Creamy Swiss Mashed Potatoes — No Lumps, No Packet
Yvonne Ammann VegetarianBoil floury potatoes until soft, let them steam dry, pass through a food mill or potato masher. Stir in hot milk and butter, nutmeg and salt. Never blend with a stick blender — that turns it to glue.
Packet mash is convenient, but homemade takes 25 minutes and tastes of potatoes. Two things decide it: the right potato variety and the right tool. Floury and a food mill — creamy. Waxy and a stick blender — glue. There is no more secret than that.
Ingredients
- 1 kg Potatoes (floury)
- 2½ dl Milk
- 60 g Butter
- 1 tsp Salt
- Nutmeg
- Pepper
Method
- 1
Boil the potatoes
Peel the potatoes, cut into even pieces and boil in salted water for 20 minutes until a knife goes through without resistance.
- 2
Steam dry
Drain and leave in the uncovered pot on the switched-off hob for 2 minutes to steam dry. The drier the potatoes, the creamier the mash — water makes it watery.
- 3
Heat the milk
Heat the milk with the butter in a small pan until the butter has melted. Cold milk would cool the mash and make it gluey.
- 4
Pass through
Pass the potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer into the pot, or crush with a masher. Do not blend.
- 5
Stir
Stir in the hot milk a little at a time with a wooden spoon until the mash is creamy — you may not need all the milk. Season with salt, nutmeg and pepper and serve straight away.
Tips
- Mash keeps warm for an hour in a bain-marie or steamer at 80 °C. To reheat next day, add a splash of milk and stir over low heat.
- For a richer mash, replace half the milk with cream; for a lighter one, use stock instead of milk.
- Leftovers become potato cakes next day: mix with an egg and 2 tbsp flour, shape, fry in butter until golden.
What can I substitute?
The vegan version. Oat drink makes it creamiest; olive oil supplies the flavour the missing butter would leave behind.
Boil and pass through together. Gives an aromatic mash that goes especially well with roasts and game.
Slightly tangy and very creamy. Stir in at the end; do not heat with the milk.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from the ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my mash turn gluey?
Because the starch was overworked — almost always by a stick blender or food processor. The starch cells burst and turn to paste. A food mill, ricer or masher and a wooden spoon are all you need. Waxy potatoes make the problem worse.
Which potatoes for mash?
Floury ones: Agria, Bintje, Victoria or Désirée. They break down when boiled and absorb the milk and butter. At Migros and Coop they carry a blue label or 'mehligkochend'.
Can I make mash in advance?
Yes. Refrigerate the finished mash covered; it keeps two days. Reheat with a splash of milk over low heat, stirring, or in the oven at 160 °C with dots of butter for 20 minutes.
How much mash per person?
250 g raw potatoes per person as a side, 350 g when it is the main component — as with Hacktätschli and mash. This recipe with 1 kg serves four as a side.
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