The BEST Healthy Mashed Potato Recipe (2024)

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These Healthy Mashed Potatoes are lighter than traditional mashed potatoes, yet still packed with flavor! Perfectly seasoned, it’s an easy side dish that’s made for hectic weeknights or holiday dinners. Whip these up in the instant pot or stovetop.

The BEST Healthy Mashed Potato Recipe (1)

Fluffy, creamy, and delicious, these Healthy Mashed Potatoes pack a lot of flavor without all that butter and cream! Once you try these skinny mashed potatoes, you won’t go back. This classic potato side dish is light and satisfying and so easy to make. It pairs so well with steaks, turkey, roasted chicken, and makes a perfect addition to your dinner table without packing on the calories.

Table of Contents

Looking for other delicious sides? Why not also try my Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes and my Easy Tuscan Stuffed Mushrooms!

why you’ll love these healthy mashed potatoes

  • Skinny mashed potatoes. This recipe uses Greek yogurt or light sour cream and skim-milk to give the mash a creamy texture without heaping on the calories.
  • Garlic mashed potatoes. And not just garlic! The mash is also seasoned with onion powder, salt, pepper, and herbs.
  • Instant pot mashed potatoes. You can whip this up in no time! Either on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. Simple delicious!
The BEST Healthy Mashed Potato Recipe (2)

ingredients you’ll need

These are just a list of ingredients you need to get to make this healthy mashed potato recipe. For full measurements scroll further down below.

  • Potatoes
  • Greek Yogurt or Light Sour Cream
  • Skim Milk
  • Seasoning: salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder.
  • Herbs: parsley, chives.

Making your mashed potatoes

How to make mashed potatoes on your stovetop

  • Cook the potatoes – Place peeled chunks of potato into a large pot of water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 mins.
  • Mash – Drain the pot, add the remaining ingredients to the potato chunks then, using a masher, mas until smooth.

How to make mashed potatoes in an instant pot

  • Cook the potatoes – Place the peeled chunks of potato in your Instant Pot and add two cups of water. Set to for 10 mins on high.
  • Mash – Drain the pot, add the remaining ingredients then, using a masher, mash until smooth.
The BEST Healthy Mashed Potato Recipe (3)
The BEST Healthy Mashed Potato Recipe (4)

recipe notes and tips

  • To ensure evenly cooked potatoes, be sure to cut them in similar size cubes. Smaller cubes mean less cooking time.
  • Season your water well. Adding a good amount of salt to the potatoes as they boil means not as much salt will be needed once you mash.
  • Make sure to drain the potatoes well, this will give you creamy mash that’s not watery.
  • You can mix different potatoes for a twist on the texture.
  • For the extra smooth mash, warm the milk before mixing it with the potatoes. These allow the milk to be absorbed better, giving you smooth mashed potatoes.
  • Invest in a ricer for restaurant-quality mash. Running the potatoes through a ricer before mashing will give you that velvety smooth consistency!
  • Top with herbs and chopped green onion.
The BEST Healthy Mashed Potato Recipe (5)

Faq’s

What are the best potatoes to use?

Starchy varieties likeRussetorYukon Goldmake for the creamiest, fluffiest, and most flavorful Healthy Mashed Potatoes. The more waxy kind – like red or white potatoes – will take you longer to mash them and the taste will not be the same.

Do I have to peel the potatoes?

If you want a lovely smooth and velvety consistency, then yes, it’s best to peel the potatoes.

Can I make these healthy Mashed Potatoes ahead of time?

Mashed potatoes are best served fresh, their consistency can change if left out and needed to be reheated.
If you want to save some time, peel and chop your potatoes in advance. Then cover with cold water in a pot, for up to 24 hours. All you have to do is then boil and mash. Perfect if you need to be more time-efficient come the holidays!

How to make these Healthy Mashed Potatoes even healthier

Want to sneak in some more veggies but keep that lovely consistency and flavor? No problem! Mix in some boiled cauliflower to the mash, it’ll take on the seasonings and blend really well.

The BEST Healthy Mashed Potato Recipe (6)

other healthy side dishes

  • Oven-Roasted Butternut Squash
  • Baked Greek Fingerling Potatoes
  • Creamy Garlic Parmesan Brussel Sprouts
  • Garlic Parmesan Baked Potato Wedges
  • Cucumber and Tomato Salad
  • Greek Lemon Potato Bake
  • Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
  • Easy Tuscan Stuffed Mushrooms
The BEST Healthy Mashed Potato Recipe (7)

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The BEST Healthy Mashed Potato Recipe (8)

Healthy Mashed Potatoes

These Healthy Mashed Potatoes are lighter than traditional mashed potatoes, yet still packed with flavor!

