Julia Child’s Mashed Potato Recipe

Julia Child’s recipe for mashed potatoes proves that even legends can take the humble spud in a surprisingly complex direction. Her approach of melding soft, slow-cooked garlic with a rich butter and flour roux before whisking in milk to create a silky béchamel results in an undeniably flavorful mash. The garlic is tender and sweet, the butter lush, and the finished dish beautifully aromatic.

There’s much to admire in this iteration. The sauce infuses each bite with the gentle warmth of roasted garlic and the indulgent feel of French cookery. When stirred in just before serving and topped with fresh parsley, the dish feels like something you’d find on a grand Parisian table beside roasted chicken or grilled lamb chops. For garlic lovers and culinary historians alike, this recipe captures Julia’s fearless experimentation in the kitchen. It’s rich, nostalgic, and a reminder that Julia Child’s cooking inspires us to master the art of mashed potatoes.

We preserved Julia Child’s original recipe but edited the steps for clarity.