Search
Login
Foodies Only in your inbox
By clicking "Subscribe", you agree to ourPrivacy Policy and to receive marketing emails from Foodies Only
ITC Portal
Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
5 min
18/12/2025
The most annoying step when making mashed potatoes is peeling them, but now you can skip that step altogether. Boiling the potato whole and removing the skin after cooking will produce a smoother mash with more flavour and the same amount of effort in a fraction of the time.
Mashed potatoes don't require perfection; rather, they should be warm, fatty and textured properly. Boiling the potato whole maintains moisture and flavour. After cooking, the skinned potatoes will naturally separate easily. This method of cooking is not only easier but will also provide for better consistency and reduce the moisture content of the finished product.
Peeling potatoes can be very messy, as you will end up with a lot of potato on your countertop! You can lose part of the potato when peeling it, and, because you exposed the flesh of the potato early on, you can end up with a diluted flavour before you cook the potato. Most people are in the habit of peeling their potatoes, but that isn't necessary. Peeling potatoes adds unnecessary time to making what should be a quick and simple dish. If you're looking for a smooth, creamy mash with very little time or effort, there is a better way to prepare your mash!
Instead of peeling the potatoes first, wash and boil them whole with the skins on. The skin creates a natural barrier against water entering, so the potato can cook through, leaving the inside light and fluffy (not waterlogged). Once the potatoes have been fully cooked, the skin naturally separates from the potato during the cooling/drying process. The skin will come off using your fingers or a fork if cooled enough to touch.
After boiling the potatoes, allow them to rest for several minutes so that steam escapes. This creates a gap between the skin and the flesh, making it easy to separate. Because of this gap, the skin will shrink slightly as the interior remains moist, allowing easy separation. To remove the skin, either cut the potato in half or squeeze the centre right into the mixing bowl. You'll be surprised at how satisfying and clean it feels.
Whole-boiled potatoes absorb less water than potatoes that have been peeled, so when you mash them, you won't have that gluey texture from excess moisture being added. A whole-boiled potato also has a naturally creamy texture without needing a lot of butter and cream to taste rich. The starch structure will still be intact, and potatoes will be fluffy, not pasty. That's what creates that light and airy feel of a restaurant-style mashed potato, and why you can enjoy it more now than ever.
With their soft, evenly cooked texture, the potatoes will break apart easily (due to cooking) and require a standard-size, hand-held masher or fork (not excessively starch-retentive). Don't use a blender or food processor to mash or puree them, as they will become hard and elastic when processed in this manner (due to overprocessing).
Because potatoes have retained much of their original flavour (softer than potato roots), you can do so much more with them. For instance, you can add warm milk rather than cold milk, use butter at different intervals, and add seasoning at the last minute.
These same benefits apply to cooking them for large groups, holiday dinners, and weeknight meals. You will also eliminate some of the preparation time and frustration that comes with trying to cook several different items at the same time because you can easily scale the recipe using this method. After using this method a couple of times, you will never feel like peeling potatoes is necessary again.
Mashed potatoes can be made to look, feel, and taste luxurious without any additional work involved in making them so. In some cases, doing less work (eliminating the peeling of potatoes) can result in better results.
