Healthy Mashed Potatoes
Updated Sep 22, 2026
Healthy mashed potatoes made with Yukon Gold potatoes, garlic, low-fat sour cream, vegetable broth, and just 2 tablespoons of butter. Ready in 30 minutes.
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I’ll take pretty much any version of mashed potatoes, but these Healthy Mashed Potatoes have to be one of my favorite versions I make. I know white potatoes get a bad rap when people talk about eating healthy, but they actually have plenty going for them, including potassium and vitamin C. So with my healthy mashed potatoes recipe, I’m not trying to replace the potatoes with cauliflower or anything like that. I just keep what I add to them a little lighter with low-fat sour cream, two tablespoons of butter, and vegetable broth instead of heavy cream.
I boil garlic with the Yukon Gold potatoes so it softens enough to mash right in. It’s a small thing, but it helps these mashed potatoes taste like regular mashed potatoes instead of a lighter version where something feels missing. You still get that creamy, garlicky texture without needing a lot of butter or heavy cream.
Recipe testing notes
For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe multiple times before sharing it! These notes give you a peek into my process of developing and testing.
I kept adjusting the vegetable broth while I was testing these because I wanted the potatoes creamy without pouring in milk or heavy cream. When I held back too much, they were just too thick and dry. The cup of broth, along with the sour cream, ended up being the balance I liked best. Not too watery-tasting either.
I tried a few different potatoes too, and I liked the Yukon Golds best for this recipe. They already have a naturally buttery texture, which helped a lot since I’m only using two tablespoons of actual butter here. With some of the other potatoes I tested, I kept wanting to add more.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
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Healthy Mashed Potatoes Ingredients
- Yukon gold potatoes: Cut them into roughly 2-inch pieces and keep them close to the same size so they cook evenly. You can peel them completely or leave a little skin on for more texture.
- Garlic: Use fresh cloves that are firm and not sprouting, since sprouted garlic can taste more bitter. If you don’t have fresh garlic, use about ¾ teaspoon garlic powder instead, but wait and add it after the potatoes are drained rather than boiling it with them.
- Low-fat sour cream: Let it sit out for a few minutes if you can. Very cold sour cream can cool the potatoes down quickly when you mix it in. Greek yogurt works really well here too, and I use it pretty often. Use plain Greek yogurt.
- Vegetable broth: Go with low-sodium, or you can try my homemade vegetable stock recipe so you can control the seasoning yourself. If your potatoes already seem very soft after draining, add the broth gradually instead of pouring it all in at once.
- Butter: Soften it first so it melts in easily. If you want to cut it back further, you can, but the potatoes will taste a little less rich.
- Seasoning: Just salt and pepper. Salt the cooking water well, then taste again after mashing before adding more. Freshly ground is best, but pre-ground is completely fine.
- Parsley: Optional. Add it right before serving rather than mixing it in early.
How to Make Healthy Mashed Potatoes
These step-by-step photos walk you through how to make Healthy Mashed Potatoes. For the full ingredient list and detailed instructions, head to the recipe card below, or skip straight to the → Healthy Mashed Potatoes recipe below
1. Boil Potatoes and Garlic
Place the potatoes, garlic, and some of the salt in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil.
2. Drain the Potatoes
Once the potatoes are fork-tender, drain them and the garlic together, and add them to a bowl.
3. Add Sour Cream and Broth
Add the sour cream, vegetable broth, butter, remaining salt, and black pepper to the potatoes and garlic.
4. Mash Until Creamy
Mix everything until the potatoes reach the consistency I want. I stop once they are smooth so I don’t keep working the potatoes and make them gummy.
Recipe Video Tutorial
Full Healthy Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Healthy Mashed Potatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 4 pounds yukon gold potatoes peeled & cut into 2″ chunks
- 6 garlic cloves peeled and halved
- 2 ½ teaspoons salt divided
- 8 ounces low-fat sour cream
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Chopped parsley for serving
Instructions
- Place the potatoes, garlic, and 2 teaspoons of salt in a large pot and cover with 1 inch of cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the potatoes reach a boil, cook for 10–12 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain, then immediately transfer them to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add the sour cream, vegetable broth, butter, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Mix until the potatoes break down and the mixture reaches your desired consistency. If you don't have a stand mixer or hand mixer, you can use a potato masher.
- Serve warm and top with fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
- My Top Tip: Cut the potatoes into similar-sized pieces. They cook more evenly and quickly when cut into 2″ chunks, as compared to boiling them whole.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Use roasted garlic. Instead of boiling the garlic with the potatoes, make roasted garlic for a caramelized flavor.
- Add cauliflower. For an even lighter mashed potato recipe, boil cauliflower and substitute it for some of the potatoes.
- Fresh herbs: I like folding in 2 tablespoons of chopped chives, parsley, or dill after mashing.
Recipe Tips
- Start the potatoes in cold water. I add the potatoes to the pot before bringing the water to a boil so the centers have time to cook through without the outsides getting too soft first.
- Drain them as soon as they are fork-tender. I don’t let the potatoes hang out in the cooking water once they’re done. They can absorb extra water, which makes it harder to get the consistency right when I mash them.
