Creamy, buttery potatoes with a hint of something delicious you can’t explain–it’s the buttermilk. Adding buttermilk (in place of regular milk) when you are mashing potatoes, makes amazing mashed potatoes. You are going to LOVE these Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes.
You can make Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with any type of potato, but my favorite varieties of potatoes for this recipe are Yukon gold, russet, or red. Experiment and find out what variety you prefer. These potatoes are my favorite because the buttermilk gives them a creamy unique and delicious flavor but doesn’t add hoards of calories like some popular recipes that add extra butter and lots of cream cheese.
You’ll love the way these potatoes compliment the gravy you smother them in. So good! I am a potato lover and I take my potatoes pretty seriously. My mom grew up in Idaho, so I guess it is in my blood. Mashed potatoes with gravy are one of the best combinations that were ever discovered and you can take my word for it when I say you will love the flavor the buttermilk gives your mashed potatoes.
I can’t wait to hear how you like this recipe! Whether it’s for Thanksgiving Dinner, to serve with Salisbury Steak with Mushroom and Onion Gravy, or for a Sunday Pork Roast, I have a feeling that after you try this recipe once, you’re going to make sure you always have buttermilk around when you need to make mashed potatoes.
More Yummy Potato Recipes
- Corn Chowder
- Roasted Honey Chili Potatoes
- The Best Skillet Potatoes with Cheese and Bacon
- Yummy Funeral Potatoes
- Classic Potato Salad
- Thick and Creamy Potato and Ham Soup
Step-by-step pictures for how to make Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Tips for making Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
- Cut potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Potatoes will cook evenly if they are all approximately the same size.
- Add water to 1 inch over the potatoes.
- Add 1 tbsp salt–enough that the water tastes salty, but not ocean salty if you dip your finger in it.
- Boil potatoes until they are fork-tender and break apart easily. This should take approximately 20 minutes.
- Drain cooked potatoes. If making gravy, you can save the potato water to add to it.
- Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, or for smaller potatoes, use your hand mixer or a stand mixer.
- Keep covered until ready to serve.
- 5 lbs Yukon gold, russet, or red potatoes
- water
- 1-2 tbsp salt
- ¼ cup butter
- 1-1½ cups buttermilk
- Peel potatoes and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Place them in a large pot.
- Cover cut up potatoes with water. You want the water to come up 1 inch past the potatoes.
- Add 1 tbsp salt and taste the water. The water needs to taste salty but not crazy salty. You want it to be salty enough that the potatoes can absorb a little salty flavor.
- Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat, and then turn it down to medium heat. Let them continue to boil for approximately 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender and break easily.
- Drain the potatoes and return to the pan. Make sure not to put it back on a hot burner.
- Add the butter and start with 1 cup of buttermilk. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until they are creamy. Add up to another ½ cup of buttermilk if needed.
- Serve with your favorite gravy.
- *You can use a hand mixer or your stand mixer to mash the potatoes if you prefer or if you don't have a potato masher.
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