Garlic and Herb Mashed Potatoes

Silky mashed potatoes, whipped with an obscene amount of butter, whole roasted garlic cloves, and rosemary-thyme-infused milk — garlic and herb mashed potatoes are THE side dish of the festive season, no question.

There’s a reason mashed potatoes show up at every winter feast, isn’t there?

They’re the ultimate comfort food: creamy, buttery, and soul-warming. Cheesy mashed potatoes, mashed potatoes with skins, bangers and mash (vegetarian version, of course!), classic mash … each version is as delicious as the next.

These aren’t your average mashed potatoes, though.

It all starts with whole garlic roasted until it’s sweet, buttery, and oh-so-soft. Next are the potatoes themselves, mashed with a tonne of butter (okay … not quite a tonne, but almost!) for ultimate indulgence. It all comes together with milk infused with fresh thyme and rosemary.

The dish has all the sophistication and elegance of French pomme purée, but all the cosiness of good old simple British spuds.

Mashed potatoes always find their way onto my traditional British Christmas dinner (vegetarian style).

Even with the perfect roast potatoes, fondant potatoes, and dauphinoise potatoes on the dining table (plus a whole array of sides and standout mains like mushroom wellington), these garlic and herb mashed potatoes are always the first dish people reach for.

And while I don’t claim to have celebrated Thanksgiving myself (owing to being British), I’m confident these buttery, garlicky, herbaceous mashed potatoes would go down a treat.

Serve it with some tofu Thanksgiving recipes, a few extra roasted veggies, and a deliciously moist and nutty apple pecan cake for afters, and everyone is guaranteed a very full, very happy belly!

🧄What Ingredients You’ll Need For Garlic and Herb Mashed Potatoes

We’ve got the usual players involved and a few extra additions — nothing you won’t be able to find at your local store.

• Maris Piper potatoes: The absolute best variety for mashing in my opinion. They’re floury rather than waxy, which means they break down into that perfect fluffy texture instead of turning gluey. You could use King Edwards or Russets, but Maris Pipers are my ride-or-die for mash. It does make such a difference.
• Milk: Whole milk is what you want here. Semi-skimmed will work but won’t give you quite the same richness.
• Butter: We’re using a lot of butter. It might seem excessive, but this is a celebration dish. Because we’re using so much, use proper butter, not margarine or spreads. Good French, Irish, or British butter is my suggestion; unsalted so you can control the seasoning yourself, or salted if you like the extra flavour.
• Garlic heads: Roasted whole, they’ll be buttery, rich, and caramelised.
• Rosemary: Just one sprig is enough — rosemary can be quite assertive and you don’t want it competing with the garlic. It infuses the milk with that piney, winter-garden fragrance that screams Christmas dinner.
• Thyme: Three sprigs add a subtle earthiness that complements the rosemary beautifully. Fresh thyme is a must here — dried just doesn’t have the same delicate flavour.
• Sea salt: For seasoning the cooking water and the finished mash. I use fine sea salt for the cooking water, and smoked salt flakes for the finished mash (for that je ne sais quoi).
• Black pepper: Freshly ground if possible. Just a few cracks to finish, nothing too heavy-handed. This can be skipped.

Cooking for Allergies and Dietary Requirements

This recipe for garlic and herb mashed potatoes is 100% gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free. It’s also alcohol-free and vegetarian (of course!).

Making the recipe vegan is surprisingly straightforward. Swap the butter for a good-quality plant-based alternative (Flora Plant is great, or Miyoko’s in the U.S.) and use your preferred plant milk. Oat milk is my recommendation — it’s naturally creamy and has a neutral flavour that’s not overpowering.

While the recipe won’t be quite as rich, the garlic and herbs bring so much to the table that you may not miss the dairy! These substitutions will also make the recipe dairy-free.

Easy Variations for the Recipe

Not on board with using so much butter?

For a lighter version, you can reduce the butter to 100-125g and increase the milk slightly. It won’t be as luxurious, but it’ll still be delicious and much more weeknight-friendly.

You could also stir through some Greek yoghurt or crème fraîche for tang and creaminess without quite as much butter. It almost mimics the piquancy of cultured butter.

Finally, switching the herbs easily changes the flavour profile of the mashed potato. Try infusing the milk with bay leaves, adding crispy sage leaves on top, or stirring through fresh parsley and chives for a fresher finish.

🧑‍🍳How to Make Garlic and Herb Mashed Potatoes

This is real comfort cooking.

Nothing complicated. Just good techniques and a bit of patience (roasting the garlic is where most of the time goes, but you’re rewarded with a mouth-watering smell!).

⭐ Tips for The Best Mashed Potatoes, Every Time

• Don’t overwork the potatoes. Once you’ve added the milk, mix until just combined. If you mash or stir the potatoes too much, you’ll activate the starches and end up with gluey, pasty mash. Yuck!
• Never use a blender. For the same reason as above. A good old potato masher, a ricer, or even a fine sieve will do the job — don’t use a blender for your mashed potatoes. It’s a sure-fire way to ruin the silky texture of your mash.
• Salt the cooking water. It’s the only chance to season the potatoes from within. Often overlooked, but makes a difference.
• Pay attention to the variety of garlic. Hard-neck garlic has a stronger, more pungent flavour. If you can’t get enough of garlic and find yourself adding 6 cloves when the recipe calls for 2, go for this one. If you want the flavour to be more subtle, use softneck garlic.
• Taste and adjust accordingly. Always taste before serving. Depending on the varieties and brands you use, you may need to add more milk, more butter, or more salt.

🥔Storing Garlic and Herb Mashed Potatoes

I always think mashed potatoes are best eaten fresh.

The actual process of making these potatoes — draining then mashing them — actually cools down the potato. If you’re making the potatoes for a large feast, chances are that you’ll have to reheat them anyway.

Having said that, leftovers will keep in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of milk, and try not to stir too much (this is what causes the potatoes to become gluey).

You can freeze garlic and herb mashed potatoes for up to two months. I love doing this! The texture does become slightly different when reheated, but it’s still a wonderful treat. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating with extra butter or milk.

For making ahead on the day, you can keep these warm in a slow cooker on low for up to 2 hours, or in a pan over the lowest possible heat with a lid on, stirring occasionally. Add a splash more milk if they start to look dry.

You can also fry leftover mashed potatoes (delicious with a fried egg and sauteed greens), or use them to make the traditional Irish dish colcannon.

🫜 My Serving Suggestions For Garlic and Herb Mashed Potatoes

These mashed potatoes are brilliant with any winter roast. Whether that’s a traditional nut roast, roasted vegetables, or a full Christmas dinner spread, they’re rich enough to stand up to strong flavours and creamy enough to balance out sharp or acidic sides (like cranberry sauce).

My top choice? Go with a vegan mushroom Wellington, a medley of root vegetables, and an umami-rich vegetarian gravy.

The herby, garlicky taste naturally marries with any dish using earthy mushrooms and winter vegetables!

For a more casual affair, try vegetarian bangers and mash (a British classic of sausages and mashed taters). They’re also great with braised red cabbage and caramelised onion gravy or sautéed kale and buttery wild mushrooms.

Finally, garlic and herb mashed potatoes are excellent when used in other meals — as a topping for vegetarian shepherd’s pie, for example.