There is no need to peel your potatoes to make these delicious Red Skin Mashed Potatoes! These creamy, flavorful mashed red potatoes are kissed with garlic and insanely delicious! They make the perfect easy side dish for nearly any entree.

Love mashed potatoes? Don't forget about classic mashed potatoes, make-ahead mashed potato casserole, and hands-off crockpot mashed potatoes.

Red mashed potatoes in serving dish with parsley sprinkled over the potatoes with garlic cloves in background.

No-Peel Mashed Potatoes

The most tedious part of making mashed potatoes is peeling them. But when you use red-skinned potatoes there is absolutely no reason to remove the peel. The peels become soft and tender and fold easily into the potatoes, making mashed red potatoes the easiest way to make mashed potatoes.

Better yet, these mashed red potatoes come together using just 6 simple ingredients to deliver a super flavorful side dish perfect for the busiest of nights!

5 Key Ingredients

Ingredients for Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes labeled on counter.

Red Potatoes: This recipe is designed for red potatoes, which are must less starchy than russet potatoes. While any size works, larger red potatoes are often less expensive than baby red potatoes.
Cream/Milk: For the richest results, use heavy cream or half and half to thin the mashed potatoes. For lighter, yet still perfectly creamy red mashed potatoes, use milk of any fat percentage you like.
Butter: Unsalted butter is best so that you can control the level of salt in your mashed potatoes.
Garlic Powder: Garlic powder is the best choice, as it will season the potatoes without overpowering them, as raw, minced garlic would easily do.
Sour Cream: Use full-fat or reduced-fat, not fat-free sour cream, as fat-free sour cream does not have the same flavor or consistency.

How to Make Mashed Red Potatoes

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Cook the Potatoes in Heavily Salted Water. Just like when cooking pasta, it is crucial to heavily season the water with salt when boiling potatoes. Unlike cooking pasta, add the potatoes to the water before bringing it to a boil. This will ensure the potatoes cook evenly and are well seasoned thanks to the salt water.
Drain the potatoes well. After cooking the potatoes until they are fork-tender, you want to drain them in a colander. But don't stop there! Place the drained potatoes back into the hot pan and let them sit for a minute or two. This will help any excess water to evaporate and the flavor of the potatoes to intensify.
Use a potato masher. While red potatoes are much more forgiving than russet potatoes, don't be tempted to break out a mixer when making mashed potatoes, as that can give your potatoes a gummy texture.
Add sour cream. Sour cream is my secret to adding tang and creaminess to these red-skinned mashed potatoes and to help keep them super light and fluffy. It is optional but highly encouraged to turn good mashed potatoes into spectacular mashed potatoes.

Mashed red potatoes with skin in heavy-duty pan.

Serving Suggestions

From elegant dinners like Chicken Marsala or Pan-Seared Ribeye Steak to weeknight family favorites like Pizza Meatloaf or Homemade Rotisserie Chicken, these mashed red potatoes pair well with just about any entree.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

Refrigerate: Allow the red skin mashed potatoes to cool fully, Once cooled, transfer the potatoes to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Transfer the cooled mashed red potatoes to a freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Reheat: Defrost the mashed potatoes overnight in the refrigerator if needed. Reheat individual servings in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through. If needed, add a splash of milk or broth to loosen up the potatoes after reheating. For larger amounts, spread the potatoes in an oven-proof baking dish, stir in a little milk or cream, and cover the pan with foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until warm.

More Favorite Potato Recipes

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No-Peel Mashed Red Potatoes with Garlic

Made with red skin potatoes, these Mashed Red Potatoes are flavored with sour cream and garlic, to create an easy side dish that pairs well with endless entrees.

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 35

Servings:

Calories: 223kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

Instructions

Wash and scrub red potatoes well. Dice them into 1-inch cubes and place them into a heavy-bottomed large pot. Cover with cold tap water so that the potatoes are covered with about 1 inch of water. Stir in 2 teaspoons of kosher salt.
Over high heat, bring the water to a rapid boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer the potatoes until extremely fork-tender, about 20-25 minutes.
Turn off the heat and drain the potatoes, returning them back to the hot pan. Place the pan over low heat and cook for 1 minute or so, to evaporate any excess moisture.
Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes to break them down as best you can.
Add in the 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, 3 tablespoons of melted butter, and ¼ cup of the warmed milk, and stir until creamy. Add in additional butter and milk as desired to reach the right consistency and richness. Stir in ½ cup of sour cream. Taste and add in additional salt if needed. Serve.

Equipment Needed

potato masher

Notes

Butter: Use the full 4 tablespoons of melted butter for really rich mashed potatoes.

Milk: Depending on the starchiness of the potatoes and your desired consistency, you will need between ¼ to ½ cup of milk. Start with ¼ cup and then add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time as needed. Any fat percentage of milk works in this recipe.

Garlic Powder: The garlic is optional but adds incredible flavor and I find that garlic powder, rather than minced garlic, is incorporated easier into these mashed potatoes.

Storage: Allow leftover mashed potatoes to cool slightly and then transfer them to an airtight container. Store the mashed red potatoes in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months in the freezer.

Reheat: Reheat individual servings in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through. If needed, add a splash of milk or broth to loosen up the potatoes after reheating. For larger amounts, spread the potatoes in an oven-proof baking dish, stir in a little milk or cream, and cover the pan with foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until warm.

Nutrition

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

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