Ultimate French Mashed Potatoes (Joël Robuchon)

4.44 from 57 votes
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Joel Robuchon's Mashed Potatoes - the best mashed potatoes recipe in the whole world. Learn how to make perfect mashed potatoes, complete with step-by-step picture guide.

Mashed potatoes, served in a serving dish.
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Mashed Potatoes

Joël Robuchon was a famed French “Chef of the Century” and restaurateur.

Unfortunately, he passed away in August 2018 and left behind a legacy of the best and highest rated Michelin restaurants, plus a trove of recipes in his cookbooks.

I am a fan of Joël Robuchon restaurants and had tried a few of them; his mashed potatoes is really the BEST in the world.

The technique used produces the creamiest, silkiest and most delicious mashed potatoes you’ll ever make.

You can also make this recipe into Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes and pair it with Garlic Butter Pork Chops.


Recipe Ingredients

Best mashed potatoes topped off with a piece of butter.

This recipe calls for only 5 ingredients:

  • Russet potatoes
  • Unsalted butter.
  • Full milk.
  • Sea salt.
  • Ground white pepper.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.


How To Make Best Homemade Mashed Potatoes

Having made Joël Robuchon’s recipe, I can now share the following secrets with you:

  • Use a potato ricer. The ricer produces the softest, silkiest and smooth texture.
  • A good brand of butter. I used Challenge brand butter.
  • Use full milk or full cream milk.
  • DO NOT use ground black pepper as they become speckled dark spots in the potatoes.

Why Joël Robuchon’s Recipe Is the Best

The best mashed potato recipe by Joel Robuchon served in a bowl.

It’s all in the techniques, potato to butter ratio, plus the texture and flavors.

No recipes produce the texture of silken, creamy mash except this recipe.

Scoop up the potatoes in tiny helpings and savor slowly, it just gets better as you slowly devour the mash.

I strongly urge you to try this recipe. You will never go back to other mashed potato recipes, I can guarantee you that!


Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories per serving?

This recipe is only 485 calories per serving.

Joël Robuchon's creamy mashed potatoes close up.

What To Serve With French Mashed Potatoes

For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

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4.44 from 57 votes

Ultimate French Mashed Potatoes (Joël Robuchon)

Joel Robuchon's Mashed Potatoes – the best mashed potatoes recipe in the whole world. Learn how to make perfect mashed potatoes, complete with step-by-step picture guide. 
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6 people
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Ingredients  

  • 2 lbs (1kg) russet potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled
  • 1 tablespoon coarse salt
  • 10 oz (280g) unsalted butter , (2 1/2 sticks), cut into cubes
  • 250 ml. whole milk
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 3 dashes ground white pepper

Instructions 

  • Place the potatoes in a saucepan with 8 cups of cold water and 1 tablespoon of coarse salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until a knife easily slips into the potatoes, about 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes and peel them.
  • Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer into a large bowl.
  • Slowly pass the potatoes through the potato ricer.
  • In a small saucepan, heat the milk until it comes to a boil. Meanwhile, transfer the riced potatoes to a Dutch oven or saucepan. Over medium-low heat, add the chilled butter cubes to the potatoes and stir continuously for about 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
  • Pour in the very hot milk in a thin stream, stirring briskly. Continue stirring until all the milk is absorbed. Turn off the heat and add 2 1/4 teaspoons of salt and ground white pepper.
  • Serve the mashed potatoes immediately. If desired, add a small cube of butter on top before serving.

Notes

Adapted from The Guardian.
You can also use Yukon Gold potatoes. If you can find rattes potatoes, please use them.
Please use ground white pepper to season the mashed potatoes. Ground black pepper is frowned upon in culinary school. Ground white pepper infuses the mashed potatoes with a subtle peppery taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 6people, Calories: 485kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 40g, Saturated Fat: 25g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 107mg, Sodium: 2063mg, Potassium: 705mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1250IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 85mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Please rate and comment below!

About Rasa Malaysia

Bee is a recipe developer and best-selling cookbook author, sharing easy, quick, and delicious Asian and American recipes since 2006. With a strong following of almost 2 million fans online, her expertise has been featured in major publications, TV and radio programs, and live cooking demos throughout the United States and Asia.

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Recipe Rating





38 Comments

  1. Gary says:

    I am very familiar with Joel Robuchon and numerous other French masters and many recipes from them however no matter if you are 18 or 81 using 2 1/2 sticks of butter.?…well that is just unhealthy and insane for the ratio of potatoes in this recipe. But hey, to each his own choice……clogged arteries and attributing to atherosclerosis later on. The KEY to any and all cooking is moderation. There are ways around using 2 1/2 sticks of butter in this and many other insane recipes that call for it. Sorry for the buzz kill, just an opinion.

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      You don’t have to use so much butter if you don’t believe so. It’s a recipe that you can choose to follow or modify.

    2. Amma Deis says:

      This recipe looks divine for Thanksgiving dinner ?

      Can this recipe be doubled? Please and thank you.

      1. Bee Yinn Low says:

        Yes can.

    3. Ring says:

      4 stars
      It´s a side dish and you don`t have to eat all of it alone…

  2. Carlos Nunez says:

    Hi, my Mom in Argentina used to make them like that but did not heat the milk, I’ll try that. Also she used to put in one or two eggs in it and they came out delicious.

  3. Rod B says:

    I followed the instructions exactly, but the potatoes came out like potato soup. Maybe that is the intent, but next time I’ll reduce the milk to 1/2 cup or 1/3 cup. I may reduce the butter to 1.5 sticks.

  4. lily says:

    potatoes ive learned not to whip hard comes like a paste ,cant eat ,follow your way XXXX ,,lily

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Awesome!

      1. Gopal Chandran says:

        5 stars
        Hi Bee,
        Yesterday I made this for my son’s family and they thoroughly enjoyed it. Normally they have sauce with mashed potatoes but this time they ate it without any especially my 3 grandchildren. It is easy to make with the riser.
        Well done, Bee for the excellent recipe.

        1. Rasa Malaysia says:

          Thank you!?

  5. Pixybrat says:

    They are delicious, but chef used a golden potato called a La Ratte, a small firm potato with a smooth, buttery texture and a particular chestnut-like flavor. The best substitute is a Yukon gold, because La Ratte’s are difficult to come by. And, he only used FOUR ingredients…No pepper, although I prefer them with pepper, too. Excellent potatoes.

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Thanks for letting me know!

  6. Anthony Panetta says:

    Hi Bee , no wonder the receipe is tasty , all that butter , my late Mother made one similar with far less butter and a dash of milk , I will try this as a one off , I have to watch the weight . The hot milk is interesting . Keep doing the receipes , I have started a collection and put them into an index

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Yes, all the butter makes it really good!!

      1. Glenn Jacobs says:

        Butter adds flavor, so I agree with that, although it might not be that healthy. You eat to enjoy at times, and you can balance it by eating a salad the next day. I also like to add some nutmeg and a little bit of Parmesan, substituting the salt.

  7. Daniel Vilenchik says:

    Hi, is there n alternative for the ricer? ( food proccesor, manual masher or regular drainer )?

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Manual masher is fine.

    2. John Marshall says:

      A food mill is the best thing.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQTS_olVgu8&ab_channel=Granite%E2%80%A2WareGranite%E2%80%A2Ware
      See link to you tube.