Name: Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings

A Southern chef with a scientific mind, Katie Button worked for some of the world's best chefs before opening her own restaurants to rave reviews. Receiving four James Beard nominations and many editorial features, she now inspires the at-home chef with her first cookbook of authentic Spanish recipes.

Katie Button

These are my go-to mashed potatoes for holidays or dinner parties when I want pure and simple, perfectly executed mashed potatoes. Frequently, I double or triple the recipe, holding back on the liquid quantities, adding a little bit at a time until I find the right consistency. To time along with the meal, peel and cut the potatoes in advance, and keep them in the pot covered with cold water. Let them sit until 30 minutes before serving, then bring them to a boil and finish them. I mash the potatoes with Arbequina olive oil because it’s mild and fruity and doesn’t have the same spicy bite as some other varieties.

Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

Meet The Creator

I am always super-excited when fresh cherries show up at the markets! These little stone fruits burst with flavor and are only here for a short time, so I love to enjoy them as much as possible. Scones are an easy, quick way to make something special for breakfast, and I think they are best with fresh fruit in them.

Elizabeth Poett's Cherry-Almond Scones Drizzled with White Chocolate

Cherry-Almond Scones Drizzled with White Chocolate

As much as I enjoy doing my own thing in the kitchen, I love when the kids are happy to jump in and help me make a meal. In this episode, I have a couple of

Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines: Episode 4

While some evenings call for dishes that are quick and easy, on nights when I have a little extra time, this is the type of meal I can’t wait to get into the

Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines: Season 2, Episode 2

“There are some meals you know are special because of the time they require or the long list of ingredients they call for. Other times, I find joy in recipes that can be as creative or straightforward as I want. The base of this recipe offers that flexibility. Flatbread is delicious with a simple, traditional hummus or dip, but I also love piling on veggies from the garden, or as this recipe calls for, a little bit of prosciutto and arugula.” — Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Table, Volume 3

Joanna Gaines' Balsamic-Glazed Prosciutto Flatbread

Balsamic-Glazed Prosciutto Flatbread

When I asked my little sister Mikey to bring Ferny’s to the Shops at the Silos, I wanted her to have full creative freedom in realizing her vision for the

See Inside Ferny's at the Silos

Fried dough smothered in sugar and dipped in chocolate? Yes, please! Because my family came from Spain, I have a true love for everything Spanish including their desserts. I was lucky enough to spend some time studying in Spain, and churros were the very first Spanish sweet treat I tasted. Whether served at restaurants after meals, late at night on city streets, or at home they remain a beloved treat.

Elizabeth Poett's Spanish Churros and Chocolate Dip

Spanish Churros with Chocolate Dip

In busy seasons, one thing that I always look forward to is a slow Sunday at home with my family. For us, that can look like spending some time in the garden,

Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines: Season 3, Episode 1

I tried crȇpes for the first time when I was in New York City for a college internship. One weekend, my roommate and I stumbled upon this crêpe shop. With

Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines: Season 5, Episode 6

I started this year with one resolution: have more fun. I used to love roller skating when I was a kid, so I bought a pair for my girls and me. Now I bring my

Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines: Season 6, Episode 4

Roasted mushrooms are one of my favorite dishes to make when hosting friends for dinner because it's so easy to throw them on a sheet pan and let the oven do the work. You can really build on the richness of the mushrooms by pairing it with a simple vinaigrette. As with the Honey Mustard-Glazed Pork Tenderloin, this was inspired by a dish in The Fresh Honey Cookbook by one of my dear late friends, Laurey Masterton. Laurey was wildly passionate about a lot of things, and one of those was bees and honey. It was an honor to be able to recreate some of Laurey's dishes for a dinner on From the Source, incorporating a few of my own touches along the way.

Katie Button's Roasted Mushrooms with Honey Vinaigrette

Roasted Mushrooms with Honey Vinaigrette

One of the great things about living on a farm is that we always have a surplus of fresh eggs in the barn. Gathering these colorful beauties never gets old. Our family eats fresh eggs at almost every breakfast, so I’ve got to change things up for them every now and then. Quiche is simple to make and tastes so good—plus it uses up a lot of eggs—so I have a bunch of great recipes for it. I love its versatility and the fact that it surpasses the sum of its parts. Whether it’s served at an elegant brunch or at the breakfast table, a beautiful quiche makes the moment seem a bit more celebratory. Depending on how much time I have, I either make my own pie crust or use a store-bought one.

