How Long To Boil Potatoes For Classic, Fluffy Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are one of the most popular side dishes ever made. When made correctly, they deftly balance richness and fluffiness and can take on a variety of flavors and seasonings (like in our garlicky mashed potato recipe). However, getting fluffy mashed potatoes on your plate starts long before your masher makes contact with the spuds; you first need to ensure your potatoes are properly cooked and soft.

Aim to cook your potatoes for between 15 and 30 minutes before draining the water, adding any other ingredients, and mashing. It's important to start your potatoes in cold water with salt, and test your potatoes with a fork before draining them. The cold water will reduce the risk of potatoes cooking unevenly and ensure your mash comes out perfectly smooth. You're looking for fork-tender potato cubes — meaning you can easily pierce them with a fork or a butter knife with little resistance. 

If you decide to steam your potatoes, cook them for a similar amount of time. Some folks swear this method prevents the potatoes from losing their flavor and make them just soft enough to mash. If you're going this route, be sure to put them in a single layer in your steaming basket so that they soften evenly.

For a dish that seems pretty easy to make at home, getting the perfect texture in your mashed potatoes is actually surprisingly difficult — especially when you're trying to create a perfectly fluffy texture. Mashed potatoes can easily become gluey because of their starch content. One tip that you can employ to curb this starch is to rinse your potatoes well in cold water before boiling them. Not only does this remove any of the residual dirt on your potatoes, but it will also wash away some of that pesky starch.

You can also avoid gluey mashed potatoes by not overmashing or overworking them. Using a stand mixer or a food processor is among the worst methods for making mashed potatoes for this very reason; they cause the potatoes to get gummy rather than stay fluffy and soft. Using more butter and less milk can also help, as the fat will lubricate the starches and help the spuds stay soft even after mashing.