Looking to shake things up this holiday season? Skip the bland mashed potatoes this year and make my fresh and flavorful Green Goddess Mashed Potatoes instead! They’re easy to prepare, they can be customized based on what herbs you like and they are packed with so much flavor. Everyone will love the color and the taste of this unique side dish.
I’ve been dreaming about making these green goddess mashed potatoes for a while now, and I was so pleased when the first test batch came out so bright green. Not only are they bright in color, but they also taste super fresh and flavorful. If you’re looking for a less traditional mashed potato recipe for your holiday table this year, this version is a great option. They’re creamy, herby and happen to go perfectly with all of your other Thanksgiving sides and main dishes.
Why You’ll Love These Green Mashed Potatoes
- Fresh and flavorful – Mashed potatoes are usually pretty rich, but this green goddess version is way more light and refreshing. They are filled with a good amount of with butter and milk, but the fresh herbs, lemon juice and garlic add so much extra flavor.
- Can be made ahead of time – If you’re looking for a holiday dish to make ahead of time, these mashed potatoes are perfect for that. Prepare them fully and then allow to cool before you pack them into an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator, until ready to use. Mashed potatoes can be heated up in the oven or on the stovetop. You may need to add extra milk, or melted butter, to loosen them up, but they should keep their creamy texture and green color.
- Great alternative to regular mashed potatoes – Mashed potatoes are my very favorite holiday side dish, so I usually don’t mess around with my recipe too much, but this green goddess version is definitely an exception. They’re still creamy and buttery, but also have an herby fresh bite to them that will go well with all your other holiday recipes.
Green Goddess Mashed Potato Recipe Tips
- Mix up the herbs – I used a mixture of parsley, cilantro and chives, but you can easily replace those herbs with different ones. Basil, tarragon, mint or even dill would be great additions. I usually don’t use heartier herbs like sage, thyme or rosemary for this particular recipe but you could play around with adding them in, if you like. I would start with small amounts of each because they are very strong in flavor.
- Add Greek yogurt – I went simple with this mashed potato recipe, and just used milk and butter, but if you want to add something like greek yogurt, sour cream or cream cheese, you can easily add that in with the milk and butter.
- Use buttermilk – I just used regular, whole milk for these potatoes, but buttermilk adds some extra tangy flavor and gives them a super creamy texture.
- Add ranch seasoning – If there ever was a time to make ranch flavored mashed potatoes, this is it. Aside from using the fresh herbs, you could also add in a tablespoon, or so, of ranch seasoning, or even some ranch dressing.
Herby Mashed Potato Recipe Ingredients
- Potatoes – I used russet potatoes for these mashed potatoes, because I prefer them, but Yukon gold potatoes work great too, if you prefer. I like to peel my potatoes before dicing them, but skins can be kept on for extra nutrients if you wish.
- Milk – I used half a cup of whole milk in this mashed potato recipe, but you can replace the whole milk with buttermilk or non-dairy milk if needed.
- Butter – I just used regular, salted, butter for this recipe, but non-dairy butter would also work.
- Fresh Herbs – I used a combination of fresh parsley, cilantro and chives. I chose those because that is what I had on hand, but you can use any fresh herbs you like. Tarragon, mint or basil would be great additions.
- Lemons – I used fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to make the creamy herb sauce. The lemon juice adds so much fresh flavor and it goes so well with the potatoes.
- Garlic – I also threw in two large cloves of garlic to the herb sauce. I prefer using fresh garlic, but jarred minced garlic could also be used if you prefer.
- Salt and Pepper
How To Make Green Goddess Mashed Potatoes
- Make the green sauce. To a blender, add all green sauce ingredients and then blend until fully combined and creamy. Set sauce aside until ready to use.
- Peel potatoes and then dice them into small, bite sized pieces. You want them to all be around the same size, so that they finish cooking at the same time. Add diced potatoes to a large pot and cover with water, by about 1 inch. Add in a teaspoon of salt and put the lid on.
- Place potatoes over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove the lid, and let cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes from after the water starts boiling. Drain potatoes and set aside to allow most of the steam to evaporate off of them.
- Place the large pot over medium heat and add in the butter and milk. Whisk together until butter is melted and then pour in the cooked potatoes. Use a potato masher to mash potatoes into the butter and milk mixture, until desired consistency is reached.
- Next, pour in the green goddess sauce and mix it into the mashed potatoes well. Give them a taste and season with extra salt and black pepper, if needed. Mashed potatoes can be served immediately, kept warm in the oven until ready to serve, or stored in the refrigerator and then re-heated when needed.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- This mashed potato recipe is already gluten free.
- Make vegan mashed potatoes by using a non-dairy milk and butter substitute.
- What herbs are used in this recipe? I used a mixture of parsley, cilantro and chives, but any kind of fresh herbs can be used. I would recommend basil, tarragon, dill or mint.
- Can these mashed potatoes be made ahead of time? Yes, you can easily prepare this recipe up to 3 days ahead of time and then just re-heat before serving. You may need to add some extra liquid in during the re-heating process.
- How long do leftovers last? If stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, leftover should last about 4-5 days.
- Are mashed potatoes freezer friendly? Yes, you can definitely freeze this recipe. Allow to cool fully and then store in an air-tight container, in the freezer, for up to 3 months.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I will get back to you ASAP!
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Green Goddess Mashed Potatoes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 1x
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Description
Looking to shake things up this holiday season? Skip the bland mashed potatoes this year and make my fresh and flavorful Green Goddess Mashed Potatoes instead! They’re easy to prepare, they can be customized based on what herbs you like and they are packed with so much flavor. Everyone will love the color and the taste of this unique side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6-8 medium sized russet potatoes (about the size of your hand)
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Green Goddess Sauce:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 2 cups packed parsley leaves
- 1 cup packed cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup chopped chives, or green onion
Instructions
- Make the green sauce. To a blender, add all green sauce ingredients and then blend until fully combined and creamy. Set sauce aside until ready to use.
- Peel potatoes and then dice them into small, bite sized pieces. You want them to all be around the same size, so that they finish cooking at the same time. Add diced potatoes to a large pot and cover with water, by about 1 inch. Add in a teaspoon of salt and put the lid on.
- Place potatoes over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove the lid, and let cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes from after the water starts boiling. Drain potatoes and set aside to allow most of the steam to evaporate off of them.
- Place the large pot over medium heat and add in the butter and milk. Whisk together until butter is melted and then pour in the cooked potatoes. Use a potato masher to mash potatoes into the butter and milk mixture, until desired consistency is reached.
- Next, pour in the green goddess sauce and mix it into the mashed potatoes well. Give them a taste and season with extra salt and black pepper, if needed. Mashed potatoes can be served immediately, kept warm in the oven until ready to serve, or stored in the refrigerator and then re-heated when needed.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Side Dish, Vegetarian
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
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