What is a holiday meal with some potatoes on the table? The only correct answer is a SAD one! And perhaps the queen of all classic holiday spreads includes some form of pommes puree (aka the fancy French word for mashed potatoes). Rich and creamy yet light and irresistible, that is what marks a great pommes puree. It is the perfect complement to all holiday tables, pairing well with most protein and gravy situations.
Now, this recipe I am sharing comes directly from the culinary school textbooks. It was one of the first recipes we made, believe it or not, and something I learned to master early on. The truth is that it’s actually really simple. There are not many ingredients, but the way you treat them and the order in which you work do matter.
My key tips to pommes puree:
🔑 Use a combination of russet and gold potatoes
🔑 Cut the potatoes to the same size and add them to a pot with COLD water and salt
🔑 Infuse flavors into heavy cream
🔑 Use a food mill or potato ricer for the best texture
🔑 Finish with cold cubed butter
❤️ Why You’ll Love Pommes Puree
An essential recipe to have in your arsenal – a holiday table is not complete at my house without
Comes together in 30 minutes – 30 minutes of work and this dish goes from whole potato to the table!
Rich and creamy with few ingredients – using 7 total ingredients (including 2 optional add-ins).
Customizable – feel free to play with the ingredients you steep in your heavy cream to add flavor to the potatoes!
🍲 Ingredients
Russet Potatoes – lighten the overall texture of the mashed potatoes
Gold Potatoes – bring a buttery, robust flavor to the mashed potatoes
Whole Garlic cloves – adds extra flavor to the dish, plus bonus bc no chopping required
Heavy Cream – the rich, creamy element that brings it all together
Thyme – one of my favorite subtle herbs to flavor the potatoes with, but feel free to use your favorite or omit altogether.
Lemon Peel – another flavoring opt-in. Lemon peels add such a lovely citrusy element that lightens and freshens an otherwise heavier side dish.
Cold Butter – to get the gorgeous glossy finish
Chives – optional garnish for color and flavor!
👩🍳 How to Make Pommes Puree
Prep the Potatoes
- Peel all of the potatoes and evenly cut into large cubes.
- Add the potatoes to a large pot and add cold water until potatoes are covered with 2–3 inches of water.
- Add in a 5-finger pinch of salt and the garlic. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender.
Infuse the Cream
- In the meantime, bring a small pot to the stove. Add the heavy cream, thyme, and lemon peels (use a potato peeler to thinly peel the lemon and cut out as much white pith as possible). Keep warm over low heat.
Mash the Potatoes
- Once the potatoes are fork tender, drain. Briefly return to the pot to remove excess moisture.
- Pass all of the potatoes through a ricer or food mill for the smoothest texture (hand mashing also works, but won’t produce as smooth of a texture).
Finish and Season
- Pour in half the heavy cream and stir well. Slowly incorporate the rest until you achieve the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add in the cold butter and stir to incorporate (this adds a beautiful shiny finish).
Garnish and Serve
- Garnish with thinly sliced butter and fresh thyme or thinly sliced chives.
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Use a combination of russet and gold potatoes – this gives the perfect texture + flavor
- Infuse the heavy cream – this is the perfect way to add flavor to the potatoes.
- Use a food mill or potato ricer for the best texture – this will give you smooth potatoes without over-mixing them, which makes them gummy!
👝 How to Store Leftover Pommes Puree
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of cream or milk to bring back the creamy texture.
🤔 Common Questions
Yes! You can make the mashed potatoes up to a day in advance. Store covered in the fridge and reheat gently with a splash of milk or cream before serving.
Yukon Golds give a naturally creamy, buttery texture, while Russets make for fluffier, lighter mashed potatoes.
Place them in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water (double boiler style) or keep covered in a low oven (around 200°F) for up to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to maintain texture.
Pommes Puree
Ingredients
- 3 large russet potatoes
- 3 large gold potatoes, or 4 medium
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled whole
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 –4 sprigs thyme
- 3 long strands of lemon peel, about half the lemon, remove as much white off the rind as possible
- 4 tbsp cold butter, cubed
- chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Peel all of the potatoes and evenly cut into large cubes.
- Add the potatoes to a large pot and add cold water until potatoes are covered with 2–3 inches of water.
- Add in a 5-finger pinch of salt and the garlic. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender.
- In the meantime, bring a small pot to the stove. Add the heavy cream, thyme, and lemon peels (use a potato peeler to thinly peel the lemon and cut out as much white pith as possible). Keep warm over low heat.
- Once the potatoes are fork tender, drain. Briefly return to the pot to remove excess moisture.
- Pass all of the potatoes through a ricer or food mill for the smoothest texture (hand mashing also works, but won’t produce as smooth of a texture).
- Pour in half the heavy cream and stir well. Slowly incorporate the rest until you achieve the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add in the cold butter and stir to incorporate (this adds a beautiful shiny finish).
- Garnish with some thinly sliced butter and fresh thyme or thinly sliced chives.
Soo good!!!