These mashed potatoes are perfect for lazy days! Made from scratch, in a microwave and in no time at all! They’re super creamy, fluffy and great for cold weather days.

On Thanksgiving day I called my mom to see what they were cooking up in my old home. Of course there were the classics like stuffing but my teenage brother’s also had some un-traditional requests like pork chops.

Maybe it runs in the genes of the “kids” in my family, but I like to mix things up too. I’m always adding in extra spices, steps and ingredients.

My mom however has always loved holiday cooking for the joy of seeing people gather together, not the cooking part itself.

Phone in one hand, whisk in another, I said “Mom, have you seen my new Roasted Apple Salad recipe on the blog?”

And she said “I love your recipes but there are so many ingredients. You know me, I like something simple.”

So these super quick mashed potatoes are for just that, SIMPLICITY! Or for the tired nights when you’re short on time. Or for those of you who want to cook more but need an easy start.

These are honestly as easy as it gets. There’s no wrestling with the potato peeler. No struggle to get those dull knives you’ve had forever (I’ve got a ton of these) to fight their way through raw potatoes. Just simple and tasty mashed potatoes!

Best kitchen tools for making these mashed potatoes

With 5 ingredient or less recipes, it’s less about relying on powerful spices and more about technique. And of course to have the most technical success you need to have kitchen tools that will work with you and not against you i.e. like the dull knives…

When making these microwave mashed potatoes, there are a couple kitchen tools that you absolutely need:

1. Rubber Spatula– A rubber spatula scrapes all of the mashed potato goodness from the bowl and on to your plate. You’re gonna want one of these!
   
2. Large, Sturdy Fork or a Potato Masher– No need to get super fancy here. A good fork or a cheap metal masher will do.
   
3. A BIG bowl– I usually use a glass bowl for mashing but I especially like resealable glass bowls. These Pyrex containers kept a week full of Thanksgiving leftovers tasty and secure this past week. I highly recommend them for mashing potatoes and saving leftovers.
   

Flavor variations for your mashed potatoes

These microwave mashed potatoes are simple and timeless. If you are like me and want to spice things up a little though, there are a few routes to take.

• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
  • If you grate a 1-2 cloves of raw garlic and stir them into the potatoes while you’re mashing, it’ll add a little extra zip!
• Sweet Potato Mash
  • In the recipe instructions (see below), you microwave 2 golden potatoes, however for the sweet potato version you’ll microwave 1 golden potato and 1 sweet potato. Follow the rest of the recipe steps as stated. Using a mix of potatoes makes it subtly orange and sweet. It still keeps that thick, creaminess that you get with the standard microwave mashed potatoes.
• Cheddar Scallion Mashed Potatoes
  • Think loaded baked potatoes here! At the mashing stage of the recipe, add in 1 chopped scallion and 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar. The cheese will get nice and melty from the warm potatoes  : ) If you’re feeling extra fancy, you can top it all off with some crispy bacon bits.

Eating balanced meals

Winter time in cold weather places is all about comfort food. Hearty and delicious of course, but it’s real stick to your ribs food. If you’re looking for a little bit more balance, I’d suggest pairing these microwave mashed potatoes with something lighter like:

• Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots with Spicy Lemon Dressing
• Sweet and Spicy Glazed Salmon

P.S. Check out How to eat more vegetables: A picky eater’s guide to learn how to sneak more veggies in your meals!

This way you get to eat this indulgent hug-in-a-bowl without feeling too weighed down.

Super Quick Microwave Mashed Potatoes

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These mashed potatoes are perfect for lazy days! Made from scratch, in a microwave and in no time at all! They’re super creamy, fluffy and great for cold weather days.

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Side Dish

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time10 minutes

Total Time15 minutes

Servings2

Ingredients

• 2 yukon gold potatoes Sometimes called golden potatoes or yellow potatoes; don’t substitute with a different type of potato
• 1 cup milk of your choice
• 3 tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Use a fork to pierce each potato about 10 times. Wrap each potato with a sheet of paper towel. Microwave on the baked potato setting until tender in the middle. Tip: On my microwave I usually have to do it twice on that setting. When you push the middle of the potato with your finger it should indent and feel soft; if it’s tough it needs to be microwaved a little more.
• Let the baked potatoes cool for five minutes. Microwave the milk for a minute and set aside.
• Make an X shaped slit with a knife at the ends of each potato. Use your fingers to peel off the skin. Discard the skin.
• Place the peeled potatoes in a bowl. Add in olive oil, warmed milk, salt and pepper. Use a fork or potato masher to mash the potatoes. I like to leave some potato chunks in there but if you like them smoother, just keep mashing! Add extra milk if you like your potatoes a little thinner. Enjoy!

Notes

• Start with 1/2 tsp of salt when seasoning, then taste. If it’s not salty enough add more salt in 1/4 tsp increments. If you happen to get too salty, just add an extra splash of milk.
• Don’t substitute with a different type of potato. An Idaho potato for example is starchier and won’t produce the same creaminess using this microwave method.
• You don’t have to remove the potato skin if you don’t want. These potatoes have really thin skin, so they are perfectly edible if you want this to be more rustic.

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