These rich, herby sour cream and chive mashed potatoes are the perfect accompaniment to any dinner that needs a little decadence.
Mashed potatoes have always been one of my favorite side dishes. Interestingly, I always grew up making them with a hand mixer. The “gluey” texture that people seem to hate never bothered me, but truthfully, I don’t think I’ve ever met a mashed potato I didn’t like. Even the confusingly tough-as-nails ball of mashed potatoes we’d get at school still tasted good to me.
These sour cream and chive mashed potatoes are a new favorite right now in my house. The chives are fragrant, the sour cream is tangy, and the potatoes are buttery and rich. Whether you serve these with a big steak or pork chop or break them out to accompany roast turkey, you’re going to love them.
I thought these sour cream and chive mashed potatoes worked perfectly with turkey. The bigger flavor of the potatoes pairs perfectly with simply roasted poultry.
How to make these sour cream and chive mashed potatoes:
These are really simple. You basically make mashed potatoes and just add sour cream, chives, plenty of butter, and just a little milk. I do add a few shakes of white pepper. I find the funkiness of white pepper pairs so nicely with the chives and sour cream. If you don’t have white pepper, just use black pepper.
What you need
- Potatoes: I use starchy Russet potatoes, but semi-waxy Yukon golds will also be good. Don’t use a waxy potato like red or fingerling.
- Butter: It’s just not mashed potatoes without butter, is it?
- Sour cream: I use sour cream instead of heavy cream.
- Chives: I use finely minced fresh chives, but you can use dry, though I don’t find the flavor quite as intense as fresh.
- White pepper: I love white pepper in my mashed potatoes. It’s got a little bit of funkiness that just works with potatoes.
- Milk: Use a few small splashes of whole milk to get the potatoes to your desired consistency.
How to make it
- Step 1: Boil the peeled and cubed potatoes until fork tender. Drain and add them back to the pot. Place the pot on the warm burner so the residual heat cooks off excess moisture.
- Step 2: Mix and mash! Add in your butter and sour cream and mash until smooth. Add a generous pinch of salt.
- Step 3: Finish it up! Add in the chives and white pepper, and continue mashing until it’s as smooth as you like. Work in splashes of milk as you finish mashing until the potatoes reach your desired consistency.
- Step 4: Serve the potatoes with a few extra minced chives on top, and you’re done!
I hope you enjoy these sour cream and chive mashed potatoes as much as I did! I really couldn’t get enough of them.
Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Large pot
- Colander
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Russet potatoes peeled, and cubed
- ½ cup butter, room temperature if possible (see note)
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh chives, divided
- Pinch of white pepper
- Whole milk
- Salt
Instructions
Cook the potatoes:
- Cover the cubed potatoes with cold water in a large pot and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes.
- Drain and return the potatoes to the pot on the warm burner, so the residual heat cooks off excess moisture. Let stand for 5–10 minutes.
Mash the potatoes:
- Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Add the butter and sour cream. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until smooth.
- Add the garlic powder, all but a pinch of minced chives, and a pinch of white pepper and use a spoon to stir it into the potatoes. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
- Add a few splashes of milk–mashing between additions–to help the potatoes reach your desired consistency. You may need just a tablespoon or a little more. It just depends on your preference.
- Taste and season once more.
To serve:
- Spoon the potatoes onto a serving platter and use the back of your spoon to smooth it out. Add the remaining pinch of minced chives on top. Enjoy!
