My time in France was like the Audrey Hepburn movie “Sabrina,” except my education was squarely focused on food, as I was there for culinary school. One of my first memories is saving to eat at L’Atelier Robuchon and being blown away by the French Mashed Potatoes.
Shortly thereafter, we learned the technique for Chef Robuchon’s famed French Mashed Potatoes in culinary school. The secret was a combination of quality potatoes, a food mill, and tons of butter.
Why You’ll Love This French Mashed Potatoes Recipe
French Mashed Potatoes, known for their rich, creamy texture and buttery flavor, offer a luxurious upgrade from your standard mashed potatoes.
This recipe uses a generous amount of butter and a technique that ensures the potatoes are silky smooth. It is perfect for special occasions when only the most decadent side will do. Whether it’s a holiday feast or a fancy dinner party, these mashed potatoes will impress.
Recipe Ingredients
To create this sumptuous dish, you’ll need:
- Three pounds of of Yukon Gold potatoes are known for their buttery texture and golden color.
- One pound of cold unsalted butter, cubed, to achieve that rich, creamy consistency.
- 1/2 cup whole milk to add smoothness to the mash.
- Optional garnishes include canola or grapeseed oil for frying, fresh sage leaves, garlic cloves, and shallots, all adding a crispy, aromatic finish that enhances the luxurious feel of the dish.
How to Make This Recipe
Start by boiling the potatoes in heavily salted water until tender. Meanwhile, simmer the milk and set aside. For the garnishes, fry shallots, garlic, and sage until crisp and golden.
Once the potatoes are drained and slightly cooled, peel them, pass them through a food mill or potato ricer, and then mash them in the pot over low heat to dry them out.
Gradually mix in the butter until fully incorporated, and finish by whisking in the warm milk. Season with salt to taste, and serve with the crispy garnishes on top for added texture and flavor.
The Food Mill Is The Key To French Mashed Potatoes
I’m an equal-opportunity potato lover, but I’m always partial to these classic French potatoes. The trip through the food mill (or potato ricer—which I also use for gnocchi) makes the potatoes extra fluffy, and the addition of an ungodly amount of butter makes them pure decadence.
These French Mashed Potatoes are not for the calorie counters or butter haters because it’s nearly two parts potatoes to 1 part butter at the end of the day. I don’t make these often, but they usually involve over-the-top meals, from fancy dinner parties to the holidays or even Thanksgiving.
The Garnishes Make These French Mashed Potatoes
You don’t have to add the garnishes of fried sage, garlic chips, and frizzled shallots, but they add a layer of flavor and crunch that makes the dish, in my opinion.
Variations On This Recipe
The beauty of this recipe lies in its adaptability:
- Substitute half of the butter with cream cheese or sour cream for a tangy twist.
- Add roasted garlic or caramelized onions to the mash for deeper flavor.
- For a lighter version, combine butter and olive oil and replace whole milk with low-fat milk.
- Experiment with herbs like rosemary or chives for a different herbal note.
- Incorporate grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese for a cheesy variation.
What to Serve This Recipe With
These French Mashed Potatoes pair beautifully with robust meats such as steak, roast beef, or lamb. They also complement more decadent poultry dishes like duck or a well-prepared turkey.
For a vegetarian option, they go wonderfully with roasted mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, broccolini, or grilled asparagus. The creamy texture and rich flavor profile make them versatile, elevating any main dish.
Go stock up on all your cooking essentials, head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!
Get A Personalized Travel Itinerary
French Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For The French Mashed Potatoes:
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potato
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup whole milk
For The Garnishes:
- Canola, grapeseed, or peanut oil for frying garnish (optional)
- Handful fresh sage leaves (optional)
- 4 medium garlic cloves peeled, ends trimmed off, then sliced paper thin (optional)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour for frying the shallots (optional)
- 3 medium shallots peeled, ends trimmed off, then sliced paper thin (optional)
Instructions
- Boil The Potatoes: Place potatoes in a pot of heavily salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the potatoes are knife tender, about 30 minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside to let cool slightly. Meanwhile, bring milk to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Immediately remove from heat, cover, and set aside.
- Make The Garnishes: If you're planning to make the garnishes, start at that now. To make the frizzled shallots, toss the sliced shallots with the flour, separating them into rings. Transfer the shallots to a fine mesh strainer and tap off the excess flour. Bring a small pan filled with 2-inches of oil to a simmer over medium-high heat. You want it to reach 350°F — it's ready when you dip a wooden spoon in the oil and small bubbles form around the edge.
- When it shimmers, add garlic and cook until crisp, golden brown, and fragrant. Immediately remove garlic to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Return oil to the stove to fry the sage. Add 5 to 6 leaves and fry until crisp, about 15 seconds. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove leaves and drain on a lined plate and set aside. Repeat to fry all the sage.
- Return oil to the stove, lower heat to medium-high, then add shallots and fry, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried shallots to paper towels to drain thoroughly; season lightly with salt.TIP: Garnishes can be made up to one day ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.
- Mash The Potatoes: Once potatoes are cool enough to handle but still warm, peel the potatoes then pass them through a food mill or potato ricers into the cooking pot. Place the pot over low heat then stir the potatoes frequently until they take on a drier, fluffier consistency, about 3 minutes. Working in batches, stir in handfuls of the butter until the mixture is creamy and the butter is melted. Once all butter is incorporated whisk in warmed milk, and season potatoes with salt. Serve immediately or keep them warm in a slow cooker or bain marie. Top with any and all garnishes before serving.
