Soulitinerary

Discover the best thanksgiving potatoes with this ultimate guide to creamy, crispy, flavor-packed holiday potato recipes. From mashed to roasted to gratins, make your Thanksgiving table unforgettable!

There’s a reason thanksgiving potatoes steal the spotlight every single year—they’re the warm, buttery bridge between the turkey and everything else on the table!

Thanksgiving Potatoes Recipes

1. Brown Butter Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes (Creamy And Holiday-Proof)

These mashed potatoes sit in a warm corner, hold beautifully, and taste like you hired a French grandmother to move in for the day.

Ingredients

For The Potatoes:

• Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes – 4 lbs (about 8 medium), peeled and cut into large chunks
• Cold water – enough to cover potatoes by 1–2 inches
• Fine sea salt – 2 tbsp for the cooking water

For The Brown Butter Cream Mix:

• Unsalted butter – 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks)
• Heavy cream – 1 1/4 cups
• Whole milk – 3/4 cup
• Sour cream – 1/2 cup
• Fine sea salt – 1 1/2–2 tsp (to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper – 1 tsp
• Garlic – 3 cloves, smashed
• Fresh rosemary – 1 small sprig
• Fresh thyme – 2 sprigs

For Finishing:

• Extra butter – 2–3 tbsp, cut into small pieces
• Chives – 2 tbsp, finely sliced (optional but gorgeous)

How To Build Velvet-Smooth Mashed Potatoes?!

• Peel the potatoes and cut them into even chunks, about the size of a golf ball. This keeps them cooking at the same pace so you don’t get one raw piece in a sea of softness.
• Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and add 2 tbsp salt. Starting with cold water gives you even cooking all the way through.
• Bring the pot to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, lower to a steady simmer and cook until the potatoes break apart easily when pierced with a fork, about 15–20 minutes. Not “al dente.” You want them fully, happily soft.
• Drain the potatoes in a colander. Let them sit for 3–5 minutes in the colander so steam escapes. That steam is water trying to stay in your potatoes and turn them gluey later. Let it go.
• While the potatoes steam off, add 3/4 cup butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt, then watch it carefully as it foams. Stir occasionally until the milk solids at the bottom turn deep golden and smell nutty, about 4–6 minutes. Once it smells like toasted hazelnuts and looks amber, turn off the heat.
• To the brown butter saucepan, add heavy cream, milk, sour cream, smashed garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Set over low heat and warm everything until steam rises and tiny bubbles appear at the edges. No boiling. Let it sit on the lowest heat for 5 minutes so the herbs and garlic infuse.
• Return the potatoes to the warm pot. Use a potato ricer for the fluffiest result or a classic masher for a rustic texture. Work methodically until no big lumps remain.
• Remove the rosemary, thyme, and garlic from the cream mixture. Slowly pour about two-thirds of the warm cream into the potatoes, stirring gently with a wooden spoon. Watch the texture as you go. Add more cream mixture until the potatoes look silky and hold soft peaks.
• Add salt and pepper. Stir and taste. Adjust until the flavor sings, not whispers. Potatoes love salt, so don’t tiptoe here.
• Spread the mashed potatoes into a buttered baking dish. Dot the top with the extra butter pieces. Cover tightly with foil. Hold at room temperature up to 1 hour or chill and reheat later (350°F, 25–30 minutes, covered, until hot).
• Once hot, fluff the top lightly with a spoon and scatter chives over the surface. The potatoes look like a soft, buttery cloud that everyone dives into first.

2. Crispy Garlic Herb Roasted Potatoes (The Pan Everyone Crowds Around)

These roasted potatoes hit the table looking innocent and then disappear faster than the appetizers.

Ingredients

For The Potatoes:

• Yukon Gold or baby potatoes – 3 lbs
• Olive oil – 1/3 cup
• Garlic – 6 cloves, minced
• Fresh rosemary – 1 tbsp, finely chopped
• Fresh thyme – 1 tbsp, leaves only
• Smoked paprika – 1 1/2 tsp
• Fine sea salt – 2 tsp
• Freshly ground black pepper – 1 tsp

For Finishing:

• Fresh parsley – 2 tbsp, chopped
• Lemon – 1, cut into wedges
• Extra flaky salt – a pinch, for crunch

How To Roast Potatoes Until The Edges Snap?!

