These Potato Recipes Are the Best Part of Thanksgiving (After the Turkey)
Sweet or starchy, roasted or mashed, they have a place (or two) reserved on nearly every table—and these recipes show precisely why.
Victor Protasio
No matter how you cook them, let’s face it, all potatoes are good. Warm, starchy vehicles for butter, they satisfy on a primal level, and it’s no wonder they’re such a big part of our coziest, most comfort food-filled holiday.
If you want to go traditional at Thanksgiving this year, by all means, this is the holiday to do it. You can’t go wrong with Yukon Gold potatoes mashed with milk, salt, and butter. Other standbys are mashed sweet potatoes, and potatoes gratin, all of which we have recipes for.
For something a little different, try grilling your potatoes. Pair them with something a little out of the ordinary, like coconut, wasabi, or bacon cream. (Yes, bacon cream. You will not go back.) Or just go ahead and put potato on potato. Why not? Thanksgiving is a day when we celebrate bounty, and there’s almost no such thing as too much.
Best Potato Recipes
Creamy Chunky Mashed Potatoes
The secret to perfect mashed potatoes? Knowing when to stop. Mash potatoes with softened butter and warm milk until they’re creamy but still have some chunks remaining. Thin-skinned potatoes, cut into pieces, cook quickly and are easiest to mash.
Mashed Potatoes with Melted Leeks
Leeks can be hard to clean, but they’re worth the effort for their sweet, subtle yet unmistakable flavor. Cooked until very tender, they blend beautifully with mashed potatoes.
Mashed Potatoes with Herbed Greek Yogurt
These bright green potatoes add a bolt of color to the Thanksgiving table. Although luxuriously creamy, they have a nice tang to balance the richness.
Brown Butter and Hazelnut Mashed Potatoes
Rich, brown butter infused with the flavor of hazelnuts makes a decadent, but easy addition to mashed potatoes.
Potatoes Noisette on Potato Purée
Noisette, “hazelnut” in French, here refers to tiny potato balls that are are crisped until brown. Then they’re piled on a bed of rich potato purée. Despite the vast amount of butter, the purée doesn’t taste greasy. That said, you can still make luscious potatoes with half the butter.
Whipped Potatoes with Three-Onion Butter
The tricks to achieving very creamy mashed potatoes are to not overcook them and to whip them just until smooth (if you overwhip, they’ll get gluey). Serve some of the butter on the side, so guests can determine their level of richness.
Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
Los Angeles chef Shigefumi Tachibe wakes up mashed potatoes with wasabi and soy sauce for an untraditional but delicious version of a Thanksgiving favorite.
Mascarpone Chive Mashed Potatoes
You’ll love these rich and creamy potatoes. Bright green chives add a hint of garlicky goodness.
Green Onion Mashed Potatoes
We’ve used two low-calorie tricks in here: broth instead of whipping cream, and neufchâtel cheese for rich creaminess with one-fourth the fat of butter.
Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips with Crisp Root Vegetable Strips
Save potato and parsnip peels for a wispy, crisp topping. The salty strips pair well with the sweetness of parsnips.
Celery Root and Potato Mash
Mashed potatoes are even better blended with celery root, which has a gentle but penetrating flavor. Don’t be deterred by the root’s hairy exterior; just trim it off with a knife.
Makah Ozette Potatoes with Bacon Cream
Once you try bacon cream, you may want to put it on everything. It takes potatoes to an unprecedented level of deliciousness.
Grilled Fingerlings with Dill
Sweet, tangy dill and butter cling to tender, crisp potatoes. We love these potatoes with turkey but they’re perfect alongside a burger too.
Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Goat Cheese
This is a decadent yet savory way to serve sweet potatoes. If you’re expecting vegetarians, make a couple of potatoes without the bacon. One potato can be enough for at least four people, depending on its size.
Coconut Pan-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sesame Seeds
Virgin coconut oil has a clean, slightly nutty taste that’s delicious in this dish. Deborah Madison, who adapted this recipe from one in a new revision of her book Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (1997), likes to use a mix of sweet potatoes, but it’s fine to go with just one kind. Paler sweet potatoes tend to be drier, so if you use them, add more oil.
Essential Thanksgiving Tools
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Made In Cookware’s Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan
Cheaper than the competition and induction-burner-compatible.
Shun Classic Blonde 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
Don’t bother with the single-purpose carving knife. Buy this chic, blonde, Pakawood-handled, Japanese-made chef’s knife that’s got all the ceremonial swagger but year-round usefulness.
John Boos Cutting Board
You’re going need that little juice groove. Made of antimicrobial maple, it’s handsome enough to use as a rustic serving platter.
Filson Tin Cloth Apron
Sturdy and large enough to protect you from errant cranberry juice, spattering turkey fat, and spilled Pinot Noir.
OXO 9-Inch Pie Plate with Lid
Slightly deeper than competition, this updated version of the classic glass pie plate also comes with a handy domed lid that’ll protect even the loftiest cream pies.
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