When you’re craving the perfect side dish, fire up the smoker and make Smoked Mashed Potatoes! They’re ultra-creamy, fluffy, and with a kiss of smoke, they’re extra delicious!
This post may contain affiliate link(s). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See Disclosure.
I have set out on a mission to smoke EVERYTHING; if you can eat it, I want to try smoking it. Some things work out better than others, and Smoked Mashed Potatoes were a HUGE hit! Light, fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes with a hint of smoke were so good, every other mashed potato recipe pales by comparison!
The best part about smoking mashed potatoes is that you can get them onto the smoker during the last 30 minutes of another smoke. Got a roast smoking? Ribs? Seafood? Push them to the side a wee bit while they finish cooking and pop a pan of mashed taters on the smoker to get a kiss of smoke.
Not only does this recipe make amazing mashed potatoes (it’s my go-to recipe!) but after a bit of smoke you’ll wonder why it took you so long to smoke potatoes!
What you’ll love about Smoked Mashed POtatoes
- You can smoke your favorite mashed potato recipe!
- They don’t take long on the smoker and don’t take up much room!
- Make them ahead of time and smoke just before serving!
Ingredients
- Gold mashed potatoes – They make the BEST Smoked Mashed Potatoes!
- Garlic – A few fresh garlic cloves.
- Salt
- Butter – Salted or unsalted; your choice.
- Milk – Whatever is in your fridge.
- Heavy whipping cream – I promised you indulgent mashed potatoes!
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
You’ll Also Need:
- Traeger pellet grill/smoker – Or another smoker.
- Pellets – This is a quick smoke so stronger smoke flavors are fine. Think hickory, mesquite, or a good blend.
- Smoker-safe shallow dish – Smoke will leave a residue on dishes that’s hard to get off. Using steel wool or an abrasive powder will take it off, but that could hurt the surface of the dish.
- Potato masher, ricer, or mixer
Recommended
What Potatoes Do You Use For Smoked Mashed Potatoes?
My favorite potato for mashing is the Yukon gold potato. They’re fluffy and buttery and have, to me, more flavor than other good mashing potatoes. And, they soak up all the butter and cream and turn out oh-so-creamy. If you can’t get gold potatoes, look for russet potatoes. They’re another good option because they’re considered to be a floury potato. You can mash red potatoes, but they’re waxier and don’t get quite so fluffy as golds or russets.
How To Make Smoked Mashed Potatoes
For a full list of ingredients and instructions, please scroll down to the recipe at the bottom of this page.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2-inch chunks, then place them in a pot of salted water.
- Add 2-3 peeled cloves of garlic to the potatoes and water and bring the pot to a boil.
- Boil the potatoes and garlic for 15-20 minutes or until they are very soft but not falling apart.
- Drain the potatoes and garlic cloves and return them to the pot.
- Add the butter to the hot potatoes and while it is melting, warm the milk and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl (or heat the liquids in a pot on the stove).
- Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes then use a fork to mix in the cream and milk.
- Season with salt and pepper then pop the potatoes into a shallow but wide smoker-safe dish (I love using a large cast-iron skillet) and set the pan into the smoker. The potatoes will take on the smoke flavor; any temp is fine up to about 300-F.
- Smoke the potatoes for about 30 minutes, then remove the pan from the smoker and dig in!
Other Ways To Smoke Mashed Potatoes
- You can boil the potatoes and then put them onto the smoker to smoke, before mashing them. If you leave them there too long, the potatoes will dry out, and mashing them will be hard. They also won’t be as light and fluffy this way. Feel free to ask me about my smoked potato mishaps in the comments!
- Mashed potatoes can be made with a hand masher, a potato ricer, or even a stand or electric mixer.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- The more surface area your mashed potatoes get, the more smoke flavor they’ll absorb. Use a skillet, shallow baking dish, or wide casserole pan when smoking the potatoes for maximum flavor.
- Sliced green onions or chopped chives or parsley add a pop of flavor, freshness and color to this Smoked Mashed Potato recipe.
- Don’t want all the fat from heavy cream? You can use all milk, instead.
This full-color ebook cookbook features more than 50 of Chef Jenn’s tried, tested, and favorite smoker recipes! Enjoy:
- Smoked Beef Kabobs
- Smoked Chicken Thighs
- Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Pork Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers
- Smoked Spaghetti Squash with Herbs
and so much more!
Make It A Meal
Wondering what to serve with Smoked Mashed Potatoes? These are the perfect side dish to so many meals. Some of my favorites include:
- Smoked meatloaf – Meatloaf and mashed potatoes are a perfect pairing!
- Garlic braised short ribs – Mashed taters soak up all that delish gravy!
- Seafood Stuffed Salmon
- Roast beef
Storage
Store any leftover Traeger Smoked Mashed Potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat them in the microwave or in a covered dish in a low oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can smoke them in as little as 30 minutes. You can leave them on longer, but be warned that the top of the potato will start to dry out. If you cover them, you defeat the purpose of smoking them. 30-45 minutes is the sweet spot for smoking mashed potatoes.
Heck yes! I smoke them all the time on my Traeger, and if you want even more smoke flavor, fire up a smoke tube and pop it inside with the potatoes. Yum!
Yes, they do! They won’t get super duper smoky because they’re not on the smoker long enough, but they will get a tasty kiss of smoke.
Smoked Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Pellets
- Potato masher or potato ricer or electric mixer
Ingredients
- 2 pounds gold potatoes
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Peel and cut the potatoes into 2-inch chunks.
- Boil the potatoes and the garlic in salted water until they're very fork tender but not falling apart. About 20 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and garlic and return them to the hot pot.
- Meanwhile, warm the milk and cream in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop.
- Mash the potatoes then mix in the butter and as much of the cream/milk mixture as you like to get the potatoes nice and creamy and fluffy.
- Season with salt and pepper, then transfer the mashed potatoes to a smoker-safe shallow dish.
- Smoke at 225-F for about 30-45 minutes. You can smoke them at a higher temp but they won't be as smoky. For the best results, smoke them at 180-F or on super smoke for 30 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- The more surface area your mashed potatoes get, the more smoke flavor they’ll absorb. Use a skillet, shallow baking dish, or wide casserole pan when smoking the potatoes for maximum flavor.
- Sliced green onions or chopped chives or parsley add a pop of flavor, freshness and color to this Smoked Mashed Potato recipe.
- Don’t want all the fat from heavy cream? You can use all milk, instead.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
Want More Delicious and Easy Recipes?
