Add roasted garlic to your mashed potatoes and I promise you will never want mashed potatoes any other way. This is a great side dish to pair with your entree when entertaining during the holidays but is simple enough to prepare on a busy weeknight. The potatoes are creamy and the roasted garlic imbues a sweet and nutty flavor. The parmesan and Boursin cheese add even more levels of flavor and creaminess that will leave your guests asking for seconds.
Roasting the garlic makes them nutty and sweet
If you’ve never tried roasting garlic this way, now is the time. Garlic lovers will undoubtedly enjoy this recipe, but if you’re a little sensitive to strong garlic flavors in your food, I encourage you to give it a try. Roasting the garlic somehow makes the garlic flavor more subdued and mild.
How to make roast garlic bulbs in the air fryer or oven
Prepare the roasted garlic bulbs by placing them on top of a sheet of aluminum foil. Slice off the tops of the bulbs until the garlic cloves are exposed. Drizzle olive oil over the exposed cloves and season with salt and pepper. Add a sprig of fresh rosemary if you have it, then wrap the bulbs in the foil and place in the oven.
Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes. If using the air fryer, bake at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. Once the garlic is done cooking, set aside and let cool completely.
What potatoes are best for mashed potatoes?
You may be wondering what are the best potatoes to use when making mashed potatoes. While any type of potato will do, I like to use Yukon gold as they have low water content which yields a silky and creamy texture when mashed. They also have a naturally buttery flavor and thin skin so you can opt to keep the skin on if you’re strapped for time. You can find a bag of Yukon gold potatoes in the production section at Costco.
Be careful not to overboil your potatoes
Keep an eye on your potatoes as they boil as overboiling can cause them to absorb too much water. This naturally can affect the overall consistency of your mashed potatoes, making them watery and soupy (definitely not what we’re going for here).
Once your water comes to a boil, reduce the heat a bit. The water should be at a nice steady boil, not a vigorous rolling boil. Once the potatoes are fork tender (a fork or knife can be easily inserted into the potato), they are ready to be taken off the heat and drained.
How to make garlic roasted mashed potatoes
Transfer the cooked and drained potatoes to a large bowl. Add the butter, Boursin cheese, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Take the cooled roasted garlic bulbs and squeeze out the garlic cloves into the bowl. Be sure the bulbs have completely cooled so you do not burn your fingers!
Finally, use a ricer or potato masher to achieve your desired consistency. A potato masher is great if you prefer to still have bits and chunks of potato in your mashed potato. If you prefer a silky and smooth consistency, use a ricer. If using a ricer, be sure to put the potatoes through the ricer first before adding the remaining ingredients. A hand blender can also help achieve a similar consistency.
You can get Boursin cheese at Costco
I always pick up a variety pack of Boursin cheese from Costco during the holidays as they often go on sale during this time. While they are great for cheese platters, I also like to add them to mashed potatoes or pasta for a boost of flavor. The garlic and herbs variety is the natural choice for this recipe but the shallots and chives variety works great as well.
If you don’t have Boursin cheese you can of course use regular cream cheese instead. You can use ⅔ of a block (around 6oz).
Check out more recipes using Boursin cheese:
Looking for additional garlic based recipes? Here are a few of my favorites:
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
- 4 oz butter, chopped into 1 inch slices 1 stick
- 1 round Boursin cheese I used garlic and herbs variety
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese plus additional for topping
- 2 tsp salt plus additional for seasoning and for boiling the potatoes
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley for topping (*optional) Substitute with 1 tsp dried parsley
Roasted Garlic Bulbs
- 2 whole garlic bulbs Use more if you prefer an intense garlic flavor
- 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp of oil per garlic bulb
- salt and pepper
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary (*optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the roasted garlic bulbs by placing them on top of a sheet of aluminum foil. Slice off the tops of the bulbs until the garlic cloves are exposed. Drizzle olive oil over the exposed cloves and season with salt and pepper. Add a sprig of fresh rosemary if you have it. Wrap up the bulbs and place in the oven. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. If using the air fryer, bake at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. Once the garlic is done cooking, set aside and let cool completely.
- Peel the potatoes and chop into large chunks. Add to a large stockpot and fill with water until the potatoes are fully submerged. Add salt to the water until the water is salty like the sea. Bring the water to a boil then continue to cook at a low boil until a fork can be easily inserted (about 15-20 minutes).
- Drain the potatoes and add to a large bowl. Add the butter, boursin cheese, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Take the cooled roasted garlic bulbs and squeeze out the garlic cloves into the bowl.
- Use a potato masher or ricer to achieve desired texture and consistency of mashed potatoes.
- Transfer your potatoes to a serving bowl or platter and top with additional parmesan, salt, pepper, parsley, and an extra nob of butter.
