This easy Old-fashioned Creamed Potatoes recipe features tender cubed potatoes coated in a silky, homemade cream sauce made with butter, milk, and a touch of heavy cream. A comforting Southern side dish that's quick, budget-friendly, and perfect for holidays or weeknight suppers alike.
Quick Look at the Recipe
Ready in about 20 minutes, these Southern-style creamed potatoes transform simple pantry ingredients into pure comfort. Think soft, buttery potatoes blanketed in a rich, velvety cream sauce; an old-fashioned favorite that's still right at home on modern tables.
Ready in: 20 minutes | Serves: 6-8 | Difficulty: Easy | Make-Ahead Friendly
Jump to:
- Quick Look at the Recipe
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Main Ingredient Notes and Easy Substitutions
- Recipe Variations and Twists
- How to Make Old-Fashioned Creamed Potatoes (step-by-step guide)
- Serving ideas
- Recipe FAQs
- Tips for Perfect Results Every Time
- More Southern Potato Recipes You’ll Love
- Join the Conversation
- Recipe:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick & easy: You can have this side on the table in less than 20 minutes, perfect for busy cooks.
- Everyday ingredients: Like my recipes for Scalloped Potatoes and Parmesan Potatoes Au Gratin, just potatoes, butter, milk, and cream. No hard-to-find ingredients or fancy techniques.
- Timeless flavor: This vintage dish tastes just as good as your grandmother's version, maybe even better, thanks to a touch of lemon juice and nutmeg.
- Perfect for holidays: Creamed potatoes like my Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes pair beautifully with ham, turkey, or roast beef for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Main Ingredient Notes and Easy Substitutions
Let's talk ingredients: what you need, what you can swap, and how to make it work with what's in your pantry. These are the main ingredients; the full list is waiting down in the recipe card.
- Russet potatoes: Their high starch content creates the creamiest texture. Yukon Golds also work well if you like a slightly buttery flavor.
- Butter & flour: Together, they form a classic roux, the base of a silky béchamel (white sauce). If you're short on time, you can use 1½ cups of prepared white sauce instead.
- Milk & heavy cream: Milk smooths out the roux, and cream adds richness. You can swap half-and-half for both if needed.
- Lemon juice: Adds subtle brightness that balances the sauce. Fresh is best.
- Nutmeg: Optional but lovely, it brings warmth and depth.
- Seasonings: A pinch of kosher salt and black or white pepper enhances every bite.
- Paprika: Optional for color. A light sprinkle makes your dish pop on the table.
Recipe Variations and Twists
- Baked creamed potatoes: Combine the cooked potatoes and sauce in a greased baking dish. Top with a cup of buttered panko or crushed Ritz crackers and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
- Add veggies: Stir in cooked peas, chopped green beans, or broccoli for color and texture.
- Make it cheesy: Add a handful of shredded white cheddar, Gruyère, or Parmesan for a creamy mornay-style twist.
- Fresh herbs: Sprinkle in chopped parsley, thyme, or chives before serving.
How to Make Old-Fashioned Creamed Potatoes (step-by-step guide)
This is a summary of the steps; the complete directions are in the recipe card below.
- Prep the potatoes: Scrub, peel, and cut into ¾-inch cubes.
- Cook the potatoes: Add to a large pot of cold water, covering by at least an inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a gentle simmer, add 1 teaspoon salt, and cook uncovered until tender (8-12 minutes). Drain and set aside.
- Make the roux: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add milk: Slowly pour in the milk while whisking constantly. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens (2-3 minutes).
- Finish the sauce: Remove from heat. Stir in heavy cream, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Combine: Pour the warm cream sauce over the drained potatoes. Stir gently to coat.
- Garnish: Sprinkle with paprika (if using) and serve immediately.
Serving ideas
Creamed potatoes are the ultimate Southern comfort side. Try them with:
- Holiday mains: Smoked Turkey or Maple Glazed Ham.
- Everyday favorites: Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs, Blackened Grouper, or Southern Fried Chicken.
- Casual suppers: Add a side of Southern Coleslaw or Skillet Cornbread.
