Our easy mustard mash potatoes are a simple cook and a great tasting simple potato side dish. This creamy mash is not only delicious but versatile too and can be served alongside a variety of main dishes.
Easy mustard mash potato is the ultimate comfort food. In fact creamy mash potato of any kind is comfort food perfection for me. However as my daughter will attest, mash is something that can be cooked all wrong! She is forever put off mashed potato thanks to lumpy school mash!
A whole post dedicated to mashed potato may seem excessive. However over the years, I’ve been served some truly awful mashed potatoes! There are a number of ways you can ruin mash, first up is lumpy mash, the second grainy cold mash, then there’s unseasoned mash and lets not forget overworked, gloopy mash.
Fear not though, as with a few simple hints and tips we are here to show you how to do it right. Our Dijon mustard mashed potatoes are a real treat and can be served alongside any main dish. From a simple pork sausage, to a rich and moreish beef stew.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Quick to prepare this side dish is ready to serve in the time it takes to boil some potatoes.
- Feed a crowd as this recipe can be easily doubled or quadrupled depending on numbers.
- Uses only 4 inexpensive ingredients that you likely have in your fridge, making this a great low cost potato side option.
How to make the best mashed potato?
For me the trick to making really good mash depends on 4 things:
- Top of the list – use the right variety of potato, a floury potato works best (see further guidance below).
- Warm the cream or milk up separately and add to the potatoes. Hot cream will absorb better and avoids the need to over work the potatoes and it also stops them from cooling down too much.
- Don’t heat up the butter it is best added cold, that way the butter melts and distributes fat and milk solids evenly through the potatoes.
- Potatoes are starchy vegetables so when you mix them the starch releases. Do not be tempted to overwork the potatoes otherwise too much starch is released and you risk the mash becoming gluey.
How to make mustard mash potato – recipe steps:
- Look out your ingredients.
- Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks, cover with cold water and season well with salt.
- Bring the pan to the boil, then simmer the potatoes over a medium heat until soft enough for mashing.
- Drain the potatoes and set aside to steam dry for a couple of minutes.
- Warm the cream gently in a saucepan, heating gently but do not allow to boil.
- Add the warm cream and cold butter to the pan along with the mustard.
- Mash until smooth and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately.
What are the best potatoes for mash?
The best potatoes for mash are floury varieties, for example Maris Piper or King Edward, we used Maris Pipers. If you are in the US I’d recommend a Yukon Gold or a Russet potato.
Avoid using waxy potatoes as they just don’t mash the same. Waxy potatoes hold their shape and you end up with a really chunky, lumpy mash.
What to use to mash potatoes?
My favourite tool for mashing potatoes is a traditional potato masher. I’ve used this piece of kit for years and it never lets me down! They are inexpensive to buy, last for years and you are less likely to overwork the potatoes using a masher. Another great tool is a ricer or food mill, simply add the potatoes and press them through.
I don’t recommend using a blender or immersion stick blender as with this bit of kit you run the risk of overworking the potatoes. This will release too much starch and you’ll end up with a gluey mess.
Recipe ingredients & variations:
- Potatoes: we used Maris Piper but you could also use a King Edward or another floury potato variety. (If in the US I’d recommend Yukon Gold or Russet).
- Mustard: Dijon mustard mashed potatoes taste great, this mustard has lots of flavour without too much heat. However, you can also use a wholegrain mustard, or even an English mustard if you want to add heat. However, if mustard isn’t your thing you can leave it out entirely and you will still have a great tasting creamy buttery mash.
- Butter: adds great flavour and gives mashed potatoes a really great texture. We used salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter, just check the seasoning before you serve.
- Cream: we used double cream (heavy cream) for a really rich and silky texture. However, you could use single cream or even milk if you prefer.
Alternative flavour combinations:
We have flavoured our mashed potatoes with Dijon mustard, however using the creamy, buttery mashed potatoes as a base you add a whole host of flavours. Here are some ideas that can be used on their own or mixed and matched:
- Cheese, use any variety of cheese; a grated hard cheese like vintage cheddar, parmesan or gruyere; or swap some of the double cream and butter for cream cheese instead.
