Published 11/11/2021 • Updated 11/8/2023 Mashed potatoes will forever be my favorite holiday side dish. I look forward to them at Thanksgiving and Christmas and often wonder why we don’t make them on the reg. They’re incredibly simple to make and don’t require any fancy ingredients! This specific healthy mashed potatoes recipe is a twist on my mom’s mashed potatoes which she makes with tons of butter, sour cream, and a little cream cheese. I love using tried-and-true family recipes and finding ways to make them my own. While we don’t love using the word “healthy,” this recipe really is healthier than classic mashed potatoes. To boiled potatoes, we add far less butter than normal, thick and tangy Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, and skip the heavy cream and cream cheese. A sprinkle of fresh herbs adds bright flavor. One taste of these Greek yogurt mashed potatoes and you’ll understand why we (and readers) love them!
What You Need for Healthy Mashed Potatoes
These creamy, dreamy, and perfectly smooth Greek yogurt mashed potatoes come together with basic ingredients including:
Russet potatoes Salt + pepper Greek yogurt Butter Fresh thyme + rosemary Milk
Substitutions for Healthy Mashed Potatoes
Feel free to try any of these delicious variations of or swaps for these healthy mashed potatoes:
Potatoes: Instead of russet potatoes, try using 3 pounds of Yukon gold potatoes, Idaho potatoes, red potatoes, or fingerling potatoes. For a sweet potato variation, make our mashed sweet potatoes! Potato Prep: Feel free to boil whole potatoes instead of quartering them. They’ll take a bit longer to cook so keep an eye on them. And, if you’re not a fan of potato skin, peel the potatoes before boiling. Milk: Any kind of dairy or plain non-dairy milk works great. For thinner mashed potatoes, use the full cup of milk. Feel free to sub chicken broth or veggie broth if you want instead. For thicker mashed potatoes, mix in just enough milk until you reach the desired consistency. Roasted Garlic: Try adding some roasted garlic to these herby mashed potatoes. We suggest using about 6-10 cloves, mashing them, and stirring them in right at the end. (Instead of whole cloves, mix in 1-2 teaspoons of garlic powder, but it’s just not the same.)
Storage
When the mashed potatoes have completely cooled to room temperature, transfer them to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes
Looking for more healthy Thanksgiving recipes to fill your holiday table with? Check out all of our best turkey day recipes in one spot!
Healthy Holiday Sides
Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole Green Beans Almondine Healthy Green Bean Casserole Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
We don’t recommend freezing mashed potatoes. The texture and consistency of the potatoes becomes grainy and not that tasty. These healthy mashed potatoes are best enjoyed fresh (or reheated as refrigerated leftovers).
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Free up valuable kitchen space during the holidays and make these Greek yogurt mashed potatoes a few days ahead of time. Let the mashed potatoes cool completely, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, warm the potatoes up in the microwave or transfer to an oven-safe baking dish and heat until warmed through. You may need to mix in a splash of milk or a dollop of Greek yogurt to thin the potatoes out a little bit.
Serving Suggestions
Wow your holiday guests and serve these healthy mashed potatoes as part of your Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, or holiday celebrations. They pair wonderfully with any of our holiday recipes and are exceptionally delicious topped with our mushroom gravy and served next to our sous vide turkey.
