So this may seem odd, given my great and well-documented love for Southern comfort food, but I’m not usually the biggest fan of mashed potatoes. To me they’re like the vanilla extract of side dishes — potentially delicious, but usually in need of a partner.
When I was a kid, my dad used to drive me to KFC as a treat once in awhile after piano lessons or swim practices. Man, I got all up in that meal. Two piece meal, all legs, Original, mashed potatoes and coleslaw, please, thank you. But I’m pretty sure I spent half my time (after tearing into those Original chicken legs like a starved shipwreck survivor) trying to figure out how to make those mashed potatoes more palatable. Leftover fried chicken bits mixed in? Spread thick on a biscuit? With … the coleslaw? (I wish I could say I didn’t try that, but I did. … And I liked it.) However you slice it, the mashed potatoes were the one thing on that plate I didn’t devour with single-minded ferocity.
I realize I’m making it sound like I was very into my KFC experience. I was. I was very into KFC.
Anyway. I’ve come to realize that making mashed potatoes from scratch does a thing or two or trillion for them. But a few months ago, I came across these glorious-looking roasted garlic smashed potatoes on The Baker Chick, and that was a real game-changer.
First, this salt potato thing is genius. Boil the potatoes in well-salted water, pasta-style, and the result is a flavorful skin and a creamier potato. Smash it all up with butter and milk, leaving the skins because you’re lazy because they’re nutritious and have fiber and such. Then, add to that a couple of cloves of golden fried garlic. (That should have been one awesome head of roasted garlic, but I got impatient.) Finally, throw in one pan of sage leaves crisped up in brown butter? It turns out mashed potatoes can do the damn thing all on their own after all.
Mashed potatoes with sage brown butter.
- Yield: 6-8 servings (about 4 cups mashed). Easily halved. 1x
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Yukon potatoes
- about 1/2 cup salt for boiling
- 1/2 stick (2 oz, or 4 tbsp) butter
- 4–5 sage leaves
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- oil for frying
- 2 oz cream cheese, creme fraiche, or sour cream (optional but delicious)
- about 1/4 cup whole milk or cream, or enough to reach desired consistency
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash potatoes with a bristle brush or stiff sponge to clean them. Combine 6-8 cups of water, 1/2 cup salt, and potatoes in a large pot and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium-high heat for about 15-20 minutes, or until a fork inserted into the potato slides easily through the entire potato.
- While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the sage leaves and let cook until leaves are crisp and the butter has both turned a rich brown and given off a nutty aroma. Pour into a bowl, leaves and all, and set aside.
- Add a bit more oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute until the garlic crisps and turns golden. Turn off the heat, remove the pan from heat and set aside.
- When potatoes are ready, drain them, rinse the pot, and add potatoes back to the pot. Placing the pot over very low heat, mash the potatoes with a potato masher or, if you’re like me and have problems acquiring new kitchen tools, a large fork. Mashing them over low heat will allow extra moisture to escape (says The Pioneer Woman). (Note: For fluffier, lighter potatoes, press the potatoes through a potato ricer or food mill.)
- Add most of the brown butter to the potatoes, reserving the sage leaves and a bit of butter for topping (if desired). Add the cream cheese, and half the minced garlic (reserving the rest for topping) and stir gently until incorporated.
- Pour in milk, a few tablespoons at a time, stirring gently until the potatoes reach your desired consistency. I like them a bit sturdier, so I don’t add too much milk. Take care not to overmash, or the potatoes will turn gummy.
- Season with black pepper to taste and salt, if needed. Top with remaining brown butter, sage leaves, and minced garlic. Serve!
Notes
If you’re using roasted garlic, you may want to omit the brown butter and sage and go with regular butter instead, as all three may be a bit overwhelming together.
Erika
This is seriously speaking to me… I mean that 2 piece leg meal..Hello.. I need these mashed potatoes on a biscuit with crispy fried chicken pieces mixed in.. Ah-mazing!
tworedbowls
HAHA!! I could use some KFC right now too girl. (At 8:28 AM.) Thank you, Erika! <3
molly yeh
lady, i hear you with the childhood kfc experiences. ALL UP IN THAT! only i was more of a two piece chicken tender girl with a biscuit and mac and cheese!!! oh hell ya.
i think in one of jeffrey steingarten’s books he has an entire chapter on the perfect mashed potatoes.
i love your use of sage in this, and those photos, GORGEOUS!
tworedbowls
OK, I just read Jeffrey Steingarten’s life story and he might be my idol. Lawyer turned food critic? Someone tell me how that’s done, thanks. And also, KFC MAC & CHEESE? I need to diversify my fried chix experience.