- Herbs and potatoes are a great flavour pairing, try freshly chopped chives; parsley; thyme or crushed garlic.
- Bacon, cook some bacon until crispy then break up into small pieces and stir through at the end.
- Spring onion, thinly slice and stir through just before serving for a real burst of freshness.
Serving suggestions:
Our easy mustard mash potatoes are a versatile side dish that work with many main course dishes, from meat and poultry to fish and vegetable based dishes.
If you like mash we recommend pairing this comforting side dish with some of these great tasting mains:
- Creamy Tarragon Chicken with Asparagus & Peas
- Roast Leg or Pork Stuffed with Bacon & Cranberries
- Pork Wrapped in Bacon with Sage
- Paprika Beef
- Spicy Slow Cooked Beef Rib
Useful hints & tips:
- Season the water with salt when cooking potatoes as this will make all the difference to the finished dish.
- Once boiled set the potatoes aside to steam dry as this will stop the mash becoming too watery.
- Always warm the cream before mashing through the potatoes. Warm cream is better absorbed by the potatoes and results in creamier mashed potatoes.
- Add the butter cold otherwise the fat solids will separate. Added cold, the butter will melt nicely and work through the mash.
- To make dairy free or vegan mustard mashed potatoes, replace the butter and cream with suitable dairy-free alternatives. For example you can swap the cream for vegan cream or use a dairy free milk.
- Allergy advice: gluten free, egg free, soya free, peanut free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.
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Additional recipe suggestions:
For other great tasting potato side dishes try our:
- Easy Dauphinoise Potatoes
- Easy Fondant Potatoes
- Potato Pave
- Potato & Cheese Croquettes
- Easy Boulangere Potatoes
- Best Crispy Roast Potatoes
- Hasselback Potatoes
If you are looking to change things up a bit, have a look at our 12 Best Potato Side Dishes post. It’s full of useful hints and tips, along with all our favourite potato sides.
Mustard Mash
Ingredients
- 400 g potatoes (peeled and cubed into same-sixed chunks)
- 50 g butter
- 50 ml single cream
- 2 tsp dijon mustard (depending on taste)
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a pan of boiling salty water and cook until softened enough to mash. Drain the potatoes and set aside to steam dry for a couple of minutes.
- Warm the cream gently in a saucepan, heating gently but do not allow to boil.
- Add the warm cream and cold butter to the pan along with the mustard and mash the potatoes until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Notes
• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •
This recipe has been shared to CookBlogShare, click on the link to find recipes by fellow food bloggers.
Rebecca - Glutarama
Great recipe to read, I can’t eat potato so I have to guess ingredient ratios when I make mash for my family, this is really handy as a recipe for them – thank you.
Lesley
My problem is that if I don’t weigh out the potatoes I make to much then end up eating too much as I love mash. I’m safer weighing!
Cat
These look like absolute perfection, so creamy and delicious and the perfect accompaniment so many meals.
Lesley
Thank you Cat, this is a versatile bowl of mash, I cook it a lot.
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie
Oh wow – this looks so good! Eb 🙂
Lesley
Thank you Eb, it’s comfort food in a bowl.
Marita
This looks delicious. When I went to the UK in the summer I brought out lots of British sausages back. This looks like the perfect mash to go with these sausages.
Lesley
Hi Marita, this is the perfect mash to go alongside some British sausages.
Ali
I can never make mash well – but I’m going to try warming the cream this time and hope it goes better -thanks for the tip!
Lesley
Hi Ali, warming the cream really does make a difference, it just results in a smoother mash.
Choclette
Argh! School mashed potato!!!! It was just awful. Luckily for me my mother’s mash was fab so I wasn’t put off. Yours looks awesome. Love your addition of mustard and the cream makes it even more dreamy.
Pinned
Lesley
Thank you Choclette, yip the curse of bad school mashed potato – my daughter is a great foodie, but can’t stomach mash because of school dinners. I reckon it’s put many off over the years!
Janice
Yes, please! This recipe is really speaking to me and I’m craving a big bowl of your mustard mash. I love the generous butter and cream portions, just like my Mum would make.
Lesley
Thank you Janice, I love mash potato and I just don’t think you can do it justice without plenty butter and cream. This is a comfort food treat for me.