Thinking of Thanksgiving sides? Try this roasted garlic smashed potatoes recipe

It’s not Thanksgiving without the mashed potatoes. And while we all have our personal preferences about what we consider the perfect mash — smooth or lumpy, creamy or fluffy — there are some simple tricks we can use to elevate this comfort food classic.

Show your spuds a little love — starting with the butter. Add some butter for richness and cream or milk to give the potatoes the desired consistency. For a little tang, fold in a touch of sour cream or yogurt. Get fancy and add chopped fresh herbs: chives, rosemary or maybe sage. Or if you really want to dress up your mashed potatoes, add a head of roasted garlic. (Check out the video below for a quick how-to.) This is Thanksgiving — amp it up.

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Los Angeles Times Test Kitchen director Noelle Carter shows how easy it is to roast garlic. 

ROASTED GARLIC SMASHED POTATOES

Total time: About 1 hour, plus roasting time for the garlic | Serves 6 to 8.

ROASTED GARLIC

1 head garlic

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Cut the top of the pointy tip off the garlic (no peeling necessary), just enough to expose the tips of the cloves. Place the garlic on a small sheet of foil and drizzle a little olive oil over the cut end of the garlic head, then sprinkle a pinch each of salt and pepper. Seal the garlic head in the foil. Place the garlic in the center of the oven (place the foil directly on the rack; you don’t need to put it on a baking sheet) and roast the garlic until the cloves have softened and the garlic is aromatic, 45 minutes to an hour (the garlic can be roasted while you cook the potatoes). Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

ROASTED GARLIC SMASHED POTATOES

2 pounds red boiling potatoes

Coarse sea salt

6 tablespoons softened butter

1 head roasted garlic

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, more if desired

2/3 cup sour cream, more if desired

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Place the potatoes in a pot with enough water to cover by 1 inch and add 1 1/2 tablespoons salt. Cover and bring to a boil, cooking until the potatoes are soft and a knife easily pierces the potatoes, 30 to 50 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain the water out of the pot.

2. Add the butter to the pot, and squeeze the soft roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into the pot. Use a potato masher to coarsely smash the potatoes and garlic together. Pour over the heavy cream and sour cream and continue to mash to combine (for a coarser texture, stir in the heavy and sour creams with a spatula or wooden spoon). Season the potatoes with 3/4 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper.

3. Taste the potatoes, adding additional heavy or sour cream if desired, and adjusting the seasoning if needed. Serve immediately.

Each of 10 servings: calories, 243; protein, 3 grams; carbohydrates, 20 grams; fiber, 2 grams; fat, 18 grams; saturated fat, 11 grams; cholesterol, 52 mg; sugar, 2 grams; sodium, 253 mg

Love cooking as much as I do? Follow me @noellecarter

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