Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes
A “not-your-traditional” mashed potatoes recipe, delicious gourmet, easy Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes. Serve as a side dish for Thanksgiving!
Friends, perfect for fall and holiday, enjoy a creamy Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes recipe. This side dish is a party hit every time!
Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes
Add extra milk if you like creamier potatoes. You can also add a tiny bit of nutmeg and cinnamon if you want to make them spicy.
Mashed potatoes
I’m thankful for … are the words we hear every day during these Autumn months.
Our hearts are full of gratitude and love, and for me, I love to reminisce about past Thanksgivings too! I think back to big family gatherings with tons of cousins running around, and a giant feast on the table. I’m also grateful for mashed potatoes! :)
I love this picture of my Grandma Friesen, two of my aunts, and a handful of cousins – and a giant bowl of mashed potatoes in the middle of the table!
Grandma Friesen
My memories of Grandma? She always took the job of peeling potatoes. We also never ventured outside of the traditional Thanksgiving meal, which makes me to this day love the comfort foods of turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, jello salad, rolls, and an amazing crudit platter with plenty of olives.
That’s my Grandma on the left.
In this pic, that’s my mom and pop in the very back with my oldest sister.
I do love Grandma’s smile (white hair and glasses) in this picture, on the left. She looks so happy!
And again, a giant bowl of mashed potatoes in the middle of the table!
My memories
I’m sure as a little girl I ate a whole can of olives by myself, before the feast even began. I loved to put them on my fingers and then lick them off, one by one. And then repeat the process a few times … possibly I devoured about 15 olives? [Like this Holiday Kid-Friendly Charcuterie Board.]
I stuffed myself on Thanksgiving Day as a kid, but now as an adult, I try to pace myself.
Mashed potatoes and gravy are still one of my favorites. Back then they were a staple; today they are also a very important dish to serve on this wonderful day.
Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes
This time, instead of the traditional recipe, I gourmeted it up a little bit by adding pumpkin and fresh thyme. Wow! Love the freshness with a little sweetness, all whipped together.
And of course, leftover potatoes are my favorite, served on a Classic Shepherd’s Pie!
Do you cook traditional mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, or do you fancy them up a bit?
Get the Recipe:
Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 2” pieces
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup milk
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh thyme
Instructions
- In a large, covered saucepan, immerse the potatoes in boiling water. Wait until the water returns to boiling and cook potatoes for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender; drain.
- In the bottom of the mixing bowl, add the melted butter and softened cream cheese. Place the drained, hot potatoes on top of the butter and cream cheese. Add the milk, salt, and pepper. Mix on low, building up the speed to medium, and then high, for 4-5 minutes, until nearly smooth.
- Beat in canned pumpkin and fresh thyme. Taste.
- Return to saucepan; heat through before serving.
- Garnish with butter and fresh thyme!
Notes
I am a huge fan of my Le Creuset saucepan and KitchenAid mixer (and hand-mixer) for these types of recipes!
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Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
Can I add cheese and bacon to this without ruining it?
For sure!
I used sweet potatoes and pumpkin. It had more flavor than the potatoes. But original recipe was good
Anxious to try this recipe. Not sure if I want it for Thanksgiving, maybe after. Closer to Christmas. Do you still use gravy for this?
Yes, for sure! Although if you have enough butter, who needs gravy? Hee hee.
This worked a treat! I had some instant potatoes and no fresh ones so I used that. The fam loved these and I’ll make it again (from real potatoes next time). Thanks for this
This is the perfect side dish recipe for the fall season! Great idea!
My memories are of the heaping bowl of mashed “taters” at my Grandmother’s house. These days I like to combine mashed russets with mashed sweet potatoes. It’s YUMMO with lots and lots of butter, salt and pepper.
Does your grandma and grandpa Friesen happen to be my aunt Francis and Uncle George? If so George was my dad’s ( David) brother. Their children were/are Lorene, Lois,
Milt and Dwight. To see the picture of them around the table looked soooo much like my family.:)
I always make traditional mashed potatoes, although your pumpkin mashed potatoes sure sound delicious! They are my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal, assuming there’s plenty of gravy to smother on them. I love that you shared your family photos with us and told us about your traditions:-)
Love the photos! A big bowl of mashed potatoes was always present at our family gatherings, too! Great idea to add pumpkin to them!
Thanks Jessica!
Those photos are so neat! What fun and special memories :) I love the twist on these potatoes, too :)
Pumpkin mashed potatoes?!?! Girl, you just turned my world upside down. I need these in my life, stat!
Love this Sandy! Love how the bowl of mashed potatoes is literally over flowing! Piled high! This glammed version looks amazing I’m thinking shepherds pie with this on top would be ooo la la!
You have no idea how bad I want a bowl of these pumpkin mashed potatoes right now!! They sound perfect! Love the photos….so fun to look back. And Gina eats olives off her fingers just like you (and me too!). We are big olive lovers! I bet the leftovers would be great on shepherd’s pie…you’re making me hungry Sandy lol
That’s fun that Gina and I are “olive girls” Aggie! :)
I love this idea. My MIL always makes the mashed potatoes but I think I would totally try this for an everyday fall meal.
Just a new “spin” on the tradiational recipe, Kirstin! It’s really subtle but yummy!