The Secret Ingredient for Incredible Mashed Potatoes

These creamy, indulgent mashed potatoes are packed with tangy, garlicky goodness thanks to a single secret ingredient: gournay cheese. It’s a soft, spreadable cream cheese that’s most often flavored with garlic and herbs, though it can be jazzed up with everything from caramelized onions to black truffle and sea salt, too.

Boursin is the most common brand, and what I reach for here, as I love stocking up on the little boxes of cheese for easy (and crowd-pleasing) accompaniment to crackers and crostini, especially around the holidays. You’ll find it near the cream cheese and soft cheeses at all major supermarkets.

Simple Tweaks

This recipe is simple and delicious as-is, but it’s also easy to tweak to serve your tastes and what you have on hand. Try using a different flavor of gournay cheese, like caramelized onion. If you’d like to lighten up these potatoes a bit, you can use whole milk instead of cream or half and half. Start by adding 3/4 cup since it’s a thinner liquid, then add more as needed to reach your desired consistency.

How To Make These Mashed Potatoes Ahead of Time

You can prepare these mashed potatoes up to three days ahead of time. Reheat them in a pot on the stovetop, adding a little bit of cream, milk, or even just water to the pot before adding the potatoes. Try not to stir too much when reheating the potatoes as they might turn gluey. You can also reheat the mashed potatoes in the microwave, cooking in one-minute increments.