Golden Mashed Potatoes With Cheddar and Chives
Updated Nov. 17, 2025
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 50 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 4pounds large potatoes (preferably a mix of russet and Yukon Golds), scrubbed
- Salt
- 1½cups heavy cream
- 1cup whole milk or buttermilk
- 1½teaspoons ground turmeric
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pats, plus more for serving
- 1pound aged white Cheddar, coarsely grated
- 1small bunch chives, finely chopped, or 4 scallions, thinly sliced
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
658 calories; 45 grams fat; 27 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 20 grams protein; 887 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Peel and cut the potatoes into 2-inch pieces. Place them in a large pot and pour in cold water to cover by 1 inch. Add a large handful of salt — the water should be quite salty, like pasta water — and bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer until all the potatoes are tender enough to be pierced easily with a paring knife, but not falling apart, 15 to 18 minutes.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, combine the cream, milk and turmeric in a small saucepan. Season with salt and lots of pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking often, until the turmeric stains the mixture a wonderful golden color and the liquid starts to steam, about 3 minutes.
- Step 3
Drain the potatoes really well to get as much moisture out as possible. For smooth mashed potatoes, pass them through a ricer back into the pot; for a more rustic mash, return the drained potatoes to the pot and mash with a potato masher or wooden spoon until mostly smooth, with a few small lumps if you like.
- Step 4
Scatter the butter over the hot potatoes and stir until all the butter has melted and disappeared. Working in batches, gradually add the cream mixture and cheese, taking the time to stop and stir until the potatoes have absorbed all the liquid and the cheese, making sure not to overstir. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper.
- Step 5
Transfer to a serving bowl, top with a pat of butter, and scatter with chives and more pepper before serving.
Private Notes
Comments
The theory is that cold butter melts more slowly when mashed in and distributes the fat more evenly and helps coat the potatoes to prevent gumminess.
Can this dish be made ahead of time and reheated without sacrificing too much taste?
@Sylvia from his article in the NYT: 8 a.m.: Make the mashed potatoes (without the chives). Keep covered in the pot to rewarm later over very low heat.
I made this with high-quality mature British cheeses (Keen cheddar and red Leicester) and stopped adding cheese at around 80% of the quantity specified as I feared the potatoes could not absorb anymore. I would make it again, but with about half the quantity of such cheeses and maybe a bit more milk and cream. Compared to standard American cheddar, they are drier and their flavours are stronger, so the cheese dominated the flavor too much.
We will swap regular mashed out for these regularly in the future, as these are so flavorful and lovely! The bright color gives more interest on the plate, and that lovely sharp flavor from the cheddar shines through. It’s nice to have a flavorful option that isn’t just garlicky. Agree with other comments about reducing the cream/milk…add gradually so it doesn’t get too soupy. Reserve the extra cream if you’re making ahead of time for the reheat. I skipped the chives completely (not a fan) & didn’t miss a thing, though fresh parsley could be nice.
Pretty easy which was great. Cheese absorbed nicely and the color was festive. I was worried the liquid wouldn't absorb, but after adding the cheese the texture was nice and smooth. The flavor was definitely different than the traditional mash but our group made a dent in the mashed potato bowl including helpings of seconds and thirds. I'll go back to a traditional recipe next year, but this was fun to give a go.