• Heat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Give it enough time to fully heat. A hot oven guarantees crisp edges.
• Scrub the potatoes thoroughly. Leave the skins on; they bring texture and flavor. Cut larger potatoes into 1 1/2-inch chunks. Keep everything roughly the same size so they roast evenly.
• Pat the potatoes dry with a clean towel. Wet potatoes fight crisping, and you want crisp.
• In a large bowl, stir together olive oil, minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. You just built a fragrant, brick-red garlic herb oil.
• Add the potatoes to the bowl and toss until every piece shines with oil and herbs. Check the bottom of the bowl—no spice paste should sit there alone.
• Line two large baking sheets with parchment. Spread the potatoes out in a single layer, cut side down wherever possible, with space between each piece. Crowding leads to steaming, not roasting.
• Slide the trays into the oven. Roast for 20 minutes without touching them. Let the heat build that first crust.
• After 20 minutes, use a spatula to flip the potatoes. Return them to the oven for another 15–20 minutes, until deeply golden with crisp edges and soft centers.
• As soon as they come out, sprinkle with chopped parsley and a small pinch of flaky salt. Toss gently right on the tray so the herbs cling to the hot surfaces.
• Transfer to a warmed platter and tuck lemon wedges around the edges. Guests squeeze a little over their portion if they like that bright pop with rich food. And they usually do.

3. Gruyère And Caramelized Onion Potato Gratin (The Fancy One That Still Feels Like Home)

This gratin slides onto the table like the dramatic cousin of mashed potatoes: layered, cheesy, golden, and completely unapologetic.

Ingredients

For The Onions:

• Yellow onions – 2 large, thinly sliced
• Unsalted butter – 2 tbsp
• Olive oil – 1 tbsp
• Fine sea salt – 1/2 tsp
• Sugar – 1/2 tsp (helps the onions caramelize)

For The Gratin Base:

• Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes – 3 lbs, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
• Heavy cream – 2 cups
• Whole milk – 1 cup
• Garlic – 3 cloves, minced
• Fresh thyme – 2 tsp, leaves only
• Nutmeg – a small pinch
• Fine sea salt – 1 1/2–2 tsp (to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper – 1 tsp

For The Cheese Layers:

• Gruyère cheese – 2 cups, freshly grated
• Parmesan cheese – 1 cup, freshly grated
• Extra butter – 1 tbsp, for greasing the dish

How To Build A Golden, Bubbly Potato Gratin?!

• Set a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add butter and olive oil. Once melted, stir in the sliced onions, salt, and sugar. Cook slowly, stirring every few minutes, until the onions turn deep golden and sweet, about 25–30 minutes. If they start to catch, lower the heat.
• Heat to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with 1 tbsp butter, making sure the bottom and sides feel slick.
• Use a mandoline or a sharp knife and slice the peeled potatoes into 1/8-inch rounds. Keep them in a large bowl of cold water so they don’t discolor while you work.
• In a saucepan, combine heavy cream, milk, garlic, thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Warm gently over medium heat until steam rises and tiny bubbles appear at the edges. Turn off the heat and let the flavors sit together for a few minutes.
• Drain the potato slices and pat them dry with a clean towel. Wet potatoes thin out your cream and mess with that luxurious texture.
• In a bowl, combine Gruyère and Parmesan. This mix gives you stretch, flavor, and a golden top.
• Spread a thin layer of potato slices over the bottom of the buttered baking dish, overlapping them slightly like shingles on a roof.
• Ladle a small amount of the warm cream over the potatoes. Scatter a handful of the cheese mixture and a spoonful of caramelized onions across the surface.
• Continue layering potatoes, cream, cheese, and onions until everything is used. Finish with a final layer of potatoes, a generous pour of cream, and the remaining cheese over the top.
• Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20–25 minutes, until the top turns deep golden and the cream bubbles around the edges. A knife inserted through the center should slide through with no resistance.
• Let the gratin rest for at least 15–20 minutes. The layers settle, the cream thickens slightly, and you get neat squares instead of a cheesy avalanche.
• Cut into squares and lift them out carefully so those layers show. It looks like something from a restaurant but still tastes like comfort.

4. Maple Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes (Cozy, Not Candy-Level Sweet)

Sweet potatoes join the Thanksgiving potato crew with a mash that tastes rich and warmly sweet without tipping into dessert territory.

