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Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

Olive oil mashed potatoes with garlic and lemon zest made silky by mashing in reserved cooking water. Boiled Yukon Golds stay tender, then extra-virgin olive oil gives a glossy, creamy finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Yukon gold potatoes
  • 3 lb Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cubed
garlic
  • 3 clove garlic peeled
salt
  • 1 tbsp salt for the water
  • 1 tsp salt to season the mash
extra virgin olive oil
  • 0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
potato cooking water
  • 0.5 cup reserved potato cooking water measure after boiling, then use to loosen
lemon zest
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
fresh parsley or chives
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley or chives chopped
flaky sea salt
  • 1 flaky sea salt for finishing

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Boil the potatoes and garlic
  1. Add the peeled, cubed Yukon gold potatoes and peeled garlic to a Dutch oven and cover with water; stir in 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15-18 minutes until the potatoes are very tender (a fork slides in easily).
  2. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the potato cooking water. Drain the potatoes and garlic, then immediately return them to the Dutch oven.
Mash and season
  1. Mash the potatoes and garlic until smooth, drizzling in the extra-virgin olive oil as you go for a glossy texture. Stop when no large lumps remain and the mash looks creamy.
  2. Add reserved potato cooking water a splash at a time, stirring until the mashed potatoes turn silky and hold a soft, creamy shape. Add just enough water so it spreads but isn’t watery.
  3. Stir in the lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed. The mash should taste bright with a gentle pepper finish.
Serve
  1. Drizzle with more extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley or chives for a fresh green top. Finish with flaky sea salt so it shows visible flecks over the surface.

Notes

For extra-silky potatoes, mash while they’re still hot and add potato cooking water gradually until the texture turns smooth and spoonable. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a saucepan with a splash of water or olive oil. Freezing is not recommended because the texture can turn grainy. If you want a dairy-free option (already dairy-free), swap in olive oil only—skip any butter add-ins and rely on the cooking water for creaminess.