Photograph by Carson Downing. Produced by Scott J. Johnson. Styling by Billy Jack Brawner. Food Styling by Charles Worthington.

Mushroom, Spinach & Swiss Cheese Quiche

These are, hands down, my kids’ favorite breakfast. Who am I kidding? They’re my favorite, too, especially when served alongside eggs—I can’t get enough of that combination of sweet and salty. These are definitely a labor of love, but honestly I think we all enjoy preparing them almost as much as we like to eat them. I’m in my happy place anytime I get to work with dough. Mixing the ingredients together into a cohesive whole, draping a towel over the bowl and letting the dough rise, punching it down, and then rolling, filling, and shaping it—the ritual of every step brings me pure joy. Whenever I bust out the ingredients for these squares, the kids know it’s a good day. I make these a lot during school holidays when there’s time in the morning for them to help. Duke and Emmie stand at attention with the measured ingredients waiting for the sign from me that they can dump them into the bowl, and then the older two help me roll out the dough and compose each layer. Drake loves that he’s finally allowed to use a big knife to cut the squares before they’re baked, and then he and Ella apply the egg wash to the tops of them. The kids understand that the bit of extra effort required for these squares makes them something really special.



I think it probably helps that these squares are the best iteration of a cinnamon roll that any of us has ever tasted. It can be hard to get a good balance with cinnamon rolls—they either have too much bread or too much cinnamon. The way I make these, rolling and folding them repeatedly so that the filling is between several thin layers of dough, results in a square that has a perfect amount of both bread and cinnamon, so every bite is balanced.

Cinnamon Squares

Cooking a leg of lamb can be intimidating, but you’ll be surprised at how quickly this comes together. It’s a great option for a weeknight get-together because you can season the meat a day or two ahead of time and then just fire up the grill. When purchasing a leg of lamb from the butcher counter, ask the butcher to debone and butterfly the leg for you. Serve it with roasted potatoes, grilled veggies, or a room-temperature pasta salad.

Katie Button's Roasted Leg of Lamb with Herbs

Roasted Leg of Lamb with Herbs

These fritters are inspired by my time in Spain. We would order them all the time out, and the señora I lived with would make them because she knew how much I loved them!

Elizabeth Poett's Potato Fritters with Manchego and Prosciutto

Potato Fritters with Manchego and Prosciutto

This very simple, four-ingredient vanilla ice cream recipe is smooth, creamy, and delicious. It will wow all your guests and goes well with just about everything! It’s easy to prepare the base ahead of time, and then just put it in your churner before serving.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

"An easy way to gather vegetables for this recipe is to keep a baggie in the freezer and whenever you have leftover vegetables you can just toss them in. That way, as soon as you cook a recipe that leaves you with chicken bones, you have what you need to make the stock—you can just put it all in a large pot on the stove and let it simmer. I always try to make as much of this stock as possible so that I can freeze at least half the batch. There is satisfaction in using every last bit of food you can, and knowing that nothing is going to waste." – Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Table, Volume 3

Homemade Chicken Stock

As you may have heard, Jo and I announced some pretty big news on Wednesday. To make a long story short, we’ve spent the past several months meeting with the

We've Got Big News!

I love to cook with fish—especially after Austin goes fishing—and I developed this recipe because I was looking for something that would be rich tasting but also really simple to make. For this recipe, I make a sauce out of white wine, cream, and fresh dill, then just slip the fillets into the pan and put the whole thing in the oven until the fish is tender and infused with the bright, creamy sauce. I like to serve it with saffron rice, which has a flavor that reminds me of food that I enjoyed when I studied in Spain as a student. Put the kettle to a boil while preheating the oven and the rice and fish will be ready about the same time.

White Fish with Dill Sauce and Saffron Rice

Every time I pull a jar of these pickles off the shelf, I am so happy I took the time to make them. They are a wonderful addition to many kinds of sandwiches. I often put them on the table at a barbecue so that people can snack on them and add a little something salty to their plates. This is a fun and simple project to do on your own or with your family.

Dill Pickle Chips

"A dish that looks fancy but is secretly simple will always have a place on my table. Wedge salads in general are great at pulling this off—and fortunately, everyone in our family enjoys them. I like to slice the iceberg wedges beforehand, then serve the toppings family-style so everyone can tailor their own. The kids and I like to dress our salad with ranch, but Chip always prefers blue cheese. Since this is one of Chip's favorite salads, that classic take is what I've shared here." – Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Table, Volume 3

Joanna Gaines' Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

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