Recipe FAQs
Mashed potatoes are whipped smooth with butter and milk, while creamed potatoes keep their shape and are coated in a creamy béchamel-style sauce.
Yes! Prepare as directed up to 24 hours ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat or bake at 350°F until warm.
Technically, yes, but I don't recommend it; freezing changes the texture of the potatoes and sauce.
Russets are classic, yielding a creamy texture that thickens the sauce. Yukon Golds are a close second; red or new potatoes are firmer but still tasty.
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat on the stove with a splash of milk or cream, or microwave in short bursts, stirring in between.
It's a simple French "mother sauce" made with butter, flour, and milk, the base for countless creamy dishes.
Tips for Perfect Results Every Time
- Whisk constantly: Don't stop whisking the sauce until it's thick and smooth; this prevents lumps.
- Mind the paprika: Sprinkle from your fingers, not straight from the jar, to avoid heavy clumps.
- Season in stages: Taste as you go. Potatoes love salt!
- Use fresh lemon juice: It keeps the sauce bright and balanced.
- Avoid overcooking: Perfectly tender potatoes hold their shape without turning mushy.
More Southern Potato Recipes You’ll Love
If you like potatoes as we do, you might also enjoy these popular recipes on my blog. For more ideas, here is a link to all my side dish recipes.
Join the Conversation
If you make this easy old-fashioned creamed potatoes recipe, please leave a comment and a ⭐️ star rating on the recipe card! I love hearing from readers, and your tips and family stories make my day.
G&P Wisdom
"In the South, comfort doesn't come from fancy ingredients - it comes from a pot of creamy potatoes shared at the table."
Southern Comfort Food Made Easy and Shareable
For over a decade, Grits and Pinecones has been serving up delicious recipes with a Southern flair, simple, flavorful, and perfect to share with family and friends.
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Easy Old Fashioned Creamed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Russet potatoes about 4-5 medium size potatoes, between 4-5 inches long
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground white or black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 pinch paprika Optional garnish
Instructions
- Scrub, peel and cut the potatoes into bite-size cubes.
- Add the potatoes to a large pot of cold water over medium-high heat. Make sure they are fully submerged by at least an inch, and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add one teaspoon of salt and cook uncovered at a simmer until they are tender all the way through when pierced with a fork.
- The cooking time will be between eight and twelve minutes, but the time will vary depending on the size of the cubes. Drain them in a colander and set them aside when they are done.
- While the potatoes cook, make a roux by adding butter to a medium-size skillet over medium heat. When the butter melts, sprinkle the flour over the top and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cook for about two minutes, and slowly add the milk while continuing to whisk.
- Continue whisking the sauce until it thickens, which should take two or three minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and add the heavy cream, half of a teaspoon of salt, lemon juice, white or black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the cream sauce over the potatoes and serve immediately. Optional, before serving, garnish with a pinch of paprika.
Notes
- The secret to a smooth, silky cream sauce is don’t stop whisking until the sauce has thickened. When you add the milk, the flour will look like it’s forming lumps, but if you keep whisking, it will smooth out.
- Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for up to four days. You can reheat on the stove, in the oven, or microwave.
- For the best results, when adding paprika, pour a little in your hand and then take a pinch and sprinkle it over the dish. Sometimes when you sprinkle it directly out of the container, too much comes out, and you can end up with a big red glob of paprika.
- Some folks say you can freeze potatoes, but I think it changes the texture, and I don’t recommend it.
- If you use salted butter, leave out the salt in the sauce.
- Russet potatoes will produce the creamiest dish. However, Yukon Gold, red potatoes, baby potatoes, or fingerlings can also be substituted. I have never tried using canned.
- I peel russets but usually don’t peel other types of potatoes. It’s up to you.
- If you prefer, you can also bake creamed potatoes in the oven. Add the cooked potatoes and sauce to a baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Top with about a cup of panko or crushed ritz crackers mixed with a tablespoon of melted butter. Bake in a preheated 350 °F oven for about 25 minutes.
Jerry Bullis
Enjoyed thanks