Pomme Puree (French Mashed Potatoes)
Classic Pomme Purée Recipe – Pommes puree are beautifully silky French-style mashed potatoes that make any meal feel special. This traditional potato puree side dish is loaded with plenty of garlic, butter, and heavy cream so every spoonful is rich and delicious!
What is Pomme Puree?
Pomme purée is the French version of mashed potatoes… Instead of a little butter and milk smashed into the potatoes until light and fluffy, the French mix in an absurd (in a good way!) amount of butter and cream to make a luscious irresistible potato purée. It’s smooth and dense, not fluffy. It tastes decadent and silky, with an almost pourable texture.
These are the kind of potatoes you see as the starch base on plates in many French restaurants. They’re fabulous to serve anytime you want to make a statement on the dinner table. Yet this recipe takes a little more effort than classic quick and easy mashed potatoes!
5 Ingredients You Need
- Potatoes – Yukon gold are best, but russet potatoes work as well
- Garlic – smashed or minced
- Butter – unsalted
- Heavy cream – for the most rich purée
- Chicken base – adds a luscious savory flavor
How to Make French Mashed Potatoes
Set out a large pot with 2 to 3 inches of cold water in the bottom. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Place the chopped potatoes in the water along with 2 teaspoons of salt and the garlic clove. If needed, add more water to cover the potatoes.
Cover the pot and set on the stovetop over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, set a timer for 15 minutes and simmer. After the potatoes have cooked for 15 minutes, scoop out a larger piece of potato and check that it is very fork-tender. Continue to boil for another 3 to 5 minutes if needed.
Once the potatoes are extremely soft. Pour them into a colander to drain.
Set the pot back on the stovetop and lower the heat to medium. Add the butter to the pot. Use a ricer or potato masher to mash the potatoes. If using a standard potato masher, place the potatoes back in the pot and mash extremely well until there are no chunks left.
Pro Tip: The best method for mashing is using a ricer (or food mill) to rice the potatoes back into the pot. You can also place the potatoes back into the pot and use a hand mixer to beat on high until very smooth. A potato ricer creates the smoothest potatoes.
Once the potatoes have been mashed until smooth, add ½ cup of heavy cream and the chicken base. Stir and cook the potatoes until they tighten up.
Then continue adding the remaining 1 cup of cream, a little at a time, stirring in between, until the potatoes are extremely smooth and loose.
Serving Suggestions
Serve French-style pomme purée warm with a main dish protein or Roasted Vegetables for a vegetarian dish.
These are a lovely side with elegant but hearty main dishes like Steak au Poivre with Cognac Cream Sauce, Steak Diane (copycat Cheesecake Factory recipe), Chicken Roulade, and Retro French Chicken with Lemon Garlic Sauce.
And the silky potatoes are a great way to add a touch of refinement to otherwise rustic entrees! Pair them with Smothered Steak, Smothered Chicken with gravy, or Chopped Steak with Mushroom Gravy.
Frequently Asked Questions
The base ingredients are essentially the same – potatoes and dairy. However, regular mashed potatoes are typically made with milk whereas pommes purée includes heavy cream. And as the name indicates, traditional mashed potatoes are mashed so they become thick and fluffy. These French potatoes are finely mashed with more liquid added, resulting in a slightly looser and much richer dish.
Simply use your favorite plant-based substitutions to make this a vegan pommes purée recipe.
If you like, sprinkle a handful of freshly grated parmesan, shredded cheddar, or crumbled goat cheese into the potato puree as you finish cooking them on the stovetop.
Store the cooled leftover potatoes in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days. Because of the heavy cream content, I do not recommend freezing pomme puree… While they technically will keep well for up to 3 months frozen, the texture with change when thawed and reheated.
Looking for More Delicious Side Dish Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- The Ultimate Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Carrot Soufflé
- Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms with Crab
- Garlic Butter Roasted Parsnips
- Creamy Cauliflower “Mashed” Potatoes
Pomme Purée (French Mashed Potatoes)
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
- 1 clove garlic smashed or minced
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon chicken base
Instructions
- Set out a large pot with 2 to 3 inches of cold water in the bottom. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 inch chunks. Place the chopped potatoes in the water along with 2 teaspoons of salt and the garlic clove. If needed, add more water to cover the potatoes.
- Cover the pot and set on the stovetop over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, set a timer for 15 minutes. After the potatoes have boiled for 15 minutes, scoop out a larger piece of potato and check that it is very fork-tender. Continue to boil for another 3 to 5 minutes if needed. Once the potatoes are extremely soft. Pour them into a colander to drain.
- Set the pot back on the stovetop and lower the heat to medium. Add the butter to the pot. If using a standard potato masher, place the potatoes back in the pot and mash extremely well until there are no chunks left. (Alternative methods for mashing include using a ricer to rice the potatoes back into the pot, or placing the potatoes back into the pot and using a hand mixer to beat on high until very smooth. A potato ricer makes the SMOOTHEST potatoes.)
- Once the potatoes have been mashed until smooth, add ½ cup of heavy cream and the chicken base. Stir and cook the potatoes until they tighten up. Then continue adding the remaining 1 cup of cream, a little at a time, stirring in between, until the potatoes are extremely smooth and loose.
- Serve warm with a main dish protein or roasted vegetables for a vegetarian dish.
This is so rich and creamy! Can’t get enough of this pomme puree!
Yum!!! I couldn’t believe how delicious this turned out! I also felt super fancy saying the name at our Christmas dinner! Haha!
All I can say is WOW!! Sso smooth and delicious. My husband is in love!