- Stop mixing once they’re creamy. This is especially important when I use a stand mixer. Potatoes can turn gummy pretty quickly if I keep mixing after they’re already smooth.
- Keep a little extra broth nearby. Mashed potatoes thicken as they sit, so if I need to loosen them before serving, I stir in a small splash of warm vegetable broth rather than adding more butter.
Serving Ideas
- Make it a holiday plate. I serve them next to my dry brined turkey breast or a whole dry brined turkey, with a ladle of turkey gravy over the top.
- Pair them with a roast. A whole roasted chicken, Prime Rib Roast or even Roasted Leg of Lamb makes it feel like a real Sunday dinner without much effort, and the pan drippings are so good over the potatoes.
- Keep it a weeknight thing. They also go with something simple, like my skillet rosemary chicken or oven baked chicken breast on a regular night.
Troubleshooting
I usually see this happen when the potatoes are mixed for too long. Once the potatoes are smooth, I stop the mixer. Continuing to beat them releases more starch and can make the texture sticky instead of creamy.
I make sure the potatoes are drained really well before adding the sour cream, broth, and butter. If mine still seem a little loose after mixing, I let them sit for a few minutes before adding anything else because they will thicken slightly as they stand.
That is normal as mashed potatoes cool. I stir in a small amount of warm vegetable broth until I get the consistency back where I want it.
Comments
Is the garlic supposed to be discarded after boiling? That was unclear to me.
Hi! Good question. After you drain the potatoes, leave the garlic in the pot with them, then add the other ingredients. The garlic cloves will be nice and tender and mash well into the potatoes for extra flavor.
These really are the best potatoes I’ve ever tasted. Follow the directions to a tee and always receive compliments on them.
Aww, that makes me so so happy to hear, JB!
Absolutely delicious. My new go to recipe for mashed potatoes. Halved the recipe for 2 people, added one big garlic clove with the 2lbs potatoes. And left it in while mashing the potatoes(by hand) Added 1/2 tsp dried parsley, ran out of fresh. Oh, and only added 1/2 tsp salt while boiling potatoes, figured that ‘better then bouillon’ veggie stock had enough salt in it. Our new favorite! Thank you for this tasty recipe. Am going to try it with some cauliflower next time!
Aww, yay! Amazing!! So happy you loved it, Janny!
This is my go-to recipe for mashed potatoes. They come out perfect every time and I’m so glad it’s on the lighter, “healthier” side. Sooo good. Thank you!
Aww, yay!! So glad you love the recipe! Thank you so much!!
Amazing!!!!! This is the only recipe I’ll be using from now on for mashed potatoes!
Love that!! Thank you so much!
Thanks a lot for sharing these delicious recipes! 🙏👌
You’re so welcome, Belma!
Oh my goodness, this is good!
It didn’t need ranch seasoning at all, but I made some with the nutritional yeast to try on baked and roasted potatoes later. I used fat free plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream in the mashed potatoes and it was great! Next time, I’m leaving out the salt in the water because it was just too much for me. Everyone can add salt to their own taste if I ever share in the future. I didn’t use the pepper, either.
The instructions weren’t very clear about whether or not to remove the garlic when draining, so I picked out what I could ID and was happy with the amount of garlic flavor remaining.
Yay!! So happy you liked it, Patricia! Thank you so much!
I really want to make this. I don’t have a stand mixer. What do I use instead?
Great question! You can use an electric hand mixer, potato masher, or even a fork. Hope you enjoy!!
This recipe is amazing. How can mashed potatoes with only a couple tablespoons of butter and 1/2 cup sour cream or milk, taste sooo close to full fat mashed potatoes! My husband is a southerner, and his mom makes THE BEST classic mashed potatoes, but he said these were really good. He is picky about his southern staples, haha, so that’s huge. This is a great recipe for a regular weekly need for mashed potatoes, to lighten calories, especially fat and cholesterol. Super easy, too. Thank you for sharing with us!
Love this, thanks for sharing!!
These came out SO good. No one could tell any sort of substitution was made! Can’t believe these only have 2 Tbsp of butter. If they come out bland for you, check the quality of your veggie stock. I’ve found this recipe really hinges on the depth of the veggie stock. Also, left my skins on out of laziness and turned out great.
Great tips, Marie! Thank you for sharing.
This recipe sounds good! I don’t usually buy low fat foods when they are a substitute for foods naturally higher in fat. A lot of times the fat is lowered, and stuff is added to maintain flavor/ texture that aren’t good. I have never read the label on low fat sour cream, but since there is such a relatively small amount, divided by about 5 servings, I would make these with the real deal!
Hi Deb, you can for sure use full-fat if that’s what you prefer. Looking forward to seeing what you think after you make them!
I use full fat yogurt instead of low fat sour cream. Comes out great every time.
Thanks for letting me know!
These came out slimmy for me… not sure why
Oh no! Is it possible that they got overmixed? Sometimes they will get gummy/slimy if they get overworked.
Your nutrition information doesn’t give serving size
When the recipe is set to 5 servings, it should make roughly 5 cups total, so it should be 1 cup per serving.
