Easy Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Sour cream mashed potatoes topped with a pat of butter on a floral plate.

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Easy Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Creamy, buttery Yukon Gold mashed potatoes made with chicken broth, sour cream, and warm half-and-half. An easy homemade side dish for family dinners and holidays.

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: side servings

Calories: 342kcal

Author: Jessica Burgess

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

For serving: Spoon my white gravy over the mashed potatoes.

Servings: About 8 side servings, or one eighth of the batch per serving.

Broth and salt: Use 4 cups chicken broth with no added water. Drain the broth after cooking. The recipe uses ¾ teaspoon fine salt; taste before adding more because broth brands vary in saltiness.

Texture: Mash hot potatoes by hand, then gently fold in the dairy. Add extra warm half-and-half only as needed. Avoid a blender or food processor.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow, airtight container within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat with a little half-and-half as needed until 165°F throughout.

Nutrition: Estimated per one eighth of the batch, including all 12 tablespoons of butter and the initial ¾ cup half-and-half. Drained cooking broth is excluded because the amount absorbed is unknown; actual sodium will be higher. Optional chives, extra half-and-half, and gravy are excluded.

Nutrition