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You are going to love this Ranch Mashed Potatoes recipe. It is an amazing twist on your traditional mashed potatoes. This recipe takes easy ingredients and the process is simple too.

Close up image of ranch mashed potatoes in a black bowl.

Garlic Ranch Mashed Potatoes Recipe:

These Garlic Ranch Mashed Potatoes are the perfect side dish for a weeknight meal or serving at your holiday dinner. With minimal ingredients and prep time you are going to love this twist on your classic mashed potato recipe.

We love serving mashed potatoes with just about anything. Whether we are making some fried chicken or a roast, my family always request mashed potatoes. But sometimes we want to change things up, so that is when we started making these Garlic Ranch Mashed Potatoes.

These creamy mashed potatoes are so full of flavor. There is no need to add a gravy to this mashed potatoes, they are perfect just the way they are.

Can you use different potatoes:

Yes, you can! When making this recipe we typically will use the red potatoes but I have made this recipe with russet potatoes and they turned out so good.

You can also use Yukon gold or even mix potatoes if you want to change the texture. Whichever you prefer or have on hand, this recipe will come together and will taste amazing.

Ingredients:

Red Potatoes – We like red potatoes in this recipe. But you can also use Russet or Yellow Gold.
Minced Garlic – We love the flavor of garlic. You can also use garlic powder.
Original Ranch Dressing Mix Seasoning (1 oz.)
Butter – You can use unsalted or salted butter. We have used both and both taste amazing.
Milk – We normally use whole milk but any type of milk would work.
Salt

How to make Mashed Potatoes with Ranch:

Clean the potatoes and quarter them (leave the skin on).
Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
Drain the potatoes and then return them back to the pot.
Then add in the garlic, Hidden Valley ranch seasoning, butter, salt and ½ a cup of the milk. Use an electric mixer or a potato masher to blend the potatoes until they are light and fluffy. Gradually add in the remaining milk until the mashed potatoes are the consistency that you prefer.
Serve immediately while warm and enjoy!

Variation Ideas:

I usually use milk for this recipe but you can substitute with heavy whipping cream as well.
You can add in some softened cream cheese for extra flavor.
Have you tried ranch mashed potatoes with sweet potatoes? We love the health benefits of sweet potatoes and serving them as ranch sweet mashed potatoes takes the sweet potato to the next level.
We love to mix in some sour cream for the yummy flavor it has.
If you would prefer, you can use fresh herbs to season your mashed potatoes.

Tips for the best Ranch Mashed Potatoes:

Make sure to not over mix the potatoes. Over mixing the potatoes can result in them being mushy and not light and fluffy as they are intended.

Make sure to cook the potatoes long enough. You do not want your mashed potatoes to be lumpy. I always make sure to cook potatoes covered so that the steam helps them to cook faster.

Dice potatoes all the same size. You do not want some of your potatoes done first. This cause the potatoes to get mushy and not mix well.

Once your potatoes are finished, you can top with melted butter or drizzle olive oil on top.

To mash your potatoes, you can use a hand mixer, stand mixer or a potato masher. Growing up we always used a potato masher but the hand mixer is what I prefer now.

How to thicken mashed potatoes

If your mashed potatoes is runny, you can thicken them. Check out How to Thicken Mashed Potatoes to learn how.

What to serve with Ranch Mashed Potatoes?

The options are endless when it comes to having Ranch Mashed Potatoes as a side.

Air Fryer Chicken Recipe – For an easy meal to serve this chicken with Ranch Mashed Potatoes. I will usually make this chicken recipe when I have leftover for a quick meal to send them kids out the door to practice.
The Best Crock Pot Roast Recipe – Roast and mashed potatoes just go together. When I make a roast, my family prefers mashed potatoes rather than roasted potatoes.
Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe – Just like roast, we love serving ranch mashed potatoes with this Turkey recipe.
Copycat KFC Bowl Recipe – These mashed potatoes would be delicious to serve with this KFC Bowl.
Fried Chicken Breasts – This crispy chicken breast is delicious served with these Ranch Mashed Potatoes.

How to freeze Mashed Potatoes:

If you have leftover mashed potatoes, you can freeze them. It is best to allow them to cool, then cover and freeze. Make sure to freeze in a freezer safe container. We like to put them in individual size containers so I can easily put with a lunch for my husband.

Then when you ready to eat, thaw completely then reheat on the stove top. Add more milk and whip with a hand mixer to the consistency that you like.

Check out our Can you Freeze Mashed Potatoes post for more information.

How to store:

Leftover Ranch Mashed Potatoes is great leftover. You can refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.

My kids get so excited when there are leftover mashed potatoes. They will eat them for a snack or with a meal. You may need to add a little milk and butter to make them creamy again but they are so good leftover.

Can I reheat mashed potatoes?

Yes, you can reheat mashed potatoes. You can place them in the microwave but my favorite way is to reheat it in the oven.

Just place them in oven safe dish and top with some butter. You might also have to add a little milk and heat in oven at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.

You can also make mashed potatoes into another meal. Put your leftover mashed potatoes in a casserole dish and top with cheese. Or make Potato Cakes from your leftover mashed potatoes.

Print recipe here for Ranch Mashed Potatoes:

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