These Easy Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes are made with Yukon Gold potatoes, butter, and warm half-and-half. A little sour cream adds richness and a mild tang.
Serve them with Crock Pot cube steak or country fried steak. Top the potatoes with a pat of butter or a spoonful of my white gravy.
Creamy Homemade Mashed Potatoes
You don’t need a mixer for these. Mash the hot potatoes with the butter, then use a wooden spoon to stir in the sour cream and warm half-and-half. A few small lumps are fine!
I cooked the potatoes in one carton of chicken broth and didn’t need to add any water. Be sure to drain them well before mashing so the potatoes don’t turn watery.
For a pressure cooker version, try my Instant Pot mashed potatoes.
FAQs
It makes them creamy and adds a slight tang. This recipe uses just ½ cup of sour cream for 3 pounds of potatoes, so it doesn’t overpower them.
Yes! I used one 32-ounce carton of chicken broth and didn’t need to add any water. Choose a pot that holds the potato chunks fairly snugly, then drain the broth after cooking. Wait until you mash the potatoes to add the salt, since broth brands vary in saltiness.
A fork should slide easily into the center, and a piece should squash with gentle pressure from the fork. Check a couple of the larger chunks. If the middle is still firm, keep simmering. The potatoes don’t need to fall apart in the pot.
A regular hand-held potato masher works well. Mash the hot potatoes with the butter first, then switch to a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to gently fold in the sour cream and half-and-half. Skip the blender or food processor, which can make potatoes gluey.
Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow, airtight container within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring and adding a small splash of half-and-half as needed. Heat leftovers to 165°F throughout, following FoodSafety.gov guidance.
Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the printable ingredient list and full instructions.
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes - Weigh before peeling, then cut into roughly 1-inch chunks.
- 4 cups chicken broth - One 32-ounce carton, for boiling the potatoes. The broth is drained after cooking.
- ¾ cup unsalted butter - 12 tablespoons total: 10 tablespoons for mashing and 2 tablespoons for serving.
- ¾ cup half-and-half - Warm it before adding. Have up to another ¼ cup ready if you prefer softer potatoes.
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream - Adds creaminess and a mild tang.
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt - This is the amount I used in my batch. Taste before adding more, especially if your broth is salty.
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives, optional - For sprinkling over the finished potatoes.
Instructions
- Peel and cut the potatoes. Cut them into roughly 1-inch pieces so they cook at about the same rate.
- Cook in the chicken broth. Put the potatoes in a pot that holds them fairly snugly and add the 4 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes after the simmer begins, until a fork slides into the center and a piece squashes easily. While they cook, gently warm the half-and-half without boiling it.
- Drain and dry. Drain the potatoes well and return them to the pot. Set over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, gently moving the potatoes around so excess moisture can steam off. Remove from the heat.
- Mash with the butter. Add 10 tablespoons of softened butter to the hot potatoes. Mash by hand until the larger chunks are gone.
- Add the sour cream and warm half-and-half. Add the sour cream, ¾ cup warm half-and-half, ¾ teaspoon fine salt, and black pepper. Switch to a wooden spoon or silicone spatula and fold gently until combined.
- Check the texture. If you want softer potatoes, gently stir in a little more warm half-and-half, a tablespoon at a time, up to an additional ¼ cup. Stop stirring as soon as the potatoes are creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Serve warm. Spoon into a serving bowl and top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the optional chives, if using.
Tips
- Check the center before draining. Undercooked pieces stay lumpy even after mashing. Test with a fork instead of handling the hot potatoes.
- Let the extra moisture steam off. That brief minute or two in the warm pot helps keep the mashed potatoes from turning watery.
- Mash while the potatoes are hot. The butter melts into them more easily, and warm half-and-half keeps them from cooling down while you mix.
- Don’t overmix. Once the sour cream and half-and-half are mixed in, put down the spoon. Too much stirring can make the potatoes gluey.
- Season at the end. The broth adds salt while the potatoes cook. Taste the finished potatoes before adding any salt beyond the recipe amount.
More Recipes
If you’re planning a holiday dinner, here are a few more side dishes to try:
Recipe
Easy Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Large pot
- Colander
- Potato masher
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes weighed before peeling, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 4 cups chicken broth for cooking, drained
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened, divided: 10 tablespoons for mashing and 2 tablespoons for topping
- ¾ cup half-and-half warmed, plus up to ¼ cup more only if needed
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives optional for serving
Instructions
- Peel and cut the potatoes. Cut them into roughly 1-inch pieces so they cook at about the same rate.
- Cook in the chicken broth. Put the potatoes in a pot that holds them fairly snugly and add the 4 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes after the simmer begins, until a fork slides into the center and a piece squashes easily. While they cook, gently warm the half-and-half without boiling it.
- Drain and dry. Drain the potatoes well and return them to the pot. Set over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, gently moving the potatoes around so excess moisture can steam off. Remove from the heat.
- Mash with the butter. Add 10 tablespoons of softened butter to the hot potatoes. Mash by hand until the larger chunks are gone.
- Add the sour cream and warm half-and-half. Add the sour cream, ¾ cup warm half-and-half, ¾ teaspoon fine salt, and black pepper. Switch to a wooden spoon or silicone spatula and fold gently until combined.
- Check the texture. If you want softer potatoes, gently stir in a little more warm half-and-half, a tablespoon at a time, up to an additional ¼ cup. Stop stirring as soon as the potatoes are creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Serve warm. Spoon into a serving bowl and top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the optional chives, if using.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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