5 from 18 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 – 8 servings

Calories: 190kcal

Author: Rena

Ingredients

  • 5-6 medium Russet or Yukon gold potatoes about 3 lb
  • 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or light sour cream
  • 1/2-2/3 cup skim milk or as needed to reach your desired consistency
  • 1/2 tsp seasoning kosher salt or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp ground pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp dried chives
  • 1/8 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/8 tsp onion powder
  • To garnish: fresh chives fresh thyme

Instructions

STOVETOP:

  • Peel and chop the potatoes into big chunks. Place them into a large soup pot and cover with water.

  • Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are for tender, about 15 minutes.

  • Carefully drain the potatoes, keeping them in the same pot. Add in the remaining ingredients.

  • Using a potato masher, mash until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

INSTANTPOT:

  • Peel and chop the potatoes into big chunks. Place them into your instantpot and add in 2 cups of water.

  • Place the lid on and set the timer for 10 minutes on HIGH. Once the time is up, quick release the steam.

  • Drain the liquid, keeping the potatoes into the same pot. Add in the remaining ingredients.

  • Using a potato masher, mash until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Notes

  • To ensure evenly cooked potatoes, be sure to cut them in similar size cubes. Smaller cubes mean less cooking time.
  • Season your water well. Adding a good amount of salt to the potatoes as they boil means not as much salt will be needed once you mash.
  • Make sure to drain the potatoes well, this will give you creamy mash that’s not watery.
  • You can mix different potatoes for a twist on the texture.
  • For the extra smooth mash, warm the milk before mixing it with the potatoes. These allow the milk to be absorbed better, giving you smooth mashed potatoes.
  • Invest in a ricer for restaurant-quality mash. Running the potatoes through a ricer before mashing will give you that velvety smooth consistency!
  • Top with herbs and chopped green onion.

Nutrition

Calories: 190kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 221mg | Potassium: 1014mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 322IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @HealthyFitnessMeals or tag #HealthyFitnessMeals!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mary says

    Hi, do you think these would keep for a couple of hours in a slow cooker?

    Reply

    • Rena Awada says

      Yes. They should

      Reply

  2. MEREDITH says

    Can you use blended cottage cheese instead of Greek yogurt or sour cream? My family doesn’t like the tang of the yogurt. Thank you

    Reply

    • Rena Awada says

      Yes. You definitely can

      Reply

  3. Kelsey says

    The BEST Healthy Mashed Potato Recipe (12)
    I am not a Cook, but I tried this recipe tonight with my family since we are trying to eat healthier. We all LOVED it. Very delicious! It did not even need gravy to taste better. It was great by itself!

    Reply

    • Rena Awada says

      Perfect. Glad you liked it

      Reply

  4. Suzanne Cook says

    I like the idea of “lightening up” the calories in mashed potatoes, but strongly disagree with which potatoes are best for mashed. I’ve been cooking for 50 years. Red potatoes are best. No contest. The others are best saved for baking.

    Reply

    • Rena says

      Thanks for the tip Suzanne.

      Reply

  5. Latusha says

    Hi I’m having a hard time reading the clean eating challenge could you please email me this list at latishaedwards34@gmail.com
    And thx in advance…

    Reply

    • Rena says

      Hi. Which clean eating challenges?

      Reply

  6. Arynn Austin says

    Hi can you tell me the serving size? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Rena says

      Hi there. one cup.

      Reply

Leave A Reply

The BEST Healthy Mashed Potato Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can mash potatoes be healthy? ›

With popular diets like Ketogenic, carbs and starchy foods like potatoes have been deemed unhealthy. However, just like most food groups, mashed potatoes can be healthy if eaten in moderation, and depending on how they are cooked.

What is a healthy substitute for cream in mashed potatoes? ›

Can I substitute the heavy cream in mashed potatoes? Short answer: Yes. Recommended substitutes: Whole milk, evaporated milk, coconut milk, onion cream. Caveats: Dairy is a free-for-all in mashed potato recipes.

How to cook potatoes healthiest? ›

Some of the smartest cooking methods for potatoes include baking, roasting, air-frying and boiling. These methods require little to no added fats. It's important to leave the skin on potatoes, if possible.

