Air Fryer Mashed Potatoes
Last Updated on February 16, 2023 by Betty Davies
Rich, creamy, buttery and so fluffy, the air fryer makes the most perfect mashed potato every single time. Simple to prep and no peeling involved, this is an effortless way to make your mash. Potatoes are baked in the air fryer before being mashed with cream and butter for a deliciously indulgent side dish.
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I’ve been making my mashed potatoes the same way since I can remember, boil in water til tender, then mash together with cream and butter. But, let me tell you, using in air fryer to make them has been a game changer for me!
If you sometimes find that your mash is stodgy or gluey, then air frying is your answer! The potatoes are baked, meaning that they don’t get water logged or overcooked, and you’ll get restaurant style mash every single time.
This classic potato side dish just got even easier to make!
Be sure to try my Air Fryer Diced Potatoes and Air Fryer Canned Potatoes too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Simple: There’s hardly any prep needed in this recipe, no peeling is always a good thing! Set your air fryer timer and you can forget about them while you get on with the rest of the meal.
- Easy to adapt: You can easily fancy up this mash however you want! Add in bacon, cheese, herbs, garlic, anything you want to make your perfect potatoes!
- Dietary info: These air fryer mashed potatoes are gluten-free and vegetarian.
Ingredients
- Potatoes: I used Yukon Gold for this mash recipe as they are a nice mixture of starchy and creamy. Russets work great too.
- Salt and black pepper
- Butter: Salted butter adds a richness to the potatoes that makes them over the top delicious!
- Cream: For the creamiest potatoes, use 35% cream.
- Chives: I like to stir in some chopped chives at the end for flavor, freshness and color.
How to make air fryer mashed potatoes
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Wrap the potatoes in a foil package and place in the air fryer basket (photo 1).
- Air fry til tender (photo 2).
- Heat together the cream and butter (photo 3).
- Mash the potatoes in the cream and butter and stir in the chives (photo 4).
Recipe Variations
These air fryer mashed potatoes are super easy to adapt to suit your own tastes. Once you’ve air fried them, you can mash them up with your favorite ingredients, check out some of these recipes for inspiration!
- Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Cold Mashed Potato Salad
- Boursin Mashed Potatoes
- Wholegrain Mustard Mashed Potatoes
- Vegan Mashed Potatoes
To make this recipe healthier, you can half the butter and use half and half or milk instead of cream. The potatoes won’t be as rich and creamy, but will still be tasty!
Frequently Asked Questions
Baking the potatoes in the air fryer creates the most light and fluffy mash. When boiling them, they absorb the water, and if you overcook them, your mash can be gluey and soggy. You can also bake the potatoes in the oven, but it will take a little longer and the air fryer is more energy efficient to run.
There is no need to peel the potatoes before air frying them. Once they are cooked, you can easily mash them with the skins on for a more rustic dish, which I like, or, if you prefer, you can peel them before mashing. Once cooked, the skins will peel off easily with your hands.
The main reason that I like to use foil to wrap the potatoes in, is so that the skins don’t get crispy. That way, I can mash the potatoes with the skins on and the mash will still be nice and soft. The foil also helps to trap the heat, meaning they cook through quicker.
Serving Suggestions
This air fryer mashed potato recipe is easy enough to make as part of a weeknight meal but indulgent enough to serve up at special dinners like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Try them with some of these favorite mains:
- Steak and Stilton Pie
- Salmon in Basil Lemon Sauce
- Red Wine Marinated Steak
- Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu
Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating
It’s best to mash the potatoes while they are still warm, this way they will be easier to combine with the cream and butter.
Once made, the mash will keep well for 4 days, covered in the fridge.
The best way to reheat the mash is in a pot on the stovetop on a low heat. Stir during reheating, and add in a little extra milk or cream if needed.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Preheat the air fryer before placing in the potatoes, this will help them cook more evenly. If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat setting, let it run at 400F / 200c for 5 minutes.
- The time to cook the potatoes will vary depending on the size of your potatoes and your air fryer model. They can take anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes. They should be fork tender, but not mushy.
- Your cream and butter should be warm, as should your potatoes, when you mash everything together. When everything is warm, the potatoes will absorb the cream and butter much easier.
- Stop mashing once everything is combined. If you over mash potatoes they can become sticky and gluey.
- For super smooth mash, pass the whole potatoes through a potato ricer into the butter and cream mix, then gently stir together.
If you are looking for fluffy mashed potatoes, then your air fryer is the answer! Super easy to make, the butter and cream make this one indulgent and delicious side dish.
More Air Fryer Potato Recipes
- Air Fryer Potato Gratin
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Potatoes
- Air Fryer Mashed Potato Balls
- Air Fryer Fingerling Potatoes
If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and a comment below!
Air Fryer Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet) (900g)
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ⅓ cup cream (35%) (80ml)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (plus more for seasoning if required)
- pinch black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F / 200c.
- Lay a large piece of foil on your counter top. Pierce each potato with a fork two or three times and place in the middle of the foil.
- Once the air fryer is preheated, lift the foil and potatoes into the basket. Drizzle over the oil, add a little salt and fold the foil over the top so that the potatoes are covered.
- Cook the potatoes at 400F for 30 minutes til fork tender (times may vary slightly depending on how large your potatoes are).
- While the potatoes are cooking, add the butter, cream, salt and black pepper to a medium sized pot and heat on a low heat on the stovetop to melt the butter.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, place them into the pot with the butter and cream and mash together til smooth.
- Add a little more cream if the potatoes are too stiff. Taste and season with additional salt if needed.
- Stir in the chopped chives and serve.
Notes
- Preheat the air fryer before placing in the potatoes, this will help them cook more evenly. If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat setting, let it run at 400F / 200c for 5 minutes.
- The time to cook the potatoes will vary depending on the size of your potatoes and your air fryer model. They can take anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes. They should be fork tender, but not mushy.
- Your cream and butter should be warm, as should your potatoes, when you mash everything together. When everything is warm, the potatoes will absorb the cream and butter much easier.
- Stop mashing once everything is combined. If you over mash potatoes they can become sticky and gluey.
- For super smooth mash, pass the whole potatoes through a potato ricer into the butter and cream mix, then gently stir together.
