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Try Garlic Mashed Potatoes for an updated version of a classic dish. Parmesan cheese, sour cream, and of course, garlic, add amazing flavor to a blank canvas.
Y’all — when my mom sees a mashed potato recipe on this blog, she is going to lose her mind. You see, I don’t actually care for mashed potatoes and I refused to eat them growing up. Though I LOVE all things starchy carb, the classic smooth and creamy mashed potato was a huge texture turn-off for me.

However, I typically host Thanksgiving, and it seems important to have a solid mashed potato recipe in my back pocket for this and all future hosting needs. I’m happy to report I found a recipe that will give the mashed potato lovers what they want, while also giving me a dish that I will enjoy as well.
These garlic mashed potatoes are cooked with the skins on, giving the dish more texture and more nutrients. By omitting heavy cream or milk, the potatoes maintain some of their shape and have a consistency I can handle. If you prefer a smoother mashed potato, feel free to add a splash of cream.
Of course, as the name implies, there is also garlic in these mashed potatoes. Potatoes are the perfect vessel for any flavor, and garlic is a flavor the whole family can agree on. Salty Parmesan cheese and tangy sour cream add balance to the garlic mashed potatoes. This makes it the perfect side dish — hefty, but not so rich it overpowers the main course. (Try as a side for this Turkey Roulade!)
Suggested Equipment:
- An enameled Dutch oven: The whole recipe can be made in this! IT will also hold heat well, so the potatoes will stay warm if you want to make them a little bit ahead of time.
- A Microplane: Grating the garlic on a microplane turns it into sort of a paste, which allows a subtle garlic flavor to permeate each bite of potato. It can also be used to grate the Parmesan if you want to DIY that step!
- A potato masher: Sure, you can maybe use a fork, but this inexpensive little tool makes quick work of mashing those potatoes.

Ingredients
- 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes large diced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 4-5 sprigs thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the diced potatoes, and boil for 15-25 minutes, or until they can be easily pierced by a fork. (The exact cooking time will depend on the size of your potato pieces.)
- While the potatoes are boiling, use a microplane or garlic press to create a paste out of the garlic cloves. If you don’t have either of these, chop very finely, then use the side of your knife to press the chopped garlic into a paste.
- Remove the leaves of the thyme from the tougher stems. Discard the stems.
- When the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, drain them well in a colander. Add the potatoes back to the warm pot.
- Add the butter, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and thyme to the pot of cooked potatoes.
- Use a spoon or spatula to combine all of the ingredients, then a potato masher to smash into your desired consistency. I like more texter versus a totally smooth mashed potato.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Yes to all of this! Mashed potatoes NEED garlic, in my opinion! This recipe is speaking my language!
We love adding different potato mashs as our side dishes. Adding garlic is definitely good for health!
I’m not a fan of a lot of flavored mashed potatoes, but this really looks like the perfect combination of flavors to make the potatoes shine!
I love the idea of some parmesan in there, along with garlic, to add that extra bit of flavor.
Parmesan, garlic and potatoes!? I’m SOLD and can’t wait to try this recipe!!