While it may be a bit surprising, potatoes require a light touch when it comes to mashing. Spuds are a hearty vegetable, and one might naturally think that the more mashing and whipping they’re subjected to, the smoother they’ll be. The opposite is actually true, as mashing potatoes too vigorously is what leads to a sticky texture in the first place.
Starch flows out of the potatoes as they’re broken down, whether you’re mashing by hand or using an appliance. Excessive amounts of starch ruin the creamy texture you’re going for, as does cooking the potatoes for too long. In this case, starch takes on a gel-like texture, which causes the finished dish to become a lot stickier than it should be. You can avoid this issue by mashing potatoes carefully and paying close attention to the cooking time. In general, potatoes take about 20 to 30 minutes to cook when making mashed varieties.