Thank you, friend! <3
cheri
I love potatoes, I really do and this looks amazing!
tworedbowls
Thank you so much, Cheri! 🙂
sarah
looks soo good! wonderful pictures too! 🙂
tworedbowls
Thank you so much!!! <3
Lan | morestomach
i haven’t had KFC in years, and man, i loved their coleslaw. i’m whatever about mashed potatoes, but methinks the addition of garlic and sage brown butter takes it to the next level. like you, i’m fine with using a fork to mash my taters but dw loves his ricer and likes to bust it out whenever we need to mash something.
tworedbowls
Oh my lord I LOVED their coleslaw too! High five on the coleslaw and whatever-potatoes-mashed-with-a-fork. A potato ricer and/or a masher have been on my list of things to buy for forever, but … alas.
sweetlab
This looks amazing! I also feel the same way of mash potatoes and vanilla extract! I appreciate their potential when they are accompanied by other components, but not on their own so much. This version of mash potatoes seem to be great just on their own though!
tworedbowls
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who feels that way! This was definitely the first time I felt totally content going to town on mashed potatoes all by themselves … it was strange and novel, but awesome. haha. 😉 Thank you so much, Vane! 🙂
thelittleloaf
Haha, you know I don’t think I’ve ever eaten KFC – my Dad once took us into McDonalds, sat down and waited for a menu. So embarrassing at the time, but kind of charming that he had no idea about fast food.
I LOVE brown butter in mashed potatoes and can imagine the sage works so wonderfully too. Yum.
tworedbowls
Hahaha I am so touched by this, Kate!!! Charming indeed. I have a soft spot in my heart for dad goofs, however silly they may be. Thanks for your kind words 🙂
erika
Cynthia, your photos are insaneeeee. I’ve never not been a fan of mashed potatoes (thanks to my dad probably loading them up with butter + cream during my childhood) but these take things to a whole other level!! Have you ever tried miso mashed potatoes? I tried them for this first time this past Thanksgiving and they were excellent!
tworedbowls
MISO MASHED POTATOES.
ERIKA. omg omg omg omg. OMG. I can’t even think about anything else anymore. This just blew my mind. A friend of mine just put miso into her Kraft mac & cheese last week, actually, which also blew my mind. Miso in everything!! And, also, thank you as always for your wonderfully sweet words <3
erika
Haha I know! ^ that’s how I’m feeling these days. I saw a a recipe on Food52 I think for miso ganache!!
Sini | my blue&white kitchen
I really do like mashed potatoes but usually go the “regular” (meaning boring?) route of “Boil potatoes, peel, mash, some milk, a piece of butter, a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mash, mash, mash. Done. Call it a dinner.” BUT I totally love your version of mashed potatoes, Cynthia! Leaving the skins on – I’ll try that next time! Sage & brown butter? Oooh, that sounds lovely. Thank you for sharing!!
tworedbowls
Classic, perhaps, but not boring in the least! My mom calls me an “undertaster” because I can never be satisfied with wholesome foods that are otherwise perfectly delicious on their own 😉 Thanks for your kind words, Sini!
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health
im not much of a mashed potato version but you had me at brown butter and sage, such a delicious combination.
tworedbowls
Right? It’s a new favorite of mine!
Jane Y.
i love food blogs that share recipes as well as stories. the stories are so so great! love this one about kfc! 🙂
tworedbowls
hahaha I’m so glad you think so, Jane! I was actually a teensy bit self-conscious when this went up, so that makes my day. <3 Hope you and the gang are doing splendidly.
