The Best Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes, According to Chefs

Po-tay-toe, po-tah-toe, right? While that old idiom might make you believe that all potatoes are essentially the same, that’s far from the truth, our Test Kitchen pros often remind us. Due to their inherent texture and flavor, it turns out that there’s a “best potato” for mashed potato recipes, French fries, potato salad, potato soup, baked potatoes, and beyond.

“The best potatoes to work with depend on what your cooking desires are, flavor preferences, and what other foods you’re pairing with,” explains Todd Segneri, executive chef at Culinary Canvas Catering in St. Louis, Missouri.

To help us pinpoint the best potatoes for mashed potatoes from all of the most popular potato varieties, we sat down with Segneri and two other culinary pros to peel back the layers on this hot potato of a topic.

The Best Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes

“Potatoes fall on a spectrum from starchy to waxy, and the best potatoes for mashed potatoes are starchy varieties,” Hill says. 

As for which starchy spuds rise to the top for this task, our panel agreed that these are the top three best potatoes for mashing.

Russet Potatoes (aka Idaho Potatoes)

Best for: Light and fluffy peel-free mashed potatoes

Rocking a thick, easy-to-peel skin and often large in size (read: less putzy peeling required for the same amount of flesh), “the king of starchy potatoes is the humble russet potato, which is always my top choice for mashed potatoes,” Hill explains. 

The starchy interior absorbs liquid like a sponge when cooked, she continues. As a bonus, earthy Russets tend to be among the most economical potatoes at the grocery store.

“When cooked, the flesh is tender and fluffy,” Hill adds.

Test Kitchen Tip: Idaho potatoes are a subset of russets grown specifically in Idaho. Look for either that moniker or Russets listed on the label.

Yukon Gold Potatoes

Best for: Soft and silky mashed potatoes

If a smooth, buttery tasting mash is what you’re after, our experts will steer you towards Yukon Golds as the best potatoes for mashing. Since they’re a cross between North American white potatoes and South American yellow (waxy) potatoes, “they have enough starch to make an excellent mashed potato with a mild buttery flavor and a lovely golden hue,” Hill says.

Segneri adores the fact that Yukon Golds are a breeze to cream. In addition, their inherent buttery yet earthy flavor makes for an ideal pairing for fresh herbs or compound butters, he adds.

White Potatoes

Best for: Skin-on mashed potatoes

White potatoes are considered an all-purpose potato with both starchy and waxy qualities, according to Hill. Just like their Yukon Gold cousins, these cook up very creamy. White potatoes’ relatively thin skin means that these are among the best potatoes for mashed potato recipes that err more on the rustic side.

Segneri prefers to leave some of the skin on when using any of these best potatoes for mashed potatoes—especially Yukons and White—because “it’s where most of the vitamins and nutrients are. There’s a ton of fiber in the skin, plus it gives more of a rustic flavor and texture.”

Regardless of which spud you select, it’s important to not overwork the potatoes.

“The more you mash, the gluier they become. If you want fluffy mashed potatoes—use Russets and use a potato ricer. If you want creamy mashed potatoes, use Yukon Gold or White and mash them just until smooth. 

The Worst Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes

On the opposite end of the spud spectrum from starchy is waxy, and the varieties that have this quality are among the worst potatoes for mashes. These lower-starch potatoes include:

• Red potatoes
• Fingerlings
• New potatoes
• Baby potatoes

“The waxiness helps the potato hold its shape even when cooked, so it fundamentally resists the mashing process,” Hill says. “Even if you manage to break down waxy potatoes, you’re likely to end up with a bowl of gluey—rather than fluffy—mash.” (Grant-Vose explains the resulting texture as “rather flat.”)

Reserve these waxy potatoes for soups, salads, roasting, and gratins instead. Or try them in dishes like our Fried Smashed Potatoes. 

“Boil them until they are soft enough to smash down or can be shaken to fluff up the texture and then pop them in a hot skillet to pan-sear. They get a delicious crust that has crunch and a depth of flavor as the potatoes crisp up in the oil,” Sengeri explains.

Also stay away from shriveled potatoes or any that have dark spots. These are both signs the produce may have gone bad, Sengeri reminds us.

Is it Okay to Use More than One Type of Potatoes in Mashes?

Grant-Vose and Segneri suggest sticking to one at a time. 

“Each potato needs slightly different things including amount of cooking, mashing, added fat and added liquid,” Grant-Vose says.

This will yield a classic, versatile base for any mix-ins or garnishes you desire, such as roasted garlic, fresh herbs, cheese, cooked and crumbled bacon, or infused oils.

As for Hill, she says it depends on the occasion. For holidays, traditions and family expectations, she prefers her family’s heirloom recipe made with only one variety of potato: the Russet.

“I stick to a classic recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. All bets are off the rest of the year, though. For dinner parties and weeknights, I love to experiment with different combinations of potatoes or even a single variety of potato mashed with another vegetable like cauliflower,” Hill says.

The Bottom Line

The best potatoes for mashing are starchy potatoes, including Russets, Yukon Gold, and White Potatoes. The worst? Waxy potatoes like Fingerlings, Baby, New, and Red Potatoes. Save those for potato soups, salads, casseroles, or pan-frying. 

Your safest bet for quality control and consistent flavor is to stick with one potato variety at a time for mashing. However, if you’re feeling adventurous, feel free to mix things up and combine two or all three of the best potatoes for mashed potatoes into one best-of-all-worlds blend.

Whichever path you choose, it’s important to avoid over-mashing, which can leave you with a gluey- or gummy-textured mix. And don’t forget to get creative with your mix-ins, upgrades, or toppings.