Ingredients

For The Potatoes:

• Sweet potatoes – 3 lbs, peeled and cut into large chunks
• Cold water – enough to cover by 1–2 inches
• Fine sea salt – 1 tbsp for the cooking water

For The Maple Brown Butter Mix:

• Unsalted butter – 1/2 cup (1 stick)
• Pure maple syrup – 1/3 cup
• Heavy cream – 1/2 cup
• Ground cinnamon – 1/2 tsp
• Ground nutmeg – 1/4 tsp
• Fine sea salt – 1 tsp (plus more to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper – 1/2 tsp

For Topping (Optional But Fantastic):

• Toasted pecans – 1/2 cup, roughly chopped
• Extra maple syrup – 1–2 tbsp drizzle

How To Turn Sweet Potatoes Into A Grown-Up Mash?!

• Place the sweet potato chunks in a large pot. Cover with cold water and add 1 tbsp salt. Bring to a boil, then lower to a steady simmer until the potatoes feel very tender when pierced with a fork, about 15–20 minutes.
• Drain well and let the sweet potatoes sit in the colander for 3–5 minutes so excess moisture escapes. This keeps your mash from turning watery.
• In a saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Let it foam, then stir as the milk solids at the bottom turn golden and smell nutty. As soon as they reach a deep gold, turn off the heat.
• To the brown butter, whisk in maple syrup, heavy cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Warm gently until everything looks smooth and glossy.
• Return the sweet potatoes to the still-warm pot. Use a masher or a hand mixer on low speed and mash until mostly smooth, leaving a few small rustic bits if you like.
• Slowly pour the warm maple-butter mixture into the potatoes while stirring. Watch the mash turn silky and fragrant.
• Taste for salt and sweetness. The flavor should feel warmly sweet with enough salt to keep it balanced, not sugary.
• While the mash rests, toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and slightly darker.
• Spoon the sweet potato mash into a serving dish, sprinkle toasted pecans over the top, and add a light drizzle of maple syrup. It looks festive, and the crunch plays beautifully with the creamy potatoes.

5. Garlic Parmesan Crispy Smashed Potatoes (Snack Disguised As A Side Dish)

These smashed potatoes sit on the table pretending to be a side, but everyone treats them like potato chips with better morals.

Ingredients

For The Potatoes:

• Small baby potatoes – 2 1/2 lbs (about 20–24 potatoes)
• Fine sea salt – 1 tbsp for boiling

For The Garlic Butter Coating:

• Unsalted butter – 1/4 cup, melted
• Olive oil – 3 tbsp
• Garlic – 4 cloves, minced
• Fresh thyme – 1 tbsp, leaves only
• Fine sea salt – 1 tsp
• Freshly ground black pepper – 3/4 tsp

For The Cheesy Finish:

• Parmesan cheese – 1/2 cup, finely grated
• Fresh parsley – 2 tbsp, chopped
• Extra flaky salt – a pinch or two, at the end

How To Smash Potatoes Into Crispy Perfection

• Place the baby potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and add 1 tbsp salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes feel tender when pierced through the center with a fork, about 15–20 minutes.
• Drain the potatoes and let them sit in the colander for a few minutes. Then spread them onto a clean towel and pat them dry. They need dry skins for maximum crisp.
• Heat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Drizzle or brush a light layer of oil over the parchment.
• Place the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet with a little space between each one.
• Use the bottom of a sturdy glass or a potato masher and press down firmly on each potato until it flattens into a thick disk and the skin cracks. You want them smushed, not obliterated.
• In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. This mixture smells like everything you want with potatoes.
• Use a brush or spoon to drizzle the garlic butter mixture over each potato, making sure the tops and cracks soak it up.
• Slide the tray into the oven and roast for 20–25 minutes, until the edges turn deep golden and the tops look blistered and crisp.
• Pull the tray out briefly, sprinkle Parmesan evenly over the potatoes, and return to the oven for another 3–5 minutes, just until the cheese melts and starts to brown.
• Remove from the oven, sprinkle with chopped parsley and a pinch of flaky salt, and serve straight from the tray or a warm platter. Expect people to hover.

Final Bite: Your 5 Thanksgiving Potatoes Lineup

When your table holds fluffy brown butter mashed potatoes, crisp roasted wedges, a bubbling Gruyère gratin, silky maple sweet potatoes, and a tray of ridiculous smashed potatoes, you stop worrying about whether the turkey turned out perfect. Everyone finds a favorite, and a lot of people quietly take “one more spoonful” of each.

Next time you plan your holiday menu, start with the sides. Build your plate around these Thanksgiving potatoes, and let everything else follow their lead.