The holiday season is fast approaching, which means (for many) family get-togethers, great food and lots of cooking. A constant among holiday dinners is mashed potatoes, so it’s worth knowing how long to boil potatoes to make them. When you think about it, mashed potatoes are a one-size-fits-all side. Even vegans can enjoy them! Butter and milk or the selected dairy-free alternatives and seasonings play a significant role in how delicious mashed potatoes are, but how long to boil the potatoes is even more critical.
So, How Long Do You Boil Potatoes to Make Mashed Potatoes?
How long to boil potatoes to make mashed potatoes heavily depends on the type of potatoes you plan to cook. The best kind of potatoes for mashed potatoes include:
- Baking potatoes – russets, Idaho potatoes, sweet potatoes and purple potatoes
- All-purpose potatoes – Yukon gold and red gold potatoes
- Waxy potatoes – round red potatoes, round white potatoes, etc.
As for how long to boil potatoes to make mashed potatoes, refer to the chart below for total cook times based on potato type.
| Potato Type | Total Time |
| Baking potatoes | 15-17 minutes |
| All-purpose potatoes | 12-15 minutes |
| Waxy potatoes | 10-12 minutes |
The table above supplies general information to reference when the question of “how long does it take to boil mashed potatoes?” arises while cooking, but now let’s discuss specifics and go over a cooking method that works for all varieties. First, you’ll need the following:
- Potatoes – 1/3 to ½ pound per person
- Large pot
- Water
- Sea salt
Then:
- Scrub the potatoes and rinse well.
- Peel the potatoes with a potato peeler, if desired.
- Cut into ½-inch thick slices for even cooking.
- Transfer the potato slices to the pot, and add enough water to cover the potatoes.
- Bring to a boil, generously salt the water once boiling and set the timer accordingly, depending on the potatoes selected (refer to the table).
- Cook the potatoes until they are fork-tender.
- Drain, mash and prepare as desired.
How Long to Boil Fingerling Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes?
Although fingerling potatoes are often roasted or used to make potato salad, they also make a delicious mash. Fingerling potatoes fall under waxy potatoes, requiring 10-12 minutes. Leaving the skins on or off doesn’t make much difference.
How Long to Boil Potatoes to Mash: Other Considerations
In addition to how long to boil potatoes before mashing, some factors – like whether or not the potatoes are peeled and how they are cut – impact cook time and, ultimately, your mashed potatoes. For example, keeping the skin on reserves their starches, which can result in gluey potatoes, whereas peeling reduces starch. Furthermore, cutting the potatoes into equal-sized slices before boiling will decrease cook time while cutting them into large pieces means they will take longer to boil.
How Long to Boil Potatoes for Mashed with Skin?
Skin does not increase or decrease the time it takes for potatoes to boil, but it plays a role in the amount of reserved starch. If you prefer skin-on mashed potatoes, keep the skins intact and adjust your recipe accordingly. Fortunately, this is less of an issue if you use smaller, waxy potatoes.
In short, whether you search the web for “how long do potatoes take to boil for mash,” “how long do I boil potatoes to make mashed potatoes” or “how long do you boil potatoes to mash them,” the answer falls within the 10-17-minute range. Just scrub, prep and boil until fork tender. Then drain them, mash the potatoes and season as desired. It’s as easy as that!
