Description
This Brown Butter and Herb Mashed Potato Bake is a comforting, decadent side dish perfect for family dinners or holiday gatherings. Yukon gold potatoes are boiled until tender, mashed with rich brown butter, creamy sour cream, and fresh chives, then baked to create a golden, slightly crisp topping. The brown butter adds a nutty depth of flavor, making these mashed potatoes irresistible and exceptionally flavorful.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Potatoes
- 5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
Dairy & Butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup sour cream
Herbs & Seasonings
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh chives, plus more for topping
- Kosher salt, to taste (about 2 teaspoons recommended)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)
Instructions
- Prep Potatoes: Wash, peel, and cut the Yukon Gold potatoes into chunks of roughly equal size to ensure even cooking. You can prep these ahead by placing the cut potatoes in cold ice water and refrigerating for 12 to 18 hours.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the mashed potato casserole later.
- Boil Potatoes: Place the potato chunks in a large pot filled with cold salted water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until fork-tender, about 12 to 15 minutes depending on chunk size. Smaller pieces may be done closer to 10 minutes.
- Brown the Butter: While potatoes boil, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir continuously as it bubbles. After around 3 minutes, watch for brown bits forming on the bottom. Cook 1 minute longer to develop nutty brown butter flavor, then remove from heat.
- Mash Potatoes: Drain potatoes thoroughly and return them to the warm pot. Use a potato ricer or masher to mash until lump-free.
- Mix Ingredients: Stir in the sour cream, almost all of the browned butter (reserve a little for topping), chopped chives, and season generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning—adding up to another 1 teaspoon of salt if needed.
- Assemble Bake: Transfer the creamy mashed potatoes into a 9×13-inch baking dish, smoothing the surface. Drizzle the remaining browned butter evenly over the top.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is warmed through and slightly crisp and golden.
- Serve: Remove from oven, optionally garnish with extra fresh chives, and serve warm. This dish pairs wonderfully with gravy but is delicious on its own.
Notes
- You can prepare the potatoes a day in advance by keeping them in cold water in the fridge to save time on cooking day.
- Brown butter adds a rich, nutty flavor. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
- The recipe yields 8 to 12 servings, suitable for gatherings or family meals.
- For smoother mashed potatoes, use a potato ricer instead of a traditional masher.
- Adjust salt carefully and taste as you go to ensure perfect seasoning.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated in the oven for best texture retention.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (approx. 1 cup)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
