A 5 lb. sack of potatoes feeds at least eight and still costs less than a latte. And who doesn’t love them mashed? Here, we give them the sour cream-and-onion treatment, with onion powder doing the heavy lifting, more effectively and accurately delivering on the promised potato chip flavor than a fresh onion might. Dairy is introduced in no fewer than three forms—heavy cream, sour cream, and butter, of course—and frankly, the little extra extravagance is worth it. And while we like some mashes with Yukon Golds, for this recipe, we say stick with russets.
For more highly craveable recipes that’ll help save you some $$$ along the way, check out Shilpa’s monthly column, What a Steal.
What you’ll need
Large Pot
$65 $52 At Amazon
Colander
$13 At Amazon
Potato Masher
$17 $15 At Amazon
Small Saucepan
$160 At Amazon
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Place 5 lb. russet potatoes, peeled, cut into quarters, in a large pot and pour in cold water to cover by 1". Add 1 Tbsp. onion powder and enough kosher salt to make water taste briny like the ocean. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer (do not boil!) until potatoes are tender but not crumbly, 30–35 minutes (a tester or skewer inserted into centers should meet with very little resistance). Drain potatoes; return to warm pot. Let sit off heat, uncovered, to allow excess liquid to steam off while you heat cream mixture.
Step 2
Bring 1 cup heavy cream, 2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 2 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and remaining 2 tsp. onion powder to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium, stirring to dissolve salt, about 5 minutes.
Step 3
Using a potato masher, smash hot potatoes until smooth (you can also pass through a ricer or food mill into a large bowl if you prefer, then transfer back to pot). Add cream mixture; mix vigorously to combine. Add one 16-oz. container sour cream and 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, and mix again to combine (return pot to low heat if needed). Season with more salt if needed. Stir in 6 scallions (about 1 bunch), dark green parts only, thinly sliced.
Step 4
Transfer mashed potatoes to a large bowl and top with a pat of unsalted butter and remaining 6 scallions (about 1 bunch), dark green parts only, thinly sliced.
