These roasted garlic mashed potatoes are unapologetically indulgent, blending sweet roasted garlic with cream, butter, and silky French Brie for a side dish that delivers depth, balance, and unmistakable richness.
This is a recipe I have tested repeatedly, refining the ratios and technique until each spoonful is luxuriously smooth and intensely flavorful.
From the first bite, the texture is soft and velvety, with a gentle savoriness that lingers. It is the kind of mashed potato that quietly outshines the main dish and earns a permanent place at the table, inviting seconds without hesitation.
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If you are looking for excellent potato recipes, you have come to the right place. I invite you to try my bacon, onion, and raclette potato gratin or my traditional Dauphinois gratin. Not only our favorites, but also our readers.
You may wonder why French brie is in my potatoes? The answer is simple: I love how easily it melts and how rich it makes these mashed potatoes.
In this Article
- Why you will love this recipe
- How to make the perfect mashed potatoes
- What are the best potatoes to mash?
- Not quite aligot potatoes
- Ingredients needed to make this recipe
- Equipment Needed
- Step-by-step instructions on how to make these creamy garlic potatoes
- Giangi Pro Tips
- What dishes pair well with these roasted garlic mashed potatoes?
- Storing and Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions
- If you enjoy this roasted garlic mashed potatoes recipe, you may want to try my other recipes.
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Why you will love this recipe
It is as simple as roasting your garlic in the oven; you can prepare it in advance.
The best side dish for all your meats and poultry.
It can be prepared in advance and reheated before dinner.
Ingredients that do not require an extra trip to your grocery store, as most are pantry staples.
How to make the perfect mashed potatoes
It is an art form to make the best mashed potatoes, and that starts with a great base recipe. Once you have mastered it, you will never go back to store-bought.
Rest assured, it is the easiest recipe to make, and this is what you are looking for as a result:
- Your mashed potatoes should never be dense or gummy; they should be fluffy and soft.
- Ultra creamy, thanks to the warm heavy cream and lots of butter
- Perfectly seasoned. Never too salty or bland.
What are the best potatoes to mash?
Russet potatoes are best for creamy mashed potatoes because they are starchier than wax potatoes, such as Yukon Gold potatoes. This means fluffier potatoes.
Not quite aligot potatoes
This recipe is based on aligot, a French cheese-and-potato dish. I did not have gruyere, Emmental, or Comté cheese on hand, so I used the French brie.
Pommes aligot, or pommes aligot, are creamy mashed potatoes blended with an enormous amount of cheese, like in this recipe, with lots of butter and cream.
Garlic is sometimes added and cooked with the heavy cream. Roasting it brought out the garlic’s pure essence without overpowering the other ingredients.
Ingredients needed to make this recipe
This is a short introduction. The ingredient list is also brief. It includes essential items that you may already have in your pantry. Please read the recipe for complete instructions.
Olive oil: To cook the garlic. Use good olive oil. Avocado oil can be a substitute for olive oil.
Garlic: Three whole heads of garlic are required for this recipe. Ensure you cut them in half so they bake evenly and reduce the risk of one half being overcooked while the other isn’t.
Potatoes: Russets are my favorite for mashing. Of course, you can also use Yukon Golds, which have the perfect balance of sugar to starch, or red potatoes instead.
Heavy cream adds richness to your mashed potatoes. You can replace it with whole milk.
Unsalted butter: always use unsalted butter. You want to control the seasoning, and salted butter will not only add too much salt to your dish but also alter its flavor.
Double cream French brie cheese: what can I say? Once you enjoy this cheese’s creaminess with your potatoes, you will be hooked.
White pepper and salt: seasoning needed for your potato side dish.
Equipment Needed
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Step-by-step instructions on how to make these creamy garlic potatoes
For all my recipes, please assemble all ingredients before cooking or baking.
This recipe is separated into two parts. One: roasting the garlic; two: preparing the mashed potatoes. Straightforward steps.
- Start by preheating the oven to 375 F
- Meanwhile, in a 9-inch square pan, pour the olive oil and add the whole head of garlic, cut in half crosswise, laying it cut-side down in the pan. Use parchment to prevent your garlic to stick to your pan.
- Bake uncovered for about 35 minutes; this depends on the size of your garlic cloves. The garlic should be golden and soft to the touch.