Jo Blogs
Lol brilliant post! Now, I’ve had KFC in the States and was shocked at how different in taste it was to the UK version but should you wish to recreate a bit of homemade KFC action, then check my blog out for it – I have the “secret” recipe and it is by a country mile, the most popular post I’ve ever written! As for the mash, it does look absolutely delicious. I’m not a mash gal really – Hungry Hubby likes it relatively plain whereas I do like to mix it up with extra add ins 🙂
tworedbowls
Ooooooh, I’m so excited to check it out!!! Homemade KFC, now that’s dangerous… Thanks for sharing, Jo 🙂
Pang
can’t get any better than this… and OMG!!! I love that you share your KFC experience 🙂
tworedbowls
HAhaha, thank you, Pang! (Also, I just now found your lovely blog, and so happy I did!) I’m tickled but, in retrospect, perhaps not surprised that my KFC obsession didn’t turn out to be as odd as I expected. 😉
Pang
What KFC obsession?!? Doesn’t everyone love KFC. 🙂
And Thank you SO SO MUCH for visiting my blog 🙂
Michelle @ Hummingbird High
OMG. Now I want KFC. And THESE mashed potatoes. It’s only 9:30 AM. Damn you!
tworedbowls
HAhaha! It was all part of my plan to get back at you for making me crave malasadas and chocolate creme fraiche cake and — omg, I just saw this sundae pie. OMG.
Well played, Michelle. You win this time.
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough
Not going to lie, I love mashed potatoes so much I sometimes eat them as a meal. I know. This version is going to happen next time I do that because brown butter. 🙂
tworedbowls
Hahaha I’m so glad you said that … because this was definitely our meal. (Also, “because brown butter” deserves to be a life motto.)
Lindsey (dolly and oatmeal)
this is what i grew up on! my mom ALWAYS left the skins on, probably because she didn’t have time to take them off, but totally told me and my brother how good the skins were for us – plus, i remember loving the variety of texture it gave them! yes, lots of butter, some milk, and then she would throw in garlic powder, so if ever you find yourself in a pinch…anywho, brown butter sage sounds like the perfect compliment to these guys 🙂
and girl, these photos are beauts! you totally upped the game here, cynthia! xo
tworedbowls
Hahaha, your mom sounds like my kinda lady. (Especially gifting you things like that tea towel!) And <3 thank you for the kind words, Lindsey!
Nancy @ gottagetbaked
Your photos are such a pleasure to look at, Cynthia. I’ll never get tired of staring at them! I just made mashed potatoes last night. I love them so much! Garlic mashed potatoes are even better but the best? The best would be the addition of sage brown butter! Damn that sounds good! I never heard of the salt water thing for boiling potatoes. I can’t wait to try that trick! And giiiiirrrrl, I used to go to KFC every week for Toonie Tuesday (our two dollar coins are called Toonies in Canada. Don’t laugh). I freaking love KFC. My fave was their potato salad. You should’ve gotten than instead of their mashed potatoes (which were also gross ‘n bland, in my opinion). You didn’t miss anything by not eating them.
tworedbowls
Dude, Molly was talking about their mac & cheese and now you’re on their potato salad — begs the question, why didn’t I ever order anything else??? I thought children were supposed to be more imaginative. lol. 😉 (Also, I kind of love “Toonie Tuesday.” I want two dollar coins, and I want to call them Toonies.) Thank you so much for your lovely comments as always, dear friend! <3
Stephanie
True story: My friend and I joined the gym back in like 8th grade (because we thought we were so cool?) and munched on Sun Chips in between sets (because they had a vending machine with all sorts of junk food so why not? at the gym even.) and then when we were finished “working out” we’d head next door to KFC to eat. lol. So yes, I know all too well the satisfaction of ingesting KFC on all too many occasions. I would always get the 2-piece dark meat meal with coleslaw and corn on the cob. I have to admit, their coleslaw used to be really, /really/ good and when I went last time (which was about 2 years ago maybe?) it was really watered down and the consistency changed. The chicken was sorta gross too and I kinda gave up on KFC on that point. But like I mentioned on Twitter, I could never give up Jack in the Box. Thank GOD I moved to Michigan where they don’t have Jack in the Box because I’d be a fat hog this day. I used to eat like 10 tacos (10!!!) for lunch sometimes after school. Seriously what’s up with that crazy metabolism we used to have back in the day. I want it back.
tworedbowls
What?! The coleslaw has changed?! But. but. KFC coleslaw. :'( Heartbreaking. I think the last time I had it was over two years ago now … (a fact that in and of itself is heartbreaking!) But also, died at your stories. Tooooo funny. I also can’t believe we ever ate what we ate … like now I have one small bag of potato chips and I actually feel ill? I thought you could eat as many potato chips as you wanted and never feel full. I thought that was a fact of life. W. t. f. Lol. 😉 Thanks for this hilarious comment, Steph!!
