People Are Just Discovering Julia Child’s Brilliant Secret for Making the World’s Best Mashed Potatoes

Julia Child didn’t shy away from bold culinary techniques in her pursuit of good flavor — from her fluffy sweet potato pie, which requires three big splashes of bourbon or dark rum, to her famous scrambled eggs, which demand a generous slab of butter. Don’t even get me started on her tips for mashed potatoes. I’ve known about her wild secret for making them for years, but while scrolling on TikTok, I realized a lot of home cooks are just now learning her hack for infusing the creamy spuds with tons of savory, sweet, and aromatic notes. You’ll want to tune in if you’re not hip because her special tip is ingenious.

“They are so good. They are definitely going on the Thanksgiving rotation,” Corre Larkin, a creator on TikTok who shares simple and seasonal recipes, concluded after trying Child’s secret trick. 

So, what’s the secret hack for making Julia Child’s mashed potatoes? A whopping 30 whole cloves of garlic. And if your immediate reaction is a bit of distress, we completely understand, which is why we put it to the test a few years back.

In 2021, a staffer at The Kitchn followed The French Chef host’s recipe and reviewed it. To create Child’s mashed potatoes, first blanch 30 cloves of garlic (skin on) in boiling water for two minutes to get rid of any bitter notes. Next, drain and peel the cloves. Then, melt butter in a pan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the cloves begin to brown. Afterward, prepare a béchamel and blend that sauce with the garlic cloves until smooth. Boil the potatoes in salted water and then pass them through a ricer before returning to the pot and pouring heavy cream, the garlic béchamel sauce, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper, and mixing and continue to cook for about two minutes.

In The Kitchn’s review of Child’s garlic mashed potatoes, the staffer testing the recipe said, “As it turns out, 30 cloves of garlic is exactly the right amount for these potatoes.” Followed by a conclusion of, “It’s just so luxurious — and perfect for garlic-lovers like me.”

Child’s secret hack for flavorful mashed potatoes shines because of the garlic béchamel. Once you master making this sauce, you can toss it into all kinds of dishes this holiday season to impress your loved ones, like baked mac and cheese or green bean casserole. While infusing your dishes with vast amounts of aromatics or seasonings may seem daunting, The French Chef host proves that with the right culinary finesse, you can easily pull it off and create a masterpiece that’s seriously delicious.