Name: Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes (Small Batch)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds Petite Gold Potatoes (or Yellow Potatoes); Salt (to taste); 3-4 cloves Garlic (minced (about 1 tablespoon)); 2 tbsp. Unsalted Butter; 1/4 cup Heavy Cream; 1/4 tsp. Seasoned Salt; 1/4 tsp. freshly cracked Black Pepper; 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan Cheese (best quality); 3 Tbsp. Sour Cream

Originally published Febraury 1, 2017. Photos and recipe updated on November 14, 2024.

There are two glorious things in life that should never be taken for granted : garlic and cheese. When you combine the two, you get a magical, sublime package of flavor heaven delivered directly to your tastebuds. Then, you add carbs (because the cheese and garlic need a vessel), and you get garlic parmesan mashed potatoes.

As a small batch recipe developer, I love to create recipes that make 2-3 servings. This garlic parmesan mashed potatoes recipe is no different, and makes just that. They’re a fantastic side dish for grilled proteins like steak, chicken, and pork, and are ideal for a cozy date night at home. The recipe can be doubled or tripled if needed though!

creamy mashed potatoes loaded with garlic and parmesan cheese. easy to make and full of flavor, they're a quick potato side dish for any dinner occasion. | a flavor journal

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs. Petite Gold Potatoes
Salt, to taste
3-4 cloves Garlic, pressed or minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
1/4 tsp. Seasoned Salt
1/4 tsp. freshly cracked Black Pepper
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan Cheese (best quality)
3 Tbsp. Sour Cream
finely chopped Chives, for garnish (optional)

Ingredient Notes and FAQs

Petite Gold Potatoes

These potatoes have a soft, creamy texture and buttery flavor, which I find to be ideal for mashed potatoes. You can use another type of yellow potato (like Yukon Golds) or russet potatoes if you like! Russet potatoes will produce a less buttery taste, and a fluffier texture.

Garlic

This recipe has a lot of garlic in it, which is kind of the point. You are welcome to add or subtract from the recommended amount, based upon how much you love garlic.

Heavy Cream

Half and half will work as a great substitute for the heavy cream, but won’t provide quite as much richness. You can also use whole milk, but start with half of the recommended amount and work your way up. Milk has a higher water content than cream or half and half, so it will lend towards a thinner consistency rather than a rich and creamy consistency that would occur with the. cream.

Parmesan Cheese

I saw this in literally every recipe post I’ve published in the last two years, but boy, I care a lot about the quality of parmeasn cheese in my refrigerator. I always recommend finding a small chunk of Parmesan Reggiano in the cheese section at the grocery store (Whole Foods is fantastic for this). It is more expensive, yes, but the flavor is unparalled. I always us a microplane to grate parmesan cheese over pastas, and it’s also ideal for grating it into these potatoes!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Peel the potatoes for a creamier consistency. Whether you leave the skins on the potatoes or not is totally up to you, but if you want a creamier texture, I recommend peeling the skin off of the potatoes before cutting and boiling them.
Boil the potatoes in salted water. The salt will infuse into the potatoes as they boil, which will make the flavor of the mashed potatoes even better! You will also add salt into the potatoes as you mash them, but you won’t need as much if you use salted water to begin with. And we always recommend building flavor from the beginning of a recipe.
Use a garlic press. This is the easiest way to break the garlic down into very small pieces, which helps it blend into the potatoes much easier. It’s also easy cleanup! Garlic presses are cheap, and they’re a great tool to keep on hand in the kitchen.
Mix the garlic into the potatoes first. The garlic will cook slightly as it is mixed into the steaming hot potatoes, which will cut down on that strong, spicy garlic flavor. The flavor will mellow out, and blend perfectly into the potatoes and parmesan.

We eat steak more often than we should, and I am a huge fan of having a starch side with red meat. Mark makes a spicy, creamy brussels sprouts side that is to die for, so I have to prove myself with the starch side every time.

There’s probably a dozen variations of these garlic parmesan mashed potatoes that I’ve made, but this one is my favorite. We attended a friend’s holiday party about seven years ago, and they asked that we bring some sort of side. I knew they were making Chateaubriand, prime rib, and lobster risotto … so I HAD to bring potatoes to go with the red meat. Had to.

A bowl of mashed potatoes topped with a pat of butter and chopped chives. A small bowl of chives and a chunk of parmesan cheese rests nearby.

I whipped up this version of garlic parmesan mashed potatoes, and received so many compliments from the entire group. After being flattered by the positive feedback from everyone, Mark suggested I share the recipe I created on the blog.

So, here we are. But for this particular recipe, I cut it down a bit. I like staying true to making recipes for two people (with some leftovers), so this recipe will feed about 2-4 people! I do highly recommend using petite golden potatoes for mashed potatoes, too.

Directions

How to Make Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Step One: Boil the Potatoes in Salted Water. Wash and peel the potatoes, then cut them into quarters. In a large pot, boil the quartered potatoes in salted water until they are fork tender, and you can easily slide a fork into them – about 12-15 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander, discarding the water from the pot.

Quartered potatoes laying on a cutting board with a knife nearby.

Step Two: Mash the Potatoes with Garlic. Transfer potatoes back into the same pot they were boiled in. Immediately add the garlic and use a potato masher to thoroughly mash the garlic into the potatoes.

A pot of mashed potatoes with a potato masher in action.

Step Three: Add Butter and Cream. Mash in butter, then mash in heavy cream. (Feel free to increase the amount of any of these ingredients to fit your taste, too!)

A pot of mashed potatoes with a pat of butter and heavy cream resting on top.

Step Four: Stir in some Flavor. Switch to a large spoon, and stir in seasoned salt, pepper, parmesan, and sour cream. Note: If you want the potatoes to have a creamier consistency, add a splash more heavy cream (or whole milk) until it’s how you like it.

A pot of mashed potatoes with sour cream and parmesan cheese resting on top.

A pot of mashed potatoes with a wooden spoon resting in the pot.

Step Five: Season to Taste, and Serve. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, then serve hot with a sprinkling of finely chopped chives (if desired).

A bowl of mashed potatoes topped with a pat of butter and a hand sprinkling chopped chives on top.

For the ultimate creamy consistency, you can use a potato ricer instead of a potato masher in step three.

Can I Make this Mashed Potato Recipe Ahead of Time?

Yes, but I recommend making it the morning you’ll be serving it. The garlic can become very intense as the potatoes sit (even when they’re in the fridge), and the flavor changes. Same day serving is recommended for this recipe.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Storing: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Reheating: Reheat in a small, nonstick pot, stirring occasionally over medium-low heat, until warmed through.

What to Serve with Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes:

Grilled Protein, preferably steak, chicken, or pork chops
Date Night Slow Cooker Short Ribs
Baked Pesto Salmon
Baked Pesto Turkey Meatballs with Feta
Spicy Italian Meatballs
Spicy Ricotta Baked Meatballs

More Small Batch Side Dishes:

Want to make more than 2-3 servings? Increase the amount you want to make in the recipe card; there is a little slider bar near the “servings” section on the recipe card if you’re on a desktop, or if you’re on your phone, touch the number of servings on the recipe card (it will be a number, and colored dark red). You can adjust the slider bar that way instead of doing the calculations on your own! 🙂

If you make this Small Batch Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe and love it, please leave a comment and / or star rating below! You can also share it on Instagram and tag me, or use the hashtag #aflavorjournal so I can see it! If you have any questions about the ingredients or how to make it, send me an email so I can help out.

xx Sara

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