Gravy not required! These rich Blue Cheese and Walnut Mashed Potatoes elevate classic mashed potatoes. Tender potatoes are mashed with herbs and creamy blue cheese, then finished with walnuts sautéed in browned butter.
For more crowd-pleasing potato recipes, try Funeral Potatoes or Sweet Potato Casserole.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: while I love the Thanksgiving turkey, it’s the side dishes that steal the show. Bread might count as a side, too, and it certainly gets its share of my plate. On holiday tables I always pile on the sides, sometimes burying the turkey beneath them. Asking me to pick a single favorite is impossible—there are too many irresistible choices.
Side dishes are what people ask for most, and I’m right there with you. Familiar, comforting classics are staples, but I also like adding one or two new recipes each year. This season I wanted a fresh take on potatoes.
Potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables, but plain mashed potatoes wouldn’t do. I wanted something easy yet impressive—an upgrade worthy of Thanksgiving. Inspiration came from two bold additions: blue cheese and walnuts.
Walnuts aren’t a common mashed potato ingredient, but when toasted in browned butter they transform the dish. The nuts add crunch and a toasty, nutty depth that contrasts beautifully with silky potatoes. Fold in quality blue cheese for a tangy, creamy finish and you have mashed potatoes that don’t need gravy.
The combination of herbs, blue cheese, and brown-butter walnuts creates a balanced, memorable side. These mashed potatoes are rich without being heavy, textured without being chunky, and ideal for holiday crowds or any dinner where you want to impress.
More Mashed Potatoes
Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
My Favorite Mashed Potato Recipe
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Blue Cheese and Walnut Mashed Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs potatoes peeled and diced
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon minced rosemary
- 2 tablespoon minced parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 oz blue cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
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Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and return the potatoes to the pot.
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Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, the milk, rosemary, parsley, salt, and pepper to the potatoes. Mash to your preferred consistency. Crumble in about three-quarters of the blue cheese and stir to combine.
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Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly until the butter turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma, about 6–8 minutes. Add the walnuts and cook for an additional minute, taking care not to burn the butter.
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Transfer the mashed potatoes to a serving bowl. Pour the browned butter and walnut mixture over the top, then crumble the remaining blue cheese across the surface. Serve warm.