Black Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are a sacred comfort food that is simple, nostalgic, and universally loved. But sometimes, even comfort needs a little intrigue. Black garlic mashed potatoes take that soft, buttery base and swirl in something unexpected: deep, caramelized sweetness with a whisper of umami. It’s a small twist with a big impact. It’s the kind of side dish that makes the whole meal feel elevated. Whether you’re setting the table for a quiet weeknight dinner or a holiday feast, these mashed potatoes bring a restaurant-level touch to the familiar and the beloved.
In this post, you’ll learn how to make black garlic mashed potatoes that feel indulgent and cozy all at once and how one small ingredient can transform an entire meal.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Simple addition to change up potentially boring mashed potatoes
- Perfect for holidays when you want to introduce an uncommon ingredient
Ingredient List
Russet Potatoes: I always prefer russet potatoes because I like the starchiness and fluffiness of them. The richness of the black garlic also works well with red potatoes and Yukon gold potatoes.
Whole Milk: Matches the richness of the black garlic. You can also use 2% or skim milk if you prefer something lighter.
Black Garlic: Black garlic is fermented garlic, not to be confused with Lacto-Fermented Garlic. Its long aging process gives it a deep, sweet umami flavor, almost like molasses or balsamic glaze. The cloves are soft and sticky, almost gummy in texture, and blend beautifully into mashed potatoes. I usually order mine from Amazon when I can’t find them locally. To prep, chop the cloves finely and then use the flat side of your knife to smear them into a paste. it melts right into the cream and butter.
Garlic Powder: Dried spices add a mellow backbone to meals. Adding garlic powder rounds out the garlic flavor of the mashed potatoes and compliments the black garlic.
Cayenne: I add cayenne to basically everything I cook. I add enough to add a warming feeling to the potatoes, but not actual spicy heat. If you don’t want to use it, don’t.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Dice 5-6 potatoes into 1 inch cubes
- Place in a medium sized pot and rinse with water, then drain
- Add enough water to cover the potatoes and add 1 tablespoon of salt
- Bring to a boil on high heat and cook for 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes easily fall apart when pierced with a fork
- Drain the water and leave in the strainer
- Add the butter, milk, and black garlic to the pot and warm up for about 5 minutes
- Add the potatoes back to the pot and smash with a potato masher
- You can also use a potato ricer or food mill
- Season with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne
Expert Tips
Keep the Nutrients: Sometimes I like to leave the skin on my potatoes. Just make sure you dice the potatoes up enough so that the skin chunks aren’t too big in the mashed potatoes. They add great vitamins and nutrients to your meal.
Use Warm Cream: Heat the cream and butter before adding to the potatoes. Cold dairy can make mashed potatoes gluey.
Smash, Don’t Whip: A potato masher or ricer keeps the texture fluffy and rustic. Overmixing with a hand mixer will make them gummy.
Don’t Skip the Salt Water: Salting the boiling water seasons the potatoes from the inside out just like pasta.
What to Serve with Black Garlic Mashed Potatoes
These mashed potatoes are as simple as making plain mashed potatoes. I like eating them with my Whole Chicken in an Instant Pot, Dry Brined Steak, Flanken Beef Ribs, and Boneless Beef Ribs. I could eat these potatoes with anything honestly.
They’re also great for holidays when you want to spice up your normal recipes without causing overwhelm. Enjoy with turkey or ham.
Storage and Reheating
These mashed potatoes will store in the fridge for up to three days. They also freeze well for up to a month. Thaw them in the refrigerator so that the liquid doesn’t separate as easily.
You can reheat them in one of two ways. Microwave for a few minutes and stir every 30 seconds so they don’t dry out. Or reheat them on the stovetop. To do that, I heat up about ½ cup of cream and then add the mashed potatoes. Stir them to gently reheat.
FAQs
Black garlic has a sweet, molasses-like flavor with deep umami notes. It’s not sharp or pungent like raw garlic; it’s mellow, earthy, and complex.
Yes! Make them up to 2 days ahead, store covered in the fridge, and reheat gently with extra cream or butter to restore the silky texture.
Yes! It’s rich in antioxidants and has less allicin (the compound that gives raw garlic its bite), making it gentler on the stomach.
If black garlic feels a little bold, start with one of my classic mashed potato recipes—like Cheesy Garlic or Rosemary Garlic Mashed Potatoes—and see how easy it is to elevate simple ingredients into something extraordinary. Once you taste the difference, black garlic might just become your new favorite gourmet twist.
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Black Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Potato Masher, Potato Ricer, or Food Mill
Ingredients
- 6 Russet Potatoes diced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 black garlic bulbs
- salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Instructions
- Dice 6 Russet Potatoes into 1 inch cubes
- Place in a medium sized pot and rinse with water, then drain
- Add enough water to cover the potatoes and add 1 tablespoon of salt
- Bring to a boil on high heat and cook for 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes easily fall apart when pierced with a fork
- Drain the water and leave in the strainer
- Add 3 tablespoons butter, 1 cup whole milk, and 3 black garlic bulbs to the pot and warm up for about 5 minutes
- Add the potatoes back to the pot and smash with a potato masher
- You can also use a potato ricer or food mill
- Season with salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Black garlic is an easy ingredient to experiment with. Let me know how you liked it.