Cate @ Chez CateyLou
There is nothing boring about these mashed potatoes! Sage and brown butter are so amazing tasting! And hey, no judgement about the cole slaw and mashed potatoes! Sounds kind of good…:)
tworedbowls
HAHAHA YES! I knew there’d be someone out there who just .. gets me. 😉 Thank you, Cate!
Jessica (Coco/Mingo)
Garlic mashed potatoes are definitely one of my favorite things!! …hmmm now my mouth is watering thinking about adding the sage to it! Oh man, those days when i was a kid and actually ate KFC too!! It was my family’s designated picnic food – we’d get a bucket of KFC and make spam musubi’s and go to the park or beach for a picnic. Oh, the good ol’ days! haha! Also, I need to try adding the salt in while boiling…good tip! My brother made the worse mashed potatoes for this past Thanksgiving…he likes it creamy so he beat them even though I told him that was a big mistake. YEAH. It turned out SO gummy. LOL! I’ll send him this recipe so he can follow this one next time. haha! Hope you’re having a great week, love!!
tworedbowls
KFC AND musubis?! Jessica! Can I be in your family? Hahaha. Also I died at beating the mashed potatoes — how do you even do that? With like ..an electric beater? Wow. Well, he gets points for vigor. 😉 Hope you’re having a great week too, lovely!
Sarah @ The Woks of Life
oh man, what I wouldn’t do for a bucket of fried chicken and a bowl of these mashed potatoes right NOW. I think that this entire city sees eye to eye with you on your nostalgic love of KFC (read: they’re everywhere). I might just have to pay a visit to the Colonel myself at some point…
tworedbowls
Oh my gosh I hadn’t even thought of Chinese KFCs!!! They take it to a WHOLE different level girl. Chinese KFC is crazy good. Eat an extra piece of chicken for me if you go 😉
Sarah @ The Woks of Life
hahaha will do. I know! At Chinese KFC you can get you tiao with your 2 piece dark. It’s pretty sweet.
Erin
I properly fell in love with mashed potatoes when we moved to England, and I couldn’t figure out why they were so good until we moved back to Canada. It’s the potatoes. They have these great floury potatoes that mash up into dreamy fluffiness with no effort, they’re called Maris Pipers. But I’ve yet to find a potato that works as well mashed as a Maris Piper over here. It drives me crazy. But brown butter and sage may fix that problem.
tworedbowls
Oh my gosh, that sounds incredible! Maybe that’s why mashed potatoes can play so many roles in English cuisine? I don’t remember ever having mashed potatoes when I was there, but if I ever find myself back in the UK I’ll have to save some room in my tummy for a Maris Piper or two. 🙂
Haruka
Garlic in mashed taters is a MUST! I got odd looks left and right when I casually threw some cloves into the pot one Thanksgiving — I just said, “It’s like having cereal without the milk. How could you NOT put garlic in your mashed potatoes?!”
Thoroughly enjoyed your well-documented obsession with KFC, lady! 😉
tworedbowls
Wait, what?! Odd looks at garlic in mashed potatoes?! Seriously, that’s like PB&J with no PB over here. Or an LT sandwich. 😉 I actually need to try properly roasting a head of garlic for mashed potatoes one of these days … I can only imagine how that takes it to the next level.
Hope you’re doing fantastically, my love!
emily
So here’s the deal: do like a 50% gravy, 50% potato thing so the potatoes kind become the gravy. From there, you dunk the chicken OR, if you’ve got the patience, you layer the chix and the gravtatoes on the biscuit and top the whole shebang with the honey “sauce” (yeah, WTF). Done and done. PS. These sage taters have my tastebuds in a fight over who gets to go first.
tworedbowls
HOLY SH*T, YOU JUST REMINDED ME ABOUT THE HONEY. How did I forget about the HONEY?! My post means nothing now, Emily. It’s been revealed as the hoax that it is. Why were we not friends as children, stuffing our faces with gravtatoes and bischicken? I coulda learned a thing or two from you.
emily
It’s not too late! We can still make that happen. Like, the next time you’re in CA? And maybe you can teach me how to take pretty pictures while you’re out here. 😉
tworedbowls
Um, DEAL! <3
Jessica's Dinner Party
Yummm! I actually like mashed potatoes, but a revamp is never a bad idea.
