Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
Thick and chunky skin on mashed red potatoes with lots of garlic and butter! They make the perfect side dish for weeknight dinners or special occasions alike. These creamy mashed potatoes have a little Cajun kick and are ready in 30 minutes. No peeling required!
Potatoes are pretty amazing in any form. They are crispy and golden when roasted like in Roasted Broccoli and Potatoes. They make a thick and creamy Potato Soup, and can even be sautéed like these Sautéed Sweet Potatoes. Potato salad is always a favorite. But today we’re here for possibly the holy grail of holiday side dishes – mashed potatoes.
You can go for smooth and creamy potatoes like Boursin Mashed Potatoes, or thick and chunky like these garlic and red skin potatoes. The thin skin of red potatoes is perfect for skin on mashed potatoes. Plus they are loaded with butter, cream cheese, fresh herbs, and some cajun spice. Top them off with Cajun Sausage Gravy and you’re well on your way to mashed potato perfection.
Recipe Quick Notes
TLDR: Skin on mashed potatoes with a great texture and flavor. LOTS of garlic and butter plus cream cheese and cajun seasoning make them the best red skinned mashed potatoes.
Lauren’s Take: I love the thick and chunky texture of these potatoes, plus not having to peel potatoes is always a win in my kitchen.
Taste: Extra garlicy, buttery, and rich with a hint of Cajun flavor – but not spicy.
Texture: Thick, a little lumpy, with small bites of potato skin studded through creamy potato swirls.
Time: 30 minutes.
Testing Notes: I’ve also made these potatoes with roasted garlic and confit garlic, and they are phenomenal. They will take at least an extra hour of time to roast the garlic though, so for the sake of time and simplicity, I left it out of the final version. If you find yourself with some extra time and garlic, I highly recommend trying it though!
Expert Tips
- Half or double. This recipe easily halves or doubles. I doubled it for Thanksgiving dinner and it was perfect for 8 people plus leftovers.
- Flavored broth. If you really want to double down on the flavor, boil your potatoes in chicken broth or vegetable broth.
- Salt the water. Potatoes are like pasta in that you really need to salt the water you are boiling them in for the best flavor. I use at least 1 tablespoon of salt in the potato boiling water.
- Set some time aside to soften. Using softened butter and cream cheese really helps these potatoes come together. Let the butter and cream cheese sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes prior to starting.
- Don’t over mix. Red potatoes can become gluey when overmixed, so mash the potatoes only until just combined. Using warmed cream and softened butter and cream cheese help with this also.
- Don’t skip the herbs! These potatoes are buttery and rich. The fresh chives add a necessary freshness.
- Add a splash of milk as needed. The potatoes will thicken as they sit and cool. You may need to add a splash of milk or cream before serving or reheating.
Ingredients & Substitutions
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
- Red potatoes – These waxy potatoes with thin skin are perfect for making skin on mashed potatoes. Yukon gold, baby potatoes, or creamers will also work for this recipe since they have a thinner skin. I would not recommend using russet potatoes for this recipe.
- Garlic – Use a whole head of garlic for this recipe. An average sized head of garlic will have 10-12 cloves of garlic in it.
- Unsalted butter – I use unsalted butter for this recipe since I also season the potatoes with cajun seasoning. If you are using salted butter, you will have to use less cajun seasoning.
- Cream cheese – Makes these garlic mashed potatoes extra thick and creamy. If needed you can swap out for sour cream, although the flavor and texture will be slightly different in the end result, but still delicious!
- Heavy cream – Go for heavy cream when making mashed potatoes for the best rich flavor and texture. You can also use whole milk or half and half, but use slightly less.
- Cajun seasoning – I prefer to use Homemade Cajun Seasoning. It has the perfect blend of spice, salt, and seasoning.
- Fresh herbs – My favorite is fresh chives for this recipe, but green onions, parsley, or rosemary will work.
Equipment needed
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Step 1: Prep
Wash potatoes and cut them into even pieces. Rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Smash and peel garlic cloves.
