• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Happy Homeschool Adventures
  • Kitchen
  • Elementary
  • Preschool
  • Nature
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Kitchen
  • Elementary
  • Preschool
  • Nature
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Kitchen
  • Elementary
  • Preschool
  • Nature
×
Home » In the Kitchen

Perfect Homemade Mashed Potatoes

63 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Jump to Recipe
mashed potatoes with garlic and fennel in a bowl

"It’s hard to improve upon a classic, but with her rendition of mashed potatoes, Chef Melissa Perello of Frances and Octavia in San Francisco, enriches the side with earthy flavors. Chef Perello loves the rich sweetness brought on by roasting vegetables, so she adds in garlic and fennel. Instead of roasting them however, she slow-cooks the aromatics in our Enamel Cast Iron Dutch Oven."

- Made In Cookware

Welcome to the kitchen! These rustic homemade mashed potatoes are the perfect mashed potatoes to share with family and friends. They're rich, buttery, and so comforting you'll be asking for seconds.

If you like these mashed potatoes, try the mixed-up potato gratin, an easy potato salad, picadillo, and aloo chaat.

Learn more about cooking with kids.

Jump to:
  • Made In Cookware
  • Mixed-Up Potato Gratin
  • Family & Kid's Cooking Resources
  • How to Make Perfect Homemade Mashed Potatoes
  • Homemade Mashed Potatoes
  • Free Homemade Mashed Potatoes Recipe for Pre-Readers and Up
  • Montessori Continent Boxes
  • Perfect Homemade Mashed Potatoes

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Amazon links are not affiliate links. You can read my full affiliate disclosure.

This homemade mashed potatoes with caramelized fennel and garlic recipe comes straight from Made In and Melissa Perello of Frances and Octavia in San Francisco.

Which Potatoes are Best for Mashed Potatoes?

"Like Chef Perello, we agree Yukon Golds are the superior potato for mashing, with their buttery flavor adding to the delicious richness of the dish which is amped up by heavy cream, sour cream, and plenty of butter."

- Made In Cookware

Learn more with Made In.

a Made In Dutch oven on a stove and a cookbook in the background

learn more!

Made In Cookware

Professional-quality, performance kitchenware for home

Shop Now →

Looking for another easy potato recipe?

Mixed-Up Potato Gratin ingredients with pictures

related recipe!

Mixed-Up Potato Gratin

Text

Get the recipe →

Stop by our shop to see more Family & Kids' Cooking Resources.

Family & Kid's Cooking Resources

Beautiful and diverse cooking resources for you!

Shop Now ➜
Cover of Diasporican by Illyanna Maisonet

Learn more about allergies and your family.

How to Make Perfect Homemade Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

  • potatoes - this recipe calls for Yukon Gold potatoes for the best mashed potatoes
  • salt
  • fennel - you'll need about 2 large bulbs
  • garlic
  • oil
  • heavy cream
  • bay leaf
  • butter
  • sour cream

Tools

  • apron
  • prep bowls
  • child-friendly knife
  • peeler
  • chef knife
  • butcher block
  • measuring spoons
  • measuring cup
  • immersion blender or potato masher
  • wooden spoon
  • stock pot
  • Dutch oven
  • learning tower

Peel the Potatoes

Wash your hands with soap and water. Use the peeler to peel the potatoes.

peeled potatoes in a stock pot

Transfer to a Stock Pot

Transfer the potatoes to the stock pot and cover them with water. Turn the stove on high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Once the pot is boiling, turn the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 40 to 60 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and mashable.

fennel sliced in half

Slice the Fennel

Use a knife to slice the fennel in half lengthwise. Remove the core and slice the fennel into ¼-inch thick slices. Use the back of the knife to smash the garlic cloves and then chop.

sliced fennel in a Dutch oven

Cook the Sliced Fennel and Garlic

Add the olive oil to the Dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Once the Dutch oven is hot, add the garlic and fennel. Stir frequently until the fennel starts to turn golden brown and is tender. Add the cream, the remaining salt, and the bay leaf to the Dutch oven. Turn the heat up.

Once the pot is boiling, turn the heat off, and place the lid on the Dutch oven.

potatoes and water in a stock pot

Drain the Potatoes

Once the potatoes are cooked, turn off the burner and drain the stock pot. Use a potato ricer, food mill, or immersion blender to mash the potatoes in the pot.

Remove the bay leaf from the Dutch oven.

sliced fennel and cream in a Dutch oven

Add the Potato Mixture to the Dutch Oven

Add the potato mixture to the Dutch oven.

sliced fennel, cream, and butter in a Dutch oven

Add Butter and Sour Cream

Add the butter and sour cream to the Dutch oven. Stir to break up the fennel and combine the mashed potatoes ingredients.

mashed potatoes with garlic and fennel in a bowl

Bake for 10 Minutes

Turn the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure the potatoes are spread evenly throughout the Dutch oven or use a baking dish. Use a spatula to make waves. This will add texture when browning the mashed potatoes in the oven.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Turn off the oven. Add a drizzle of hot cream or a dusting of fennel pollen to finish.

Homemade Mashed Potatoes Ingredients snippet

free recipe!

Homemade Mashed Potatoes

Rich, buttery mashed potatoes with caramelized fennel and garlic

    Built with ConvertKit

    Free Homemade Mashed Potatoes Recipe for Pre-Readers and Up

    Grab your free printable recipe cards above. Kids can gather ingredients using the ingredient list, gather their equipment with the tools list, and prepare the meal using the step-by-step recipe cards, with assistance as needed.

    The cards are easy to use, include pictures, and encourage confidence and independence in the kitchen. They also make an excellent addition to your Montessori continent box for North America.

