Creamy, fluffy, and easy to make, this sour cream mashed potatoes with chives recipe is the perfect side for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any meal! I love the tangy and rich flavor that it brings to the table without having to break a sweat making it.

Overhead view of a large bowl of sour cream mashed potatoes with chives and black pepper on top.

Mashed potatoes have always been one of my favorite side dishes (see my boursin mashed potatoes, rosemary mashed potatoes, and miso mashed potatoes as proof). I think mashed potatoes really bring together a meal, and I love how effortless they are to make. This sour cream and chives version of mashed potatoes is a fun new way that I’ve been obsessed with, and I hope you’ll love it as much as I do!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Like I said earlier, sour cream mashed potatoes go with everything! There isn’t a meal where I don’t think mashed potatoes will make it even better.
Using sour cream is an easy way to upgrade plain mashed potatoes! It’s one of my new favorite ways of enjoying mashed potatoes now.
It very easy to make with only a handful of ingredients.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients needed to make sour cream mashed potatoes.

potatoes — use your favorite potatoes! I’m using russet potatoes, but I also like to use a mixture of starchy russet potatoes and creamy Yukon gold potatoes for a different texture. Avoid waxy potatoes (like white potatoes and red potatoes) as they’ll be gummy when mashed.
salt & pepper — you’ll need salt for the water to cook the potatoes in and to season the mashed potatoes.
butter — I use unsalted to keep the mashed potatoes from tasting too salty. However, you can use salted butter if you want an extra hint of salt.
heavy cream — heavy cream will make for the creamiest mashed potatoes. While you can use half and half or whole milk, I recommend sticking to heavy cream for the creamiest mashed potatoes.
sour cream — adding sour cream to mashed potatoes will add a richness and creaminess. It also adds a delightful tangy flavor!
chives — I love the mild onion flavor that chives add. You can use as much or as little as you’d like.

How to Make Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Set of two photos showing potatoes added to a pot of water to cook and then mashed.

Bring a (covered) pot of salted water with the potatoes to a boil. Once it has reached a boil, slightly uncover the pot and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Drain the potatoes and add them to a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher (or a potato ricer) until there are no more large chunks.

Set of two photos showing sour cream, butter, and milk added to the potatoes and mixed.

Add the butter, cream, and sour cream. Continue to mash until it has reached your desired consistency. Use a spatula to finish off the mashed potatoes to make sure everything is evenly distributed. Add additional salt and pepper and top off with chives as desired.

A serving bowl of sour cream with chives mashed potatoes topped with black pepper with a pink spoon. Chives in a bowl off to the side.

Recipe Tips and Notes

Season with additional garlic powder and onion powder if desired.
Make sure to boil the potatoes in cold water from the start, and not add potatoes to the boiled water. This ensures the potatoes cook evenly.
I usually let my potatoes sit in a colander for a couple of minutes to ensure they are fully drained and dry before I mash them. This will help keep the mashed potatoes from being watery.
If you don’t feel like peeling the potatoes, that’s totally okay if you don’t mix the additional texture to the mashed potatoes.
I add around 1-2 tablespoons of salt to the water.

A spoonful of sour cream mashed potatoes with chives and black pepper.

Make Ahead Tips

Make Ahead: once cooled, store the sour cream mashed potatoes in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Reheat: reheat the mashed potatoes in the microwave or on the stovetop. You can add a few splashes of cream into the saucepan as you stir when reheating to help loosen it up.

Serving Suggestions

This sour cream mashed potatoes recipe goes with everything! Here are some delicious recipes you may want to make alongside the mashed potatoes:

Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Ingredients

3½ pounds russet potatoes, or Yukon gold, peeled and cut in half
salt, for the water and to season with
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ cup sour cream
¼ cup heavy cream, or milk
pepper, to taste
chives, for garnish

Instructions

Bring a (covered) pot of salted water with the potatoes to a boil. Once it has reached a boil, slightly uncover the pot and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Drain the potatoes and add them to a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher (or a potato ricer) until there are no more large chunks.
Add the butter, cream, and sour cream. Continue to mash until it has reached your desired consistency. Use a spatula to finish off the mashed potatoes to make sure everything is evenly distributed. Add additional salt and pepper and top off with chives as desired.

Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥

Nutrition Per Serving

Author: Carmy

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Nutrition Disclaimer

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