Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Enlist these extra-creamy Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes as the ultimate problem solver for holiday meals. They also happen to be so delicious they catapulted to the top of our “favorite mashed potatoes ever” list. The potatoes are baked, not boiled, and can be fully prepared up to two days ahead of time, then reheated in the microwave or slow cooker.
Mashed potatoes you can really make ahead.
We initially made these mashed potatoes for the first Thanksgiving in our new home. I believe we had 13 people for dinner that year, and literally everyone wished for more mashed potatoes. I had not even a scrap left, let alone enough to make my favorite shepherd’s pie.
Baking rather than boiling the potatoes changes the game in terms of ease and convenience, and is a big part of the reason the potatoes come out with such a nice, creamy texture. This method and the recipe itself is adapted just a bit from Cook’s Illustrated via Once Upon a Chef — two of the most reliable cooking resources I know. Warning: these are not mashed potatoes to make if you want to lose five pounds by the end of the week. These are potatoes to make if your priority is satisfied smiles around the table.
The best part of all is that these potatoes taste just as good if not better when made ahead of time! They reheat beautifully in either the microwave or the slow cooker, making them truly ideal for big holiday meals, but also convenient for any busy family dinner.
Ingredient & Substitution Notes
While I love all the added seasonings of the garlic herb mashed potatoes we make in the Instant Pot, as well, the beauty of this make ahead recipe is absolutely in the simplicity. Just three real ingredients; four, if you count the salt.
Here’s a quick overview. As always, find the full printable recipe with measurements below.
- Russet potatoes. We find that 4-5 pounds of potatoes yields a generous 8 servings, but it’s quite easy to make a 1.5x or double batch for feeding a crowd or guaranteeing a quantity of leftovers.
- Heavy cream and butter. Both are a must for the ideal texture and richness.
- Salt. Also a necessity for the best mashed potatoes. Adding salt to taste is essential.
How To Make Mashed Potatoes Ahead
I really believe the main secret of these potatoes lies in the baking method. Excess moisture can be a culprit of gummy, gluey mashed potatoes, and with this method you skip the boiling and drying entirely. It also means you have no need to peel or chop the potatoes, which is music to the ears of any over-worked home cook.
Bake Potatoes. You want to roast the potatoes, technically, directly on a middle oven rack until they are extremely tender when pressed with kitchen tongs. This takes close to an hour for me at a toasty 450 degrees F, depending a bit on the size of the potatoes.
Simmer Cream and Butter. Just before removing the potatoes, set the cream and butter to simmer together over medium heat. You will want to add warm cream to the warm potatoes, so it’s important they come together at the same time.
Scoop out the Insides. While they are still hot, carefully split each potato and scoop out the tender flesh into a large bowl — the bowl of your stand mixer, if you have one. Leave behind any tough bits close to the skin. Beat on low speed until the potato mixture is as smooth as you like it. Any lumps here will remain, so choose your preferred texture at this stage.
Fold in the Cream. While the potatoes are still hot, pour in the warm cream-butter mixture. Use a spatula to gently fold in the liquid. At first it will look like too much cream, but just keep folding with a gentle hand. It will come together.
Add Salt … and maybe more salt. Fold in the salt, sample, and add more to taste. If you taste these potatoes and they don’t seem very flavorful, you almost certainly just need a little more salt to wake up the richness of the cream and butter.
Transfer the finished potatoes to either a microwave-safe bowl or the insert of a slow cooker. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to two days.
Warming Options
In the Slow Cooker. This is really convenient if you want to serve the mashed potatoes directly from the slow cooker for a large or lengthy meal. Remove the bowl of mashed potatoes from the fridge and remove the plastic wrap. Place in the slow cooker with an additional 2 Tablespoons butter on top. The exact warming time will depend on exactly how hot your slow cooker gets. I find low heat for 3-4 hours or high heat for 1-2 hours does the trick. Stir occasionally and add a splash of cream if desired to lighten the consistency. Just try not to check them too often or a lot of heat will escape, extending the time it takes to warm through.
In the Microwave. This gets the potatoes piping hot and is an easy way to enlist a less often-used appliance for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Use a sharp knife to poke 8-10 holes in the plastic wrap, then microwave the bowl of potatoes for about 10 minutes at 75% power, stirring halfway through. Top with remaining 2 Tablespoons butter and serve right away, because they will begin to cool down relatively fast.
Related Recipes
- Garlic Herb Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Parmesan Herb-Crusted Roasted Red Potatoes
- Dijon Herb Potato Salad
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Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4-5 pounds Russet potatoes
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 and 3/4 teaspoons salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place a rack in the middle. Place potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for 50-60 minutes, until extremely soft when pressed with tongs.
- Just before removing the potatoes from the oven, combine the cream and 6 Tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the potatoes and, right away, split each one in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop the tender flesh out of each potato half and place in the bowl of an electric mixer. If there are bits of tough flesh near the skin, leave it behind. Once all the potatoes are scooped out, briefly mix the flesh with a fork, then use the paddle attachment to beat on low speed until they are very smooth. Do all of this while the potatoes are still hot.
- Pour the simmering cream mixture into the potatoes. Use a large spatula to gently fold in the cream until the entire mixture is smooth and light. At first it will seem like it’s not coming together, but keep folding and it will happen. Stir in salt, then sample and add more salt to taste.
- Transfer potatoes to either a serving bowl or the bowl of your slow cooker, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Slow cooker warming option. Remove plastic wrap and warm potatoes with the extra 2 Tablespoons of butter on top. This depends on exactly how hot your slow cooker gets, but I find low heat for 3-4 hours or high heat for 1-2 hours does the trick. Stir occasionally and add a splash of cream if desired to lighten the consistency. Serve warm straight from the slow cooker.
- Microwave warming option. Use a sharp knife to poke 8-10 holes in the top of the plastic wrap, then microwave for about 10 minutes at 75% power, stirring halfway through, until the potatoes are hot. Top with remaining 2 Tablespoons butter and serve hot.
SO good and easy, thanks!