The British Potato Variety That Makes For A Great Mash

Whether your goal is to make a simple dish for your family's dinner or a swoon-worthy spread for a party with guests, the perfect mashed potatoes are a combination of delicious flavor and fluffy texture. No one has time for bland, watery, or sticky bowls of spuds. But although making mashed potatoes is pretty straightforward, in order to achieve the perfect blend you'll need to use the best type of potatoes. So what's the ideal potato variety for a mash?

While the most known and revered varieties in the U.S. are Yukon Golds and Russets, the British swear by Maris Piper. Therefore, if you live in the U.K. and want to whip up an irresistible mash, pop into any store and grab some Maris Pipers for the fluffiest, creamiest mashed spuds. You'll identify them by their distinct golden-colored skin, creamy white flesh, and wonderful starchy consistency. And just so you know, Maris Pipers are also great for chips and roasting.

To understand why British Maris Pipers are so good for a mashed potato dish, we need first to identify the traits to look for in an ideal potato variety for preparing mashed spuds. The key factor is the starch content. Ideal taters for mashing have a high or medium starch content in order to create that nice fluffy texture. Starchy taters are also much easier to mash because of their floury nature. But also, note that the higher the starch content in the potatoes, the more water the spuds absorb — that's why Russets make a lighter mash compared to the denser version produced by Yukon Golds.

On the flip side, less starchy spuds should be avoided when preparing mashed potatoes. These are waxy types of potatoes, they contain a lot of moisture which would result in a soggy mash if you tried using them for your mashing needs. Furthermore, waxy spuds are harder to mash and that's why they are better used in salads or soups. With that, it's clear why Maris Pipers win the prize for the best British potato variety for making mashed potatoes, since their high starch level makes the smoothest and fluffiest mash.