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!
What to Serve with this Recipe?
Serve this dish with a main dish. For a healthy meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
How Many Calories Per Serving?
This recipe is only 485 calories per serving.
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Ultimate French Mashed Potatoes (Joël Robuchon)
Joel Robuchon's Mashed Potatoes - the best mashed potatoes recipe in the whole world. Learn how to make perfect mashed potatoes, complete with step-by-step picture guide.
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 (1 cup)
- 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
Adapted from The Guardian.
You can also use Yukon Gold potatoes. If you can find rattes potatoes, please use them.
Please use ground white pepper to season the mashed potatoes. Ground black pepper is frowned upon in culinary school. Ground white pepper infuses the mashed potatoes with a subtle peppery taste.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size
6 peopleAmount Per Serving Calories 485Total Fat 39gSaturated Fat 25gCholesterol 105mgSodium 2065mgCarbohydrates 29gFiber 2gSugar 3gProtein 5g
Mike Goody
Hi
A couple of comments – I use Agria potatoes for this recipe, they are a well regarded variety here in New Zealand.
I find it easier to peel the potatoes before cooking, but I don’t throw out the peelings – I simmer them in the milk while the potatoes are cooking and then strain the milk into the mash as per the recipe. This way you preserve that lovely earthy flavour.
Rasa Malaysia
That’s great to know.
John Marshall
Your photo shows a food mill not a ricer. This is a ricer
https://www.amazon.co.uk/OXO-Good-Grips-Potato-Ricer/dp/B00004OCJQ/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=1G8OD8Z5BY2YV&dchild=1&keywords=potato+ricer&qid=1606145537&sprefix=potato+%2Caps%2C187&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzNEI4QjhISjQxT0xMJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTQwNTMxQldCMFRKS1RHRDNWJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAxNjc0NTkyWUkwSDA2MlFQQ040JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks for letting me know.
No
Recipe is wrong. Joel Robuchon’s recipe calls for la Ratte potatoes not russet. It makes a big difference in the final product.
Rasa Malaysia
No, why don’t you find me some La Ratte potatoes? Celebrating a chef’s amazing recipe is embracing it and making the recipe accessible, and not being snobbish about it. No? This recipe is adapted from The Guardian, if you read and check my recipe card thoroughly, the recipe ingredient says: potatoes, preferably rattes or BF 15. That doesn’t mean we can’t use other potatoes if we can’t find rattes and BF 15!
PH
What if we do not have ricer? Will it affect the outcome of the mash?
Rasa Malaysia
It won’t, just not as silky smooth. Just mash as fine as possible.
Ralph
If I am making this dish for Thanksgiving can I make it 1 or 2 days prior? Will the potatoes still be good?
Rasa Malaysia
Yes you can because it can be easily reheated. You can also try my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes here: https://rasamalaysia.com/instant-pot-mashed-potatoes/
Darlene Geyer
3 1/2 T. of salt seems very excessive! Is this correct? 1 T. to cook them in and then add 2 1/2 T. more to mash them.
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Darlene, thanks for catching my careless typo (phew!!!) while typing out the recipe. It’s 2 1/4 teaspoons salt for the mashed potatoes. The 1 tablespoon salt is for boiling the potatoes.
Susan Joffe
I believe a Foley Food Mill was used, not a potato ricer in making the mashed potato recipe.
Rasa Malaysia
We used a ricer and it turned out very well! :)
Patricia
All the recepies looks delicious, and seems simple to prepare, will definitely try some !
Rasa Malaysia
Patricia, yes, this mashed potato recipe is awesome!