What should you avoid when making mashed potatoes? ›

The 7 Biggest Mistakes You Make With Mashed Potatoes
  1. You Don't Wash Potatoes First. ...
  2. You Use Just One Type of Potato. ...
  3. You Don't Season the Water. ...
  4. You Add Potato Pieces to Boiling Water. ...
  5. You Use the Wrong Gadget to Mash the Potatoes. ...
  6. You Only Use Butter. ...
  7. You Make the Potatoes Too Soon.
Jun 15, 2021

Can we eat mashed potatoes for weight loss? ›

Do Potatoes Hinder Weight Loss? If you generally follow a healthy diet and stay away from excessive consumption of junk foods, consuming potatoes may not lead to weight gain. In fact, potatoes- both white and sweet potatoes- may help you in weight loss because they have a rich nutritional profile.

Is it better to use milk or heavy cream in mashed potatoes? ›

As always, better quality ingredients equals better tasting food. Heavy Cream - While you, hypothetically, could use whole milk or something, I don't recommend it. Part of what makes these the creamiest mashed potatoes is the CREAM!

What can you use for mashed potatoes instead of butter? ›

That's the beauty of extra virgin olive oil, it can so easily take the place of butter with no ill effects, and in fact I'd argue it makes these potatoes even butterier than if they were made with butter, if that's even possible.

What's healthier than mashed potatoes? ›

Swapping to a lower GI option should also make you feel less inclined towards winter hibernation and that post-Sunday lunch snooze.
  • Sweet potato and swede mash. ...
  • Cauliflower mash. ...
  • Carrot and ginger mash. ...
  • Butter bean mash. ...
  • Pea and mint mash. ...
  • Other vegetable mash.
Feb 9, 2023

Why do restaurant mashed potatoes taste better? ›

Instead of regular milk, pro chefs generally use a generous helping of buttermilk and plenty of half-and-half or (even better) heavy cream in their potatoes. If you think the bartenders up front are pouring heavy, they've got nothing on the cooks in the back who are in charge of the mashed potatoes.

What does Rachael Ray use to mash potatoes? ›

Mash potatoes with half-and-half or milk using a potato masher. Add in the cream cheese and smash until the cheese melts into the potatoes. Add chives or scallions. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

Why put a raw egg in mashed potatoes? ›

Adding egg yolks to a pot of mashed potatoes is an easy, dairy-free texture and taste upgrade that doesn't require any special techniques. The yolks harbor all the flavorful fats and emulsifying components and will thus effectively unify the fat and water in potatoes, translating to a smoother, uniformly creamy pot.

What is the healthiest potato option? ›

The Healthiest Potato is the Red Potato

After taking into account the mineral density, the vitamin density, the macronutrient balance, the sugar-to-fiber ratio, the sodium-to-potassium ratio, and the phytochemical profile, red potatoes are the healthiest potato with data from the USDA Food Database.

What is the 3 day potato diet? ›

Rule 1: Eat only plain, cooked potatoes for three to five days. Rule 2: Consume around two to five pounds of potatoes per day. Rule 3: No other foods including condiments and toppings, such as ketchup, butter, sour cream and cheese are allowed. Rule 4: Some salt is okay, but try to limit it.

What is the healthiest way to eat eggs? ›

If you're trying to cut back on calories, choose poached or boiled eggs. These cooking methods don't add any extra fat calories, so the meal will be lower in calories than fried or scrambled eggs or an omelet.

Are mashed potatoes gut healthy? ›

Like soluble fiber, the resistant starch in potatoes acts as a prebiotic, compounds that are helpful to the bacteria in your gut. Like insoluble fiber, it can prevent or treat constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.

Are mashed potatoes a bad carb? ›

They're also chock full of starch, which is a carbohydrate. But even though a potato is considered a complex “healthy” carb, your body digests these carbs faster than other kinds of complex carbs. These broken-down carbs flood your blood with sugar. This makes your blood sugar spike quickly.

Is mashed potatoes healthier than rice? ›

Overall, potatoes contain more vitamins and nutrients than rice. And if given the choice between rice or potatoes, 9 times out of 10, we would certainly go with potatoes simply because they are more versatile and can be made in many different ways.

Is mash healthier than fries? ›

One-half cup of mashed potatoes with milk and butter contains about 110 calories and 4 ounces (a medium order) of French fries has close to 400 calories.

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