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The most perfect buttery herbed mashed potatoes. Made simply with cream, fresh herbs, a little garlic, and a good amount of butter. Each bite is perfect and so delicious. The secret? Crème fraîche for creaminess, and herbed brown butter for incredible flavor. The best part is that you can make these mashed potatoes ahead of time for easy entertaining!

overhead photo of Buttery Herbed Mashed Potatoes with towel and sage on table

It would not be Thanksgiving, or November for that matter, without a good amount of creamy, buttery mashed potatoes. Without a doubt, mashed potatoes are the crowd favorite at our Thanksgiving table. My brothers take double helpings, always going back for more. The potatoes are the first dish to disappear. No matter how many mashed potatoes I make, I always wish I would have made more.

Anyone else the same? I feel like everyone loves potatoes, so my guess is that I’m not alone.

The mashers are simply the best. So today I’m sharing my go-to, no fail, recipe, along with all my secrets, and make ahead tips.

herbed cream

I actually have a few mashed potato recipes that I adore, but these buttery herbed mashed potatoes are my favorite for Thanksgiving.  My crockpot three cheese mashed potatoes are another go-to for weeknights. But for Thanksgiving I love mashers that are less cheesy and more herby. I find that these just pair better with all the dishes on my Thanksgiving menu.

They’re simple, but delicious, and I have yet to meet anyone who does not love them.

And yes, they’re extra buttery, which I do think all mashed potatoes need to be.

potatoes in colander

Here are the details.

Start with Yukon gold potatoes, which are going to give you extra creamy mashed potatoes. Boil the potatoes with a few cloves of garlic and a good amount of salt. Then drain and give them a good mashing. I like to use my stand mixer to quickly mash the potatoes. That said, if you want a good arm workout, mashing by hand is the way to go.

While the potatoes are boiling, warm the cream with the herbs to infuse with a delicious herby flavor. Then slowly add the cream to the mashed potatoes, along withe the crème fraîche. I LOVE using crème fraîche as a secret ingredient. It makes for the creamiest mashed potatoes. Trust me, you have to try it. If you don’t have crème fraîche, I’d recommend using an equal amount of cream cheese, but crème fraîche is best.

overhead close up photo of Buttery Herbed Mashed Potatoes

OK. Now the real important step.

Brown some butter with fresh sage. Yes, yes, YES, you must add a little browned butter. It’s the key to mashed potatoes that are just a little bit better than anyone else’s.

I use about half regular butter and half browned, so it’s a very subtle but delicious flavor. Again, trust me here, I’m not going to steer you wrong.

Finish with a sprinkle of fresh chives and you’ll have the most perfect, buttery mashed potatoes. No one can turn these down.

If you’d like to make them in advance, this recipe works great. I usually keep mine warm in the slow cooker, but I’ve also included directions on how-to reheat in the oven, and on the stove-top, so do what works best for you!

My best piece of advice?

Test this recipe out before Thanksgiving. Like today or sometime this week. Testing your recipes before Thanksgiving Day is the best thing you can do. Everyone has different tastes, so it’s good to check and adjust as needed before the big day. Plus, you get a huge bowl of yummy mashed potatoes all to your yourself. No sharing required. Cool. Cool.

overhead photo of Buttery Herbed Mashed Potatoes with sage on table

If you make these buttery mashed potatoes please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Buttery Herbed Mashed Potatoes

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 1103 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

Instructions

  • 1. In a large pot of cold water, bring the potatoes and garlic to a boil. Salt the water and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
    2. Meanwhile, heat the cream, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon chopped sage, and the thyme sprigs over medium heat until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and let the herbs sit in the warm cream until the potatoes are done. Remove the thyme sprigs before adding to the potatoes. 
    3. Drain the potatoes, return the potatoes to the pot and mash over low heat, or mash in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the herbed cream and crème fraîche. 
    4. In a skillet, melt 6 tablespoons butter and the sage leaves over medium heat until just browned. The butter will melt, foam and froth, then begin to brown along the bottom. Whisk browned bits off of the bottom of the pan. Remove the sage leaves. Pour the browned butter into the warm mashed potatoes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
    5. Serve the potatoes warm, topped with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, sage and fresh chopped chives. 