    Treasures From Jennifer Montessori continent boxes with Schleich animals on top of boxes for continents South America, Europe, and the supercontinent Pangea box

    Montessori Continent Boxes

    Explore every continent with these solid maple hardwood boxes.

    Shop Now →
    mashed potatoes with garlic and fennel in a bowl

    Perfect Homemade Mashed Potatoes

    Kristin
    These rustic homemade mashed potatoes are the perfect mashed potatoes to share with family and friends. They're rich, buttery, and so comforting you'll be asking for seconds.
    No ratings yet
    Pin Recipe Print Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 people
    Calories 356 kcal

    Equipment

    • Apron
    • Prep Bowls
    • Child-Friendly Knife
    • Vegetable Peeler
    • Chef Knife
    • Butcher Block
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Measuring Cup
    • Wooden Spoon
    • Stock Pot
    • Immersion Blender or Potato Masher
    • Dutch Oven
    • Learning Tower as needed

    Ingredients 
     

    • 3 ½ lbs Yukon Gold potatoes medium-sized
    • 2 tablespoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 ½ lbs fennel about 2 large bulbs, stalks and fronds removed
    • 2 ½ oz garlic cloves about 1 whole head, peeled
    • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
    • 1 bay leaf
    • ½ cup salted butter cut into small pieces
    • 1 cup sour cream or crème fraîche
    • fennel pollen or toasted ground fennel seed

    Instructions 

    • Wash your hands with soap and water. Use the peeler to peel the potatoes.
    • Transfer the potatoes to the stock pot and cover them with water. Turn the stove on high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Once the pot is boiling, turn the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 40 to 60 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and mashable.
    • Use a knife to slice the fennel in half lengthwise. Remove the core and slice the fennel into ¼-inch thick slices. Use the back of the knife to smash the garlic cloves and then chop.
    • Add the olive oil to the Dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Once the Dutch oven is hot, add the garlic and fennel. Stir frequently until the fennel starts to turn golden brown and is tender. Add the cream, the remaining salt, and the bay leaf to the Dutch oven. Turn the heat up. Once the pot is boiling, turn the heat off, and place the lid on the Dutch oven.
    • Once the potatoes are cooked, turn off the burner and drain the stock pot. Use a potato ricer, food mill, or immersion blender to mash the potatoes in the pot. Remove the bay leaf from the Dutch oven.
    • Add the potato mixture to the Dutch oven.
    • Add the butter and sour cream to the Dutch oven. Stir to break up the fennel and combine the mashed potatoes ingredients.
    • Turn the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure the potatoes are spread evenly throughout the Dutch oven or use a baking dish. Use a spatula to make waves. This will add texture when browning the mashed potatoes in the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Turn off the oven. Add a drizzle of hot cream or a dusting of fennel pollen to finish.

    Notes

    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
    • See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
    • Full Lesson Info and Pictures at:  https://happyhomeschooladventures.com/homemade-mashed-potatoes

    Nutrition

    Calories: 356kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 5gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 1.47mgPotassium: 870mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 873IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 2mg

    Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More In the Kitchen

    • bison bolognese in a baking dish beside An Italian Feast cookbook
      Tagliatelle with Bolognese Sauce, Tagliatelle con Ragù alla Bolognese
    • salsa verde and rib eye on a butcher block
      Simple Italian Salsa Verde from Why I Cook
    • Parmesan Basil Butter and Super-Italian cookbook
      Homemade Garlic Butter with Parmesan & Basil from Super-Italian
    • German Potato Salad in a baking dish
      Easy German Potato Salad from My Life in Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Kristin from Happy Homeschool Adventures

    Hi, I'm Kristin!

    I'm a Montessori homeschooler of 4 living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I'm a nature lover and environmental minimalist sharing my experience in guiding kids from the back of the boat.

    More About Me ➜

    Our Land Acknowledgement

    We reside on the ancestral lands of the Kalapuya and Luckiamute Tribes as well as the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.  The land was ceded in the Ratified Indian Treaty #282 on January 22, 1855.  The languages of the Indigenous peoples of this area are Kalapuya and Chinuk Wawa.


    Trending

    • deep-fried drop biscuits with cinnamon sugar on a rack
      Easy Deep-Fried Drop Biscuits - Free Printable
    • closeup of Hoppin' John cooking in a copper saucier
      Easy Hoppin' John With Carolina Gold Rice - Free Printable
    • meatballs, sausage, and braciole in sauce in a Dutch oven beside baking dish of rigatoni
      Sunday Gravy with Italian Meatballs & Braciole from Why I Cook
    • Summer Morning Basket with books and activities on a rug next to a pillow and blanket
      Summer Morning Basket With Printable Checklist

    In Season

    • freshly baked Turmeric and Nigella Seed Easter Bread on a Made In baking slab
      Turmeric & Nigella Seed Easter Bread with Free Printable
    • Le Sud cookbook and vegan chickpea salad from the cookbook
      Vegan Chickpea Salad from Le Sud
    • close up of Persian-style rice and shrimp in a serving bowl
      Persian Rice and Shrimp with Free Printable
    • zucchini pancake on a plate topped with sour cream and dill
      Zucchini Pancakes with Chanterelles, Cukinijų Blyneliai su Voveraitėmis, from Taste Lithuania

    Footer

    as seen in:

    rent logo

    I was named an expert in a Rent. article. Check out the featured
    article: Homeschool Activities | Rent.

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure

    Newsletter

    • Join Us! for emails and updates

    Copyright © 2025 · Happy Homeschool Adventures

    63 shares

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required