I’m always grateful to find recipes that are healthy, delicious, and easy to prepare. These potatoes checked both boxes. I made a couple tweaks by substituting Greek yogurt for sour cream and chicken broth for vegetable broth.
That is perfect! I am glad it worked that way – sounds delicious!
Any way to make these non-dairy?
I have yet to try that, but you can try using vegan substitutes!
thank you so much for this recipe. Cannot wait to try it….looks so yummy
You’re so welcome! Hope you enjoy!!
How much does this yield? I need 6 cups of mashed potatoes for another recipe and I’m not sure how many I would get with this recipe.
When the recipe is set to 5 servings, it should make roughly 5 cups total, so it should be 1 cup per serving.
I really enjoyed this low calorie mashed potatoes, creamy and fulfilling.
Really good for me, who is on calorie deficit but always wanted to eat delicious food
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed!
Love the recipe! What’s the serving size though?
Thank you! The serving size is a fifth of the recipe, so I would divide it by five once you’ve finished making the recipe.
IT IS MORE THAN AMAZING !! I love the taste it was perfect ❤️
Thank you so much!!!
Made these for Thanksgiving and everyone loved them. My track record with mash isn’t good, usually mine turn out gummy and awful. Not with this recipe! They were just perfect! I substituted Califia Farms Almond Milk Creamer (made with almond and coconut cream) and it worked well.
That’s amazing! I love that!
I only have chicken broth, will that work?
Yes, it will!
very good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you!
So happy your family approved it!! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Yay, so glad to hear it!! Thank you 🙂
The potatoes won’t get gummy using a mixer?
No, they end up more fluffy and soft this way.
Mine turned out gummy with a mixer. 🙁
That shouldn’t have been the case! They should end up more fluffy and soft this way.
Is the nutrition facts per what size serving? I see it says serves 5 but no specifics on what size. Surly the nutrition facts posted isn’t for the whole 5 servings lol Trying this recipe tonight & so excited for it!
Sorry for the delay! Yes, it’s for 1/5 of the recipe which is about 10 ounces of potatoes 🙂
I added a little extra salt and some garlic powder, and it was great! I used the greek yogurt substitution and it was still creamy. I’m never making the fatty, unhealthy mashed potatoes again!
So glad to hear that you loved it! Thank you!
Hey, i just tried the recipe and i can say without a doubt that those mashed potatoes were definitely some of the best that i have ever tasted. the recipe surly is worth a try. !
thank you for the recipe Yumna !
Awww thank you so much!! I really appreciate that!
well for this recipe it really doesn’t give the serving size for the nutritional information
from the best that I can figure out that it says that this is for 5 people so for 2 lbs of potatoes
that would be 0.4 lbs per person So for 2 lbs of potatoes that would be 4 cups mashed.
https://www.thriftyfun.com/Converting-Two-Pounds-of-Potatoes-to-Cups.html
“This site says one pound of potatoes is approx 2 cups cooked/mashed. So 2 pounds of spuds would be 4 cups. Use that as a starting point. I would think most potato recipes would be somewhat forgiving, not like baking cakes, etc. where exact measurements count.
So 4 cups mashed divided by 5 people comes out to be just over 3/4 of a cup per person.
That is the number I am going with anyways
Hope this helps anyone else out there who is trying to figure out the portion sizes
for this recipe.
Thank you for sharing such healthy and amazing recipes! My husband & I loved how buttery the mashed potatoes turned out. Love your page & your positivity!!?
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!
I made these and I love them. Thank you they are keepers.
Awesome! Thank you for sharing!!
What is the serving size ..?
It’s 2 pounds total for 5 people, so it’s less than half a pound of potatoes for each serving. I hope that helps!
Do you have a recipe and nutritional facts label with the substitutions mentioned- half califlour, plain Greek yogurt, olive oil?
No I don’t have that unfortunately, but you can plug it into verywellfit.com based on the recipe alterations. I hope that helps!
I’m confused about Step 2. How long do the potatoes, garlic, veggie broth, sour cream, and butter go in the pan for? What kind of consistency am I looking for? After that, are they then transferred to a bowl to get mashed?
Hi, sorry for the confusion. I just edited the recipe instructions to combine step 2 and step 3 since they’re really done together. Once you put the garlic, veggie broth, sour cream and butter into the pan, you can mash everything together to whatever consistency you like. I use an electric mixer and keep it running until it’s pretty smooth, but you can decide how you like it. Then they’re pretty much done. You can wipe around the bowl you used to mash them, or transfer them to a serving bowl. Does that help?
Yeah that helps a lot. I think the word that was throwing me off was “pan” instead of “bowl.” Thanks so much, can’t wait to make this over the weekend! (:
Fyi making potatoes ahead with water leeches the potassium great for lower potassium diets.
I do prefer the sour cream over adding milk. I’m curious to see how the greek yogurt will taste. Next time i will try the yogurt and the yugons for the butter flavor. Thanks for the recipe.
That sounds great! Keep me posted if you try that!
My favorite side dish. Sour cream is a good substitute for milk.