 for 20 to 30 minutes.

Storage instructions

How to store mashed potatoes with mayo

Once the mashed potatoes have cooled to room temperature, scoop them into an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. Reheat as described above.

Can you freeze mayo mashed potatoes?

Yes, but with reservations. It’s possible to freeze mashed potatoes in a freezer-friendly, sealed container for up to 3 months. Just be aware that freezing mashed potatoes is not ideal. The thawed potatoes may have a less-desirable, grainy texture.

FAQ

Can you use mayo in mashed potatoes instead of milk?

Yes! You can use mayonnaise instead of milk to make mashed potatoes. Mayo gives mashed potatoes a delicious flavor and super creamy consistency, and light, silky texture.

Another benefit is that mayo doesn’t harden in the fridge, and your mashed potatoes will stay smooth and soft the next day.

What is the best mayo for mashed potatoes?

It all comes down to personal preferences! As I have said before, use a mayonnaise that you enjoy eating and have available.

My preferred choice is Hellman’s, as it has a rich texture and balanced flavor. I also like Trader Joe’s Organic Mayonnaise, which is very fluffy and not too oily.

Duke’s Mayonnaise is super creamy and will give the mashed potatoes a slightly tangy flavor. It’s actually my husband’s favorite.

Kraft’s Real Mayo is on the sweeter side, but its slightly thinner texture works great to make mashed potatoes. You may need to add more salt and pepper to balance the sweetness if using Kraft’s.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive option, give Amazon’s Happy Belly Mayo a try. It has a good taste and wonderful creaminess.

Can I make mashed potatoes with miracle whip?

No, I personally find that Miracle Whip tastes too sweet for this easy mashed potato recipe. Of course, if you love the stuff, don’t let me stop you from experimenting.

What to serve with mayo mashed potatoes?

From weeknight dinners to a holiday table, mayonnaise mashed potatoes are a versatile dish and go well with just about any of your favorite meals.

They taste great with roasted chicken, turkey, meatloaf, Swedish meatballs, grilled pork, stuffed peppers, and seafood like salmon or shrimp.

More potato recipes to try

Potatoes are the absolute best ingredients in any dish! If you are as much a potato fan as I am, then you must try some of our other potato recipes.

• Mashed Potatoes with Evaporated Milk
• KitchenAid Mashed Potatoes
• 4-Ingredient Potato Soup
• Evaporated Milk Potato Soup
• Creamy Scalloped Potatoes