This is the best mashed potatoes recipe on the internet

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Mashed potatoes are pretty darn delicious—no matter how you make them. As long as enough dairy and salt are involved, it’s hard to go wrong.

But one food writer took the time to scour through recipes to find the VERY best mashed potatoes recipe out there—so the rest of us don’t have to.

Now—as mentioned—it’s pretty hard to ruin something as yummy as salted and buttered mashed potatoes. But thanks to Buzzfeed’s Jesse Szewczyk the next time you go to make a batch, you’ll know exactly which recipe to turn to.

He called this test the “Potato Showdown” and had six celebrity contestants in the mix including Ina Garten, Oprah Winfrey, Gordon Ramsay, Tyler Florence, Ree Drummond and musician 2 Chainz (yes, 2 Chainz! He shared his recipe in the liner notes of one of his albums) vying for first place.

Szewczyk followed each recipe to the letter in order to put them all to the test.

Despite being a fairly basic dish, each recipe was different. They ranged from classic creamy mashed potatoes to thicker versions loaded with spices.

Here were the contenders:

1. Ina Garten

We all love Garten’s classic recipes, and we have a feeling the Barefoot Contessa’s potatoes are no exception.

ina garten photo
Getty Images | Michael Loccisano

Szewczyk calls these “super fluffy” and “classic.”

For her version of mashed potatoes, sour cream is a key player. See the recipe.

Food Network

2. Gordon Ramsay

Green onions add some major flavor to the “Master Chef” star’s mashed potatoes recipe, which follows the traditional Irish version of mashed potatoes known as “champ.”

gordon ramsey photo
Getty Images | Michael Loccisano

Buzzfeed’s writer found the green onion flavor in these to be overwhelming, however.

See the recipe.

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3. Oprah Winfrey

Winfrey’s recipe calls for two different kinds of potatoes. Oh yeah, and an entire bottle of horseradish sauce… interesting!

oprah photo
Getty Images | Dimitrios Kambouris

As with Ramsey’s green onion, Szewczyk thought going lighter on the horseradish would improve this recipe.

See the recipe.

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4. Tyler Florence

This chef uses whole grain mustard and spices to add a little something special to his dish.

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Szewczyk found these creamy and “infused” with flavor.

See the recipe.

Food Network

5. Ree Drummond

The Pioneer Woman adds butter, cream cheese and half and half to her mash.

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Sounds yummy, though the writer surprisingly found these to be a bit bland.

See the recipe.

The Pioneer Woman

6. 2 Chainz

Last, but certainly not least, the rapper takes mashed potatoes to the next level with lots of garlic and a handful of parsley on top.

2chainz photo
Getty Images | Frederick M. Brown

The result? “Super flavorful” and not overwhelmingly so.

See the recipe.

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The Winner?

Tyler Florence.

Florence’s recipe took home the top prize, with Szewczyk writing:

“His heavy cream method was pretty unusual, but it totally worked! The potatoes were creamy, infused with the flavors of thyme, bay, and garlic — and had just enough mustard to balance things out. This seriously might just be my new go-to method for cooking mashed potatoes.”

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Whether you try just the winning recipe or give them all a go, there’s no going wrong with more mashed potatoes in your life, right?

Need a main dish to go with these? The internet’s highest ranking meatloaf recipe could do just the trick!

More of a roasted potatoes fan? We’ve found one of the best roasted potatoes recipe, too.

Who’s hungry?!

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About the Author
Augusta Statz
I have a B.F.A. in Writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design. I’m an avid writer with a genuine sense of curiosity. I feel the best way to absorb the world around you is through fashion, art and food, so that’s what I spend most of my time writing about.

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