These quick cheesy garlic mashed potatoes for two are better than your typical mashed potatoes because of the stove top roasted garlic and added dollop of Greek yogurt. They're a great side dish for Thanksgiving, Easter, or any other night.

[This cheesy garlic mashed potatoes recipe was originally posted in January 2018. It has been updated with new photos, cooking instructions, expert tips, FAQ, related recipes, video and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]
Table of contents
I love this simple cheesy garlic mashed potato recipe. They're easy, with a great garlic hack, and super flavorful. Perfect for a solo dinner with leftovers or dinner for two. It's also easy to double or triple for a dinner/holiday party.
Honestly, my favorite part of this recipe is how I steam the garlic instead of roasting it. The flavors are so similar, yet, cooking the garlic on the stove is much faster. See how in the instructions.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the cheesy garlic mashed potatoes recipe card for the amounts of each ingredient, but here's a quick description of what's in this recipe.
- Russet potatoes: these have a good amount of starch in them for mashed potatoes. Or use yukon gold potatoes, these are my new favorite mashed potatoes potatoes.
- Garlic: use roasted garlic for extra sweet flavor.
- Plain Greek yogurt: It adds a nice tangy flavor and thickens up your potatoes. I prefer this to using buttermilk
- Milk
- Cheddar cheese: you can add many different cheeses to these cheesy garlic mashed potatoes. A few options are: ricotta, sharp cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, etc.
- Chives: fresh chives or parsley is a great topping, you can also add dried herbs to the potatoes, with remaining toppings.
Instructions
Scroll down to the cheesy garlic mashed potato recipe card for more detailed instructions. Here's a quick overview + photos to see how to make this recipe in general.
1. Start making your cheesy garlic mashed potatoes by adding your potato and salt to a medium stock pot, cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are soft, about 15-20 minutes.
2. Remove water by pouring it out into a strainer. Return potatoes to stock pot.
3. Prepare garlic by removing garlic cloves from outer paper layers, cut ends off each clove, smash clove with the side of a large knife. This will separate the outer paper layers from the garlic.
4. Pour olive oil into a warm saucepan, then add garlic cloves. Cook over med-low heat, covered for 10-15 minutes.
5. Remove water by pouring it out into a strainer. Return potatoes to stock pot.
6. Add plain Greek yogurt, milk, cheddar cheese, garlic, and salt & pepper to potatoes. Mash with a fork or potato masher.
7. Top your cheesy garlic mashed potatoes with fresh or dried chives. Serve immediately.
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Serve with
- Sauteed Pork Chop with Apples
- Grilled Lamb Steak
- Pulled Pork
- Sheet Pan Shrimp & Veggies (swap roasted potatoes in packet, and make mashed potatoes)
- Sheet Pan Maple Mustard Salmon
- Parchment salmon 'in a bag' swap the potatoes that cook with the salmon for these cheesy garlic mashed potatoes.
Storage/Reheating Tips
These cheesy garlic mashed potatoes are easy to store for later. Store them in an airtight container for about a week. Then reheat, covered until warm. You can add a splash of milk or cream for a smoother texture.
Substitutions/Tips
- Cook potatoes in an Instant pot, but like all Instant Pot recipes, the pressure cooking time may be short, but it takes time to get up to pressure and to release the pressure. Plan on at least 30 minutes to cook these potatoes.
- Check doneness of potatoes by piercing one with a fork. If it slides in and out easily, your potatoes are done. If potatoes are not done, set timer to another 5 or so minutes, and continue until potatoes are soft.
- Use a fork or potato masher to mash the potatoes directly in the Instant Pot for your cheesy garlic mashed potatoes.
- I kept the skins on for extra texture, ease, and nutrients. You can peel them or leave them on, either way.
- Other great add-ins: butter, cream instead of milk, dried herbs, buttermilk, etc would all be good added to these cheesy garlic mashed potatoes.
FAQ
Higher starch potatoes like russet or yukon gold potatoes are best, they make the creamy and fluffy cheesy garlic mashed potatoes and other mashed potato recipes.
Either you used potatoes that aren't as high in starch as russet or yukon gold (they require more mashing, which can make them gluey), or they got overcooked and lost some of that starch in the cooking water.
If your cheesy garlic mashed potatoes got too thinned out, you could add a little more Greek yogurt, or slowly add a bit of flour or cornstarch (remove some of the liquid to add the thickener to, and add it back in to the potatoes) to your potatoes.