To Make Ahead

  • Prepare the mashed potatoes as directed through step 4. Spoon the potatoes into a large baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. 
    To reheat in the oven, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Pour 1/2 cup heavy cream over the potatoes and add 2 tablespoons butter, do not stir. Cover the potatoes tightly with foil and transfer to the oven. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are warmed through. Stir before serving.
    To reheat on the stove, add 1/2 cup cream and 2 tablespoons butter and place the potatoes over low, gently stirring until warmed throughout. 
    To heat and keep warm in the slow cooker, transfer the potatoes to the slower cooker, cover and keep on low for up to 4 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, turn the heat to low or high, add 1/2 cup heavy cream and 2 tablespoons butter, do not stir. Cover and let the cream warm and the butter melt. Stir before serving.
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Comments

    1. Hey Tavia,
      I would use full fat canned coconut milk. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

  2. Hi there, can you please clarify how many sage leaves should be added in step 4? I’m confused as to whether it’s 6, 8, or 14. And the browned butter, is that meant to be applied on top once served or is that mixed in with the full pot (or both)?

    Reply

    1. Hey M,
      You are going to use 6 whole sage leaves, and then 1 tablespoon of chopped sage. You are going to use all of the browned butter except to 2 tablespoons in step 4 and the remaining 2 tablespoons in step 5. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

  3. Can you freeze and reheat the day of? We are traveling for Thanksgiving and will be arriving the day of from vacation.?

    Reply

    1. Hey Brooke,
      So I’ve never frozen these so I am unsure of what the results would be! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hey Megan,
      Yes that will work. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

  5. I can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving! I have a question, though. If making a few hours ahead and keeping warm in slow cooker, do we still include the browned butter beforehand, and add the additional cream and butter before serving? Or do we wait to add the browned butter closer to serving time? Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Hey Jennifer,
      I would wait until closer to serving to add the browned butter. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

  6. 3 stars
    I gave these a shot yesterday via stovetop with a hand masher. On the plus side, they were easier than expected (friends always complain about how much work they entail); the hardest part is just the prep work. Everything came out fine; these are definitely more of a French-style potato puree than a traditional mashed potato.
    With that said, given how smooth they were, they were more bland than expected (though I may have messed up the butter) and could have used more salt and pepper, and maybe even garlic (it also didn’t help that it was served with a relatively simple NY Strip with no sauces). So, that’ll be the knob I play with when I make these again.

    Reply

  7. 5 stars
    As Alexis Rose would say, “Nom nom for us, David.” These potatoes are delicious. I made them a day ahead to take to the cabin for Friday night dinner. They heated up fine. The scent of thyme, sage, and browned butter in my kitchen was heavenly. Will definitely make again. Thanks, Tiegan.

    Reply

  8. 5 stars
    I made this last night for dinner. They were so good that my wife gave up her mashed potato maker status to me permanently. They were outstanding! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    1. Sure! I would use 1 teaspoon ground sage. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan

      Reply

    1. I would freeze in a freeze safe container or bag for up to 4 months. Just thaw and enjoy! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan

      Reply

  11. If I am going to make half the amount of potatoes, should I just half all of the other ingredients as well? Thank you!

    Reply

    1. HI Brittany! Yes, just halve the amounts. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan

      Reply

  12. 5 stars
    These are the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had in my life!!! They are so good, I want to eat them everyday!

    Reply

  13. Any suggestions on how to make this dairy free? I have a bit of an allergy, but am incredibly keen on trying this amazing recipe out.
    -Kate

    Reply

    1. Hi Kate! I would swap the cream for canned coconut milk and the butter for ghee or vegan butter, but I recommend ghee. I bet that will be great!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hi Adriana! I leave the garlic in the potatoes and mash it up. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan

      Reply

  15. 5 stars
    Delicious! Made them ahead and am eager to compare the taste after heated back up in 2 days with the crockpot method. Thanks for the meal prep tips!

    Reply