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Mashed Potatoes
Joël Robuchon was a famed French “Chef of the Century” and restaurateur.
Unfortunately, he passed away in August 2018 and left behind a legacy of the best and highest rated Michelin restaurants, plus a trove of recipes in his cookbooks.
I am a fan of Joël Robuchon restaurants and had tried a few of them; his mashed potatoes is really the BEST in the world.
The technique used produces the creamiest, silkiest and most delicious mashed potatoes you’ll ever make.
You can also make this recipe into Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
Recipe Ingredients
This recipe calls for only 5 ingredients:
- Russet potatoes
- Unsalted butter.
- Full milk.
- Sea salt.
- Ground white pepper.
How to Make Best Homemade Mashed Potatoes?
Having made Joël Robuchon’s recipe, I can now share the following secrets with you:
- Use a potato ricer. The ricer produces the softest, silkiest and smooth texture.
- A good brand of butter. I used Challenge brand butter.
- Use full milk or full cream milk.
- DO NOT use ground black pepper as they become speckled dark spots in the potatoes.
Why Joël Robuchon’s Recipe Is the Best?
It’s all in the techniques, potato to butter ratio, plus the texture and flavors.
No recipes produce the texture of silken, creamy mash except this recipe.
Scoop up the potatoes in tiny helpings and savor slowly, it just gets better as you slowly devour the mash.
I strongly urge you to try this recipe. You will never go back to other mashed potato recipes, I can guarantee you that!
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe is only 485 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Ultimate French Mashed Potatoes (Joël Robuchon)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. russet potatoes (scrubbed but unpeeled)
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt
- 10 oz. unsalted butter ((2 1/2 sticks), cut into cubes)
- 250 ml. whole milk
- 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 3 dashes ground white pepper
Instructions
- Put the potatoes in a saucepan with 8 cups of cold water and 1 tablespoon of coarse salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until a knife slips in the potatoes easily and cleanly, about 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes and peel them.
- Put them through a potato ricer into a large bowl.
- Slowly mill the potatoes through the potato ricer.
- In a small sauce pan, heat up the milk and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, transfer the potatoes to a Dutch oven or sauce pan. On medium-low heat, add the chilled butter cubes to the potatoes and stir continuously for a smooth and creamy texture, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the very hot milk in a thin stream, stirring briskly. Keep stirring until all the milk is absorbed. Turn off the heat and add the 2 1/4 teaspoons salt and ground white pepper.
- Serve the mashed potatoes immediately. If you like, add a small cube of butter on top of the mashed potatoes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
I am very familiar with Joel Robuchon and numerous other French masters and many recipes from them however no matter if you are 18 or 81 using 2 1/2 sticks of butter.?…well that is just unhealthy and insane for the ratio of potatoes in this recipe. But hey, to each his own choice……clogged arteries and attributing to atherosclerosis later on. The KEY to any and all cooking is moderation. There are ways around using 2 1/2 sticks of butter in this and many other insane recipes that call for it. Sorry for the buzz kill, just an opinion.
You don’t have to use so much butter if you don’t believe so. It’s a recipe that you can choose to follow or modify.
This recipe looks divine for Thanksgiving dinner ?
Can this recipe be doubled? Please and thank you.
Yes can.
Hi, my Mom in Argentina used to make them like that but did not heat the milk, I’ll try that. Also she used to put in one or two eggs in it and they came out delicious.
I followed the instructions exactly, but the potatoes came out like potato soup. Maybe that is the intent, but next time I’ll reduce the milk to 1/2 cup or 1/3 cup. I may reduce the butter to 1.5 sticks.
potatoes ive learned not to whip hard comes like a paste ,cant eat ,follow your way XXXX ,,lily
Awesome!
Hi Bee,
Yesterday I made this for my son’s family and they thoroughly enjoyed it. Normally they have sauce with mashed potatoes but this time they ate it without any especially my 3 grandchildren. It is easy to make with the riser.
Well done, Bee for the excellent recipe.
Thank you!😊
They are delicious, but chef used a golden potato called a La Ratte, a small firm potato with a smooth, buttery texture and a particular chestnut-like flavor. The best substitute is a Yukon gold, because La Ratte’s are difficult to come by. And, he only used FOUR ingredients…No pepper, although I prefer them with pepper, too. Excellent potatoes.
Thanks for letting me know!
Hi Bee , no wonder the receipe is tasty , all that butter , my late Mother made one similar with far less butter and a dash of milk , I will try this as a one off , I have to watch the weight . The hot milk is interesting . Keep doing the receipes , I have started a collection and put them into an index
Yes, all the butter makes it really good!!