tworedbowls
More power to ya girl! I’m trying to be more like you and love them as they are 😉
Kathryn
I totally get what you mean about mashed potatoes – they’re okay but they’re totally an afterthought and used as a bland vehicle for other flavours. Love the idea of making them the star of the show though (+ bonus! I was reading about how good sage is for you only last night!)
tworedbowls
Sage is good for you?! I mean. Oh yeah, sage is so good for you. That’s why I used it … along with all this butter. 😉
Christina Warren
Oh your food is brilliant!
tworedbowls
You are so kind, Christina! Thank you so much. 🙂
tanaseaurica
hhhhmmmm, look so great, so apetising, one meal that you can’t refuse 😀
tworedbowls
Thanks so much! 🙂
trisha
this looks like just what the doctor ordered. I would love this with some sausages or even just with some peas! mmmm! great recipe thanks x
tworedbowls
Oh man, I could definitely go for some sausages with this! Next time … thanks so much for your kind words! 🙂
movita beaucoup
Whenever asked what food I’d bring to a desert island, I always say potatoes. Mashed if possible. BECAUSE POTATOES ROCK. I wonder if I’d be allowed to pack some sage brown butter?
tworedbowls
Let’s just hope that we’ll be desert island neighbors. You pack the taters, I’ll pack the sage and butter. Pretty sure we can brown that shiz on some beach rocks.
Laura (Blogging Over Thyme
I’ve always had a weird infatuation for mashed potatoes! But this version totally takes it to the next level. Wow!
tworedbowls
For some reason, I always assumed that mashed potatoes were hard to make! True story, we used the dried flakes kind at our Chinese Thanksgivings for so many years before I finally learned how to make them myself not too long ago — hahaha. And now I’m pretty similarly infatuated! So many possibilities. Thanks for the kind words, Laura 🙂
Lucy
Yeah, I’m pretty sure this dish would be the centerpiece of my final supper. (My spirit vegetable is the potato.) This recipe looks insanely delicious! And that sage…
Have you every bought potatoes from the Union Square Greenmarket? I can’t remember the name of the farm I used to buy them from, but the stand I’m thinking of has 10+ varieties of local potatoes. You know, in case you ever need 10+ kinds of multi-colored potatoes.
tworedbowls
Oh my gosh, that’s quite the compliment! (Also, LOL spirit vegetable I love it.) And re: Union Square Greenmarket, I haven’t!!! But now that you say that, I’m kind of freaking out. Do you recall off the top of your head if they had ube or Okinawan sweet potato? (Be warned that if you answer yes, you will hear my shriek of excitement all the way from here to wherever you are, and it won’t be cute.)
Lucy
I don’t recall that farm having ubes or okinawans, but it’s worth checking up on! Do you often cook with it?
The-broken-bread
I don’t even have words… This looks amazing!! Great pictures too!!
tworedbowls
Aww, thank you so much, Kristan! That means a lot, since I’ve just spent an inordinate amount of working time staring and drooling over the delicious recipes on your blog. That bacon, brie and pear panini…
Shikha la mode
Brown butter is my JAM. I usually make a couple pounds of it and just keep it in the fridge so I can whip it out when I need to for cookies, pasta, and this amazing dish.
tworedbowls
Genius, Shikha!!! Thanks for the tip! (And I’ve been meaning to use brown butter in cookies! What’s taking me so long?)
Skye
I have only just discovered your blog and I love it! You’re photos are stunning and so many gorgeous, gorgeous recipes… Starting with this one! I completely agree – I can’t get excited about mash either, but the sage and the brown butter…oooh!
S
I adore mashed potatoes, but I usually make them myself, which means:
Taking a whole bunch of shallots and caramelizing them in (vegan, lactose-intolerant) butter and a bit of soy sauce on low heat, baking two bulbs of garlic after drizzling with olive oil, and smashing the whole thing into skin-on potatoes with some smoked paprika, a bit of cayenne, fresh pepper, and a spoon of coconut milk/more vegan butter (makes them sweet and a bit creamy).
I generally make my own mushroom gravy to go with this, but they’re great on their own topped with green onions. 🙂
S
Oh, and to the above: A bit of hemp milk helps to make sure they’re not dry, and by “smashing the whole thing”, I mean squeezing the baked garlic into the potatoes, not throwing the bulbs, skin and all, in, lol. 🙂