Creamy Buttermilk Ranch Mashed Potatoes

best-buttermilk-ranch-mashed-potatoes-recipe

Fluffy mashed potatoes with ranch seasoning, cream cheese, and tangy buttermilk, easy, creamy, and family-approved.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword creamy-buttermilk-ranch-mashed-potatoes, creamy-mashed-potatoes-recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 295kcal

Author Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

12 medium russet potatoes peeled cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 cup butter cubed (1 stick)
1 8 oz container chive and onion cream cheese, softened
1 0.4 oz package dry Buttermilk Ranch dressing mix (I.e. Hidden Valley)
Black pepper to taste
1 cup buttermilk OR half and half plus additional to thin as needed
1 Tbsp chopped chives for garnishing

Instructions

Place the cubed potatoes in a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Season water with garlic salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 12-15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well.
Return drained potatoes to the pot or add to a large mixing bowl. Use a potato masher or electric mixer to whip in the butter, cream cheese, buttermilk, Ranch dressing mix and black pepper to your taste.Use additional buttermilk OR half and half as needed to thin.
Serve immediately garnished with a pat of butter and fresh chives, dill, parsley or green onions.
Make-Ahead Tip: These potatoes can be made 1 day in advance and baked.
Prepare mashed potatoes per the recipe then transfer to a 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill.
Remove from the fridge and bring to room temperature and dot the top with butter.
Bake for 40-45 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven until heated through.

Notes

Potatoes - Each variety of potatoes contains different levels of starch content and will cook slightly differently. Adjust the boiling time as needed to adapt. You could also use Yukon Gold potatoes, white potatoes or red potatoes for this mashed potatoes recipe. Russet potatoes work best.
Ranch Seasoning - Ranch dressing salad dressing mix is easy to find. If you buy it in a bulk container, you'll need around 2 generous tablespoons.
Begin with Cold Water - It's important to start with cold water to boil the potatoes. Cover them leaving around 1-2 inches of head space.
Garlic Salt - Normally I use plain salt to season potatoes but in this instance, garlic salt infuses the potatoes with more flavor. You could use plain table salt and granulated garlic or garlic powder instead.
Don't Overcook the Potatoes - Boil the potatoes just until fork-tender. They shouldn't break into tiny pieces or be too mushy. Test the centers with the tip of a sharp knife or the tines of a fork. Cooking time may vary slightly depending on the size of the potato chunks.
Drain the Potatoes Well - After boiling the potatoes drain them well or any excess liquid can cause the mashed potatoes to break down.
Buttermilk - If you prefer, heavy cream or half and half or sour cream can be used in in place of buttermilk.
Homemade Buttermilk - You can also make your own buttermilk. To each one cup of whole milk add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or white distilled vinegar. Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir and proceed with the recipe.

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