Step up your side dish recipe game with these decadent, incredible mashed potatoes. Vegetarian.
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There are times when food should be light and healthy. There are times when a bit of butter or cream won’t kill you. And THEN, friends, THEN there are times when you just absolutely 100% have to use an entire stick of butter and then some half and half and then some CHEESE without shame or apology.
Guess what kind of day today was?
I’m still drooling over these mashed potatoes. I almost can’t even believe how much I liked them. They were so creamy and soft and fluffy and had just the right amount of earthiness from the rosemary and garlic. But they were also delightfully tangy, thanks to a bit of goat cheese and a balsamic reduction. It was like all of my favorite foods came together and decided to be really super awesome.
I’m officially obsessed.
My favorite part, though, is how the heat of the potatoes melts the goat cheese on top without really ruining its crumbly shape. You take a bite and the cheese just melts in your mouth, and then your mouth is like “I AM SO HAPPY.” And then YOU can be like “YOU’RE TOTALLY WELCOME, MOUTH” and take another bite and just drown in butter and goat cheese and balsamic and happiness.
I actually feel like I had a really funny story to tell you today. I was doing this thing where I half-write the whole post in my head as I cook, but then I took a bite of these mashed potatoes and all other thinking went out the window. And then all I could think about was mashed potatoes. THESE mashed potatoes. So I guess I’ll have to wait and be funny another day.
- 2 lbs. yellow potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 1 stick butter
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- ½ cup half and half
- ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- Boil potatoes in very salty water until they are easily pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes. Drain and set aside in a colander. Return empty potato pot to the stove.
- Give each garlic clove a tap with the flat side of your knife to crush them a bit and let some of the juice out.
- Add crushed garlic, rosemary sprigs, and butter to the empty potato pot. Cook on low heat until butter has melted and browned, usually 5-7 minutes.
- While the butter browns, place balsamic vinegar in a small skillet or saucepan and cook over medium heat until it bubbles and reduces to a thick, syrup-y consistency, 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Remove garlic and rosemary from browned butter and discard. (You can save some of the crispy rosemary for a garnish if you'd like!)
- Return potatoes to pot and mash until all of the browned butter is soaked up. Add salt, pepper, and half and half and mash until potatoes are creamy.
- Place mashed potatoes in a large serving dish or separate it into individual servings. Top with goat cheese and a drizzle of balsamic reduction. Serve immediately.
I made this for dinner tonight it was very delicious. Love it… love it… my boyfriend loved it as well.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know!
The name alone on these is enough for me to start drooling! Obsessed! It’s like all my favorite things in one amazing package.
Delicious! Great idea to add balsamic vinegar!
So excited to have found you on tasty kitchen, looking forward to following your blog! These mashed potatoes sound absolutely amazing, probably could eat these as an entree! haha great job 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
This recipe looks so yummy! I’ll have to try it very soon. Great photography!