- Also, the burn will form a crust that is harder to crush. Remove the garlic using a spatula. The garlic should release easily.
- Reserve 1 to 2 half heads of garlic for decoration.
- Squeeze the remaining cloves of garlic.
- Put the potatoes in a large pot of salted water, cover with 2 inches of cold water, and add one tablespoon of salt.
- Bring to a boil and cook for 20 to 25 more minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, warm the heavy cream and cheese together over medium-low heat until the cheese is melted. Do not boil, and it should have a rich, creamy texture.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander, and if they are too wet, let them dry over low heat until completely dry before continuing with the recipe.
- While still warm, press them through a potato ricer into a large bowl.
- Add the softened roasted garlic cloves to the potatoes, then slowly fold in the butter, salt, white pepper, and heated cream. Gently fold each ingredient into the potato mixture.
- Swirl into a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved roasted garlic.
Giangi Pro Tips
- I recommend using a potato ricer, as it makes the potatoes fluffier. If you do not have one, you can use a potato masher instead. Do not over-mash the potatoes; separate them with a fork to fluff them up.
- If your potatoes are too wet, meaning they hold too much water, place them back in the cooking pan over medium-low heat and let the heat draw out all the moisture. You can also put them on a cookie sheet and warm them in a preheated oven for a few minutes if that is more convenient.
- Using parchment paper when roasting garlic prevents it from sticking to the pan and helps keep some of it from sticking.
What dishes pair well with these roasted garlic mashed potatoes?
If I had my way, I would make sure I had potatoes with every meal, and my favorite combination is to serve them alongside stuffed pork tenderloin, or individual meatloaf.
Storing and Reheating
Store: Once your potatoes are cool, place your leftovers in an airtight container and place in your fridge for up to two days.
Reheat: Place the potatoes, uncovered, in a preheated oven at 325 F until the center is hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you add garlic to mashed potatoes?
Yes, absolutely, you can add garlic to mashed potatoes. When roasted or infused into your milk or cream while warming it, it adds a fantastic flavor to your potatoes.
What does roasted garlic go well with?
With its sweet, mellow flavor, roasted garlic pairs well with a range of dishes, including exceptionally creamy mashed potatoes, yogurt dips, quiches, and bruschetta. Add it to your meatloaf or vinaigrette sauce if you wish. The sky is the limit.
What is a common mistake when making mashed potatoes?
One of the biggest mistakes is overworking or overmixing them, as this releases too much starch and makes them gluey rather than fluffy. I do not recommend using a blender, electric mixer, or food processor. Another mistake is using cold dairy, such as milk or butter, or failing to salt the cooking water.
If you enjoy this roasted garlic mashed potatoes recipe, you may want to try my other recipes.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 head of garlic
- 6 potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1½ cup heavy cream
- 7 ounce unsalted butter, at room temperature, add more if dry
- 8 ounce double cream French Brie cheese
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 tablespoons salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Pour olive oil into a 9-inch pan. Cut the garlic heads in half crosswise through the cloves and lay the cut sides down in the pan. Bake uncovered for about 35 minutes until the garlic is golden brown on the bottom. Slip a thin spatula under the garlic to release it from the pan.
- Reserve 1 or 2 half heads of garlic, pluck or squeeze cloves from the remaining garlic.
- Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with water by 2 inches, and add one tablespoon of the salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Warm the heavy cream and cheese together over medium-low heat until the cheese is melted. Do not boil.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander, and if they are too wet, over low heat, let them dry completely.
- While still warm, press the potatoes through a ricer into a large bowl.
- Add the garlic cloves to the potatoes, then slowly fold in the butter, salt, white pepper, and heated cream. Mix well to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Swirl into a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved roasted garlic
- To reheat, place the potatoes, uncovered, in a preheated oven at 325°F until the center is hot.
Notes
- I recommend using a potato ricer, as it makes the potatoes fluffier. If you do not have one, you can use a potato masher instead. Do not over-mash the potatoes; separate them with a fork to fluff them up.
- If your potatoes are too wet, meaning they hold too much water, place them back in the cooking pan over medium-low heat and let the heat draw out all the moisture. You can also place them on a cookie sheet and warm them in a preheated oven for a few minutes if that is more convenient.
- Using parchment paper when roasting garlic prevents it from sticking to the pan and helps prevent some of the garlic from sticking.
Nutrition
Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
Did you make this?
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