Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes with Chives (Fluffy Mashed Potatoes!)

Creamy mashed potatoes are taken up a notch with the addition of mascarpone cheese and chopped chives. These Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes are perfect for busy weeknight dinners as well as holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas because they can be prepared in advance and reheated just before serving! 

A Few Tools You’ll Need

Mashed potatoes are a cinch to make and don’t require any special ingredients or tools, but there are a few pieces of equipment I prefer using for this particular recipe. 

• Vegetable Peeler — I strongly suggest peeling your potatoes before boiling them. You’ll wind up with much smoother mashed potatoes this way. 
• Strainer — Makes it easier to drain the potatoes once they’re done boiling (otherwise when you use the lid to strain out the water, you can sometimes make a mess). 
• Potato Ricer — This is my hack for making the fluffiest mashed potatoes ever! I have the OXO Good Grips Potato Ricer and it’s lasted for years. 
• Baking Dish — This recipe has you bake the potatoes after mashing to heat them through. 

The Main Ingredients 

A full list of ingredients plus their measurements can be found in the recipe card below. Here are the main ingredients you’ll need to have on hand for making mashed potatoes with mascarpone. 

• Potatoes — Russet potatoes are the superior potato when it comes to mashed potatoes! They’re super starchy, but they break down easily and absorb the mascarpone and milk well. This results in light and fluffy mashed potatoes rather than gluey, heavy mashed potatoes. 
• Bay Leaves — If you add a bay leaf to the pot of boiling water, you’ll season the potatoes more effectively from the inside out! 
• Whole Milk — If you want rich and creamy mascarpone chive mashed potatoes, you’ve got to use full-fat fairy products. 
• Broth — Mascarpone is super thick and creamy, and the broth helps to thin it out without diluting the flavor. (Don’t use milk instead of broth or else your mashed potatoes will be too thick.) 
• Mascarpone Cheese — This is a super soft, rich, and buttery Italian cheese that’s sold in a tub. Please, please, please use full-fat and nothing “lite.” 
• Butter — Since we’re already using mascarpone, only 2 tablespoons of butter are needed for flavor. 
• Chives — I snipped the chives straight into the potato mixture using my kitchen shears. 

Make-Ahead and Reheating Instructions 

These mascarpone chive mashed potatoes can be made up to 48 hours in advance. 

Follow the recipe steps up until you’re supposed to bake the mashed potatoes. At that point, cover the baking pan tightly with foil and refrigerate. 

To reheat: Pop the covered baking dish into a 350ºF oven and bake until warm (20 to 30 minutes). At the halfway point, carefully remove the foil, stir, cover, and continue heating until warmed all the way through. The exact timing will depend on the quantity of mashed potatoes you’re reheating.

How to Keep Them Warm Until You’re Ready to Serve

• Slow cooker option: Transfer the mashed potatoes to a slow cooker set to “warm” or “low” to keep them warm for several hours. 
• Oven option: Wrap the baking dish tightly in foil and place in a 200ºF oven to keep warm.

How to Freeze These for Later 

1. Let the mashed potatoes cool completely.
2. Transfer to freezer bags or freezer-safe containers. Seal.
3. Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months.
4. To reheat, thaw the mashed potatoes in the fridge the night before, then reheat in the oven as instructed above. 

Serving Suggestions 

Mascarpone mashed potatoes are simple enough to prepare on busy weeknights, but decadent enough to serve at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. 

We love pairing these mashed potatoes with the following dishes: 

Holiday Entrees: Apple Cider Roasted Turkey, Slow Cooker Spiral Ham, Smoked Turkey Breast, Smoked Prime Rib

Weeknight Entrees: Pork Marsala, Smoked Pork Shoulder, Instant Pot Chuck Roast, Sous Vide Steak, Whole Citrus Roasted Chicken

Side Dishes: Apple Cider Roasted Acorn Squash, Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes, Cranberry Bacon Green Beans, and Massaged Kale Salad with Roasted Squash

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