Step 2: Boil
Add potatoes and garlic to a large pot with salted water. Bring up to a boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and rinse with hot water.
Step 3: Mash
Mash hot potatoes and garlic with butter, cream cheese, cajun seasoning, herbs, and half of the warmed cream. Gently mash in until incorporated. Add more cream as needed.
Step 4: Serve
Taste and add more cajun seasoning or salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm topped with more butter and fresh herbs!
Storage & make ahead
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freeze: Freeze mashed potatoes in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or in a bowl of cold water.
Reheat: Reheat smaller portions in the microwave. Reheat larger portions stovetop over low heat covered, with a splash of cream or milk. Stir occasionally. You can also reheat in an oven safe dish with a splash of milk. Stir in milk and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Warm in the oven until thoroughly reheated.
Make ahead: You can make these potatoes a day or 2 ahead of time, which works out well for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas or even a dinner party. Reheat as per directions above.
What to Serve With Garlic Mashed Potatoes
I had a small dinner party with friends recently where I served these garlic mashed potatoes, Blackened Green Beans, and Baked Blackened Salmon topped with Persillade Sauce. It was a great hit with my guests and everything came together pretty quickly.
They would be amazing for Christmas dinner served with Prime Rib and roasted vegetables!
More main course ideas to serve with these mashed potatoes:
- Blackened Cod with Tomato Corn Salsa
- Cajun Honey Butter Salmon
- Cast Iron Pork Tenderloin
- Blackened Chicken Breast
- Turkey Breast with Garlic Herb Butter
More Side Dish Recipes
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Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potato Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds red skin potatoes washed and cut into approximately 2 inch chunks
- 1 head of garlic cloves smashed and peeled
- 1 tablespoon salt for the potato boiling water
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed and softened
- 1 – 1¼ cups heavy cream warmed
- 2-3 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh herbs optional
Instructions
- PREP: Wash potatoes and cut them into evenly sized pieces. Rinse potato chunks with cold water until the water runs clear. Smash and peel garlic cloves.
- BOIL: Add potatoes and garlic to a large pot with 1 tablespoon of salt and cover with water by about 2 inches. Bring up to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes until fork tender. Drain potatoes and rinse with hot water.
- MASH: Add hot potatoes and garlic back to the pot with butter, cream cheese, cajun seasoning, herbs, and about ¾ cup of warmed cream. Gently mash in until incorporated. Don't over mix. Add more cream as needed. Taste and add more cajun seasoning or salt and pepper as needed.
- SERVE: Serve warm. Option to top with fresh herbs and more butter.
Notes
- This recipe is easy to double for a crowd.
- The potatoes will thicken as they sit and cool. Add a splash of milk or cream as needed before serving or when reheating.
- Substitute for yukon gold or creamer potatoes, but not russet.
- Try my homemade cajun seasoning recipe for the best flavor!
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Once cooled, freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or in a bowl of cold water.
- Reheat: Reheat smaller portions in the microwave. Reheat larger portions stovetop over low heat covered, with a splash of cream or milk. Stir occasionally. You can also reheat in an oven safe dish with a splash of milk. Stir in milk and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Warm in the oven until thoroughly reheated.
- Make ahead: You can make these potatoes a day or 2 ahead of time.
Equipment
- Large pot
Nutrition
Meet Lauren
I’m the blogger, recipe developer, food photographer, and otherwise food obsessed gal behind Lauren From Scratch. I was born and raised in New Orleans and lived in South Louisiana most of my life. Growing up around Cajun country has instilled a love of food that runs deep in my bones. I am passionate about food and teaching you how to make mouth-watering Louisiana inspired dishes in your own kitchen!
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Your garlic red-skinned mashed potatoes recipe looks absolutely DELICIOUS, but I’m on a sodium reduced diet and wonder if there is anything to do to cut the sodium in this recipe?
It looks like it has more sodium than it does because I boil the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of salt. All of this salt won’t make it into the final finished potatoes. You can try skipping the salt in the water, and using a low or no salt seasoning like Mrs. Dash to season the potatoes with. Hope this helps!