Repurpose potatoes
- Make Gnocchi with leftover cheesy garlic mashed potatoes. Gnocchi does take time, but it's super easy & fun to make.
- Top stewed vegetables to make a shepherds pie.
- Add leftover cheesy garlic mashed potatoes to a soup to make it even creamier.
What can I make with the leftover ingredients?
When you're cooking for one, you often have leftover produce, cans of whatever ingredient, etc. Here are a couple ideas on how to use up the leftover ingredients. It'll help you save money by wasting fewer ingredients.
- Potatoes: Rustic Potato & Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin, No-mayo Potato Salad, Instant Pot Potatoes and Carrots.
- Cheese: veggie quesadilla, chicken burger, breakfast tacos, egg roll-up
- Greek yogurt: yogurt bowl, overnight oats, lentil stroganoff, pumpkin cake, broccoli salad with grapes
Did you make these cheesy garlic mashed potatoes? Leave me a comment & rating to share how they turned out!
Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Large stock pot (or Instant Pot
- cutting board
- knife
- Measuring Spoons
- Measuring Cups
- Hand mixer or fork
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 large Russet potato about 1 cups, cubed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon roasted garlic about 3 cloves
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup medium cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 tablespoon chives chopped
Instructions
- Add 1 cubed potato and ½ teaspoon salt to a medium stock pot, cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are soft, about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove water by pouring it out into a strainer. Return potatoes to stock pot.
- Prepare garlic by removing 3 garlic cloves from outer paper layers. Next cut ends off each clove, and smash clove with the side of a large knife. This will separate the outer paper layers from the garlic. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into a warm saucepan, then add garlic cloves. Cook over med-low heat, covered for 10-15 minutes.
- Add ½ c Greek yogurt, ½ c milk, 1 c cheddar cheese, cooked garlic cloves, and salt & pepper to potatoes. Mash with a fork or potato masher. Top with fresh or dried chives. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Cook potatoes in an Instant pot, but like all Instant Pot recipes, the pressure cooking time may be short, but it takes time to get up to pressure and to release the pressure. Plan on at least 30 minutes to cook these potatoes.
- Check doneness of potatoes by piercing one with a fork. If it slides in and out easily, your potatoes are done. If potatoes are not done, set timer to another 5 or so minutes, and continue until potatoes are soft.
- Use a fork or potato masher to mash the potatoes directly in the Instant Pot.
- I kept the skins on for extra texture, ease, and nutrients. You can peel them or leave them on, either way.
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Kate says
Made this for dinner and it was delicious!! Saving it for Thanksgiving! 🙂
Rebecca says
that's great! thanks
Sara says
Some of the best mashed potatoes that I've ever made. There weren't even leftovers - everyone loved them so much!
Rebecca says
that's great to hear! thanks
Michelle says
Unbelievable! The cheese and garlic really bring it to the next level!
Rebecca says
right?! the garlic is so good in it
Edyta at Innocent Delight says
There's nothing better than cheesy mashed potatoes. I love that you can repurpose them in so many other dishes.
Rebecca says
right?! so many dishes
Leslie says
That fingerling potato is almost too cute to eat, but I could be persuaded! The instant pot is truly the way to go with this recipe. I love the load, set, and forget it. Well, you don't really forget it, but you get my drift!
Rebecca says
haha! I do, I do catch your drift!
Shashi at SavorySpin says
We usually make mashed potatoes for Christmas - so I am bookmarking this easy AND delicious recipe for then! I haven't got an IP but my mom does! Yay! Also - yup, funny shaped produce is way way too cool - usually I forget to document it till after its been cut into - bad food blogger I am! Thanks so much for sharing this, Rebecca!
Rebecca says
haha! I feel ya. Half the time I do the same thing
Ginny says
I try to leave my skins on whenever possible. Love that you used an instant pot for this recipe too.
Rebecca says
totally! me too! thanks
Traci says
You had me at "cheesy"...and who doesn't adding another Instant pot recipe to their collection?! Love how easy, simple, and delicious this one is! Thanks for the recipe inspiration!
Rebecca says
right?! gimme all the instant pot recipes
Mikki says
I have yet to jump on the instapot train yet. A family member had a bad accident with a pressure cooker so I'm a little leary of these things. But I see a lot of great recipes like this one and think.. maybe I need to try it.
Rebecca says
oh no! I hope IPs are safer than traditional pressure cookers
Annmarie says
These really do look delicious. Mashed potatoes are my jam.
Rebecca says
thanks Annmarie! same here 🙂