Best Mashed Potatoes Recipes

If you're one of those cooks that welcomes anything fried to the table, then this new rendition on mashed potatoes is a must for you. It makes the perfect substitution for mashed potatoes on holidays like Thanksgiving, or could be a great weeknight treat with your roast chicken. 

Mashed potatoes make a hearty honest dish. It has sometimes been referred to as comfort food because it evokes memories of both big special-occasion dinners and the simple, family dinner intended for no other reason than to share a good meal. This version of mashed potatoes tastes good because it's dense with the mildly sweet flavor of parsnips and just enough butter to please, but without the extra calories you usually find in mashed potatoes.

There's no such thing as too many starchy dishes on the holiday buffet table, right? For many families, Thanksgiving dinner wouldn't be right without mashed potatoes. It seems there is always one family member relegated to the task of whipping them at the last minute — an honorable duty. And there is always someone else leaning over his shoulder making sure he adds a bit more butter. If you want to assign mashed potato duty to a family member, but would like to avoid the last-minute chaos in the kitchen, know that it works perfectly well to cook and mash potatoes up to one hour in advance. They can be kept warm in the top of a double-boiler set over simmering water, or reheated in a microwave oven just before serving. If you use a to do-ahead plan, be sure to add an extra pat of butter, or two!

Few can resist the salty crunch of a McDonald's fry, and what's better than enjoying them alongside a Big Mac? Having them on your Thanksgiving plate. This recipe gives a Thanksgiving classic — mashed potatoes — a face-lift with the notorious fried potato from the fast-food chain. 

If mashed potatoes are a given at your table, give them an extra punch of flavor with roasted garlic. Ted Lahey from Atlanta's Table & Main creates a simple recipe with just a few additional touches.