Want to make a classic comfort dish in less than 15 minutes? These microwave mashed potatoes are the easiest way to have a side dish on your dinner table with minimal effort and a fraction of the time! Delicious and flavorful mashed potatoes with a creamy and smooth texture that's perfect for last-minute dinner or any special occasion!
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💭 Why you'll love this recipe
- No fuss recipe. No need to boil hot water on your stovetop, you'll only need a microwave for this recipe!
- Creamy and delicious. This cooking method results in smooth and creamy mashed potatoes that are full of flavor.
- Perfect for last-minute gatherings. If you need to add an easy side dish for last-minute gatherings or special occasions like Thanksgiving dinner or holiday dinner, this recipe is the best way to have mashed potatoes in no time.
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make microwave mashed potatoes, you'll need medium potatoes, milk, butter, salt and black pepper, and chopped fresh herbs.
Notes and variations
- Potatoes. You can use most types of potatoes for this recipe. Russet potatoes and yukon gold potatoes are some of the potatoes that work really well for mashed potatoes. This recipe also works well with sweet potatoes and yam.
- Milk. I used whole milk for this recipe, but you can also use skimmed milk with a 1:1 ratio. Alternatively, you can also opt to use dairy-free milk. To achieve a creamier mashed potato, use half and half or heavy cream. Check out this detailed post on substitutes for milk in mashed potatoes for other options.
- Butter. You can use either salted or unsalted butter for this recipe. You can also substitute butter with margarine to make it vegan.
- Chopped fresh herbs. Level up your microwave mashed potatoes by adding fresh herbs such as fresh parsley, rosemary, sage, dill, or basil.
- Add cheese! If you thought mashed potatoes couldn't get any better, wait until you add cheese. You can use sharp cheddar, parmesan, or Swiss cheese.
- Add more seasonings of your liking such as roasted garlic, caramelized onions, garlic powder, or chili flakes.
📖 How to make microwave mashed potatoes
Place the chopped potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl and add enough water to cover the potatoes.
Microwave on high for 8-10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork.
Drain the water from the potatoes and add the milk and two tablespoons of butter.
Use a potato masher or fork to mash the potatoes until they are smooth and creamy. If you prefer a smoother consistency, you can use a hand blender or food processor to puree the potatoes.
Season the mashed potatoes with salt and pepper to taste.
If desired, top the mashed potatoes with chopped fresh herbs or grated cheese and serve!
👩🏽🍳 Tips for the best microwave mashed potatoes
To make microwave mashed potatoes the perfect way, make sure to follow these expert tips!
- Soak the chopped potatoes in water for a couple of minutes, drain the water, and pat them dry before cooking. This will help remove excess starch and make your mashed potatoes fluffier.
- Cut the potatoes into smaller chunks. If you want to cook the potatoes a bit faster, you can cut them into even smaller chunks.
- Use a medium to large microwave-safe bowl. Make sure that the bowl is big enough that it will only be ½ to ⅔ full once it is filled with potatoes and water to prevent any spills in your microwave.
- Use a potato masher. While you can always use a fork, you'll have an easier time mashing the potatoes if you have a potato masher in hand. Better yet, use a potato ricer, hand mixer, or food processor for a smoother consistency.
- Microwave wattage. Check on the potatoes after five minutes to see whether they are tender enough. After cooking for eight minutes and potatoes are still not tender, continue to microwave and check every 30-second increments.
- Use oven mitts when removing the potatoes from the microwave as the bowl can get hot!
Want more options for making mashed potatoes? Check out these traditional stovetop mashed potatoes or Instant Pot no-drain mashed potatoes.
👩🏽🍳 Troubleshooting FAQs
Yes, it is safe to microwave potatoes. Make sure to cover your potatoes with a microwave-safe dish or plastic wrap to avoid any spills.
Yes. This recipe is for two servings only but you can double this recipe if you are cooking for more people. At the same time, you can also make this recipe single serving by cutting the ingredients in half.
Potatoes can get hard in the microwave when they are overcooked and lose too much moisture. Make sure to add enough water to your bowl and check the microwave in 30-minute increments to avoid overcooking. Remove the potatoes once they are soft and tender.
🍴 Serve and store microwave mashed potatoes
Serve mashed potatoes immediately with your favorite main dishes or other side dishes such as corn on the cob, grilled mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, and roasted asparagus.
To store leftover mashed potatoes, store them in a microwave-safe bowl and cover them with plastic wrap. You can let it sit out at room temperature for up to two hours or place it in the refrigerator for up to two days.
To reheat, poke holes in the plastic wrap and microwave the mashed potatoes for 2-3 minutes. Add a tablespoon of butter and a splash of milk to ensure that your mashed potatoes remain moist and creamy.
To freeze, store mashed potatoes in a freezer bag and place them in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
What to do with leftover mashed potatoes:
Or check out this post with 40+ options for using up leftover mashed potatoes.
More easy and delicious microwave recipes
- Microwave corn on the cob
- Microwave asparagus
- Microwave sweet potato
- Microwave baked potatoes
- Microwave broccoli
📖 Recipe
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📖 Recipe
Microwave Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Microwave
- Potato Masher optional
Ingredients
- 3 potatoes, medium, peeled and chopped into small pieces
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper, adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Place the chopped potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl and add enough water to cover the potatoes.
- Microwave on high for 8-10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Drain the water from the potatoes and add the milk and butter.
- Use a potato masher or fork to mash the potatoes until they are smooth and creamy. If you prefer a smoother consistency, you can use a hand blender or food processor to puree the potatoes.
- Season the mashed potatoes with salt and pepper to taste.
- If desired, top the mashed potatoes with chopped fresh herbs or grated cheese and serve.
Notes
- Use the right type of potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes are the best type of potatoes for mashing, as they have a high starch content and a creamy texture.
- Cut the potatoes into even pieces. This will help them cook evenly in the microwave.
- Add a little bit of water to the bottom of the bowl. This will help to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the bowl and drying out.
- Don't over-mash the potatoes. Over-mashed potatoes will become sticky and gluey.
One part of the recipe says this:
Place the chopped potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl and add enough water to cover the potatoes.
In the notes it says this:
Add a little bit of water to the bottom of the bowl. This will help to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the bowl and drying out.
Which one is it?
Hey Dan! Typically you want to cover the chopped potatoes with water, but depending on the starchiness of the potato you're using, it might be helpful to add a small amount of water at the bottom as well. Hope that helps!