Name: Creamy Mashed Potato for One
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 Yukon Gold potato (8 ounces), peeled, halved, and sliced ½ inch thick; 2 teaspoons table salt; 2 tablespoons heavy cream or half-and-half, room temperature; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted

Why This Recipe Works

Often associated with Thanksgiving, mashed potatoes are a crowd favorite, but they feel like a hassle to make for just one person. (And who wants gloppy reheated mashed potatoes?) We wanted to eat mashed potatoes year-round (and not have to share), so we found a way to make the creamiest version of the stuff in less than 30 minutes. A Yukon Gold was our choice for its creamy butteriness, perfect for a no-fuss single serving of mashed potato. Butter for flavor and heavy cream for richness gave us a decadent result for one of those treat-yourself nights.

Before You Begin

This recipe is from Cooking for One, which includes more than 160 perfectly-portioned recipes for the solo diner.

Instructions

Place potato slices and salt in medium saucepan and add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring once or twice, until potatoes are tender, 8 to 11 minutes.

Drain and return potatoes to saucepan. Using potato masher, mash potatoes until mostly smooth, then stir in cream and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.