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Looking for the tastiest and most simple side for Thanksgiving or the holidays? This crockpot mashed potatoes recipe can be made in advance and is one of the best you’ll ever find!
With Thanksgiving upon us this week, I wanted to share one of our favorite recipes of all time! Since 2006, my Kurtis and I have made theseworld’s best crockpot mashed potatoes recipe for Thanksgiving, after it was passed along to us from a friend I worked with. They are super easy, even for a non-chef like me. Plus you can make them up to two weeks in advance,store them in your fridge, and then just reheat in a crockpot! Such a helpful quality for the holidays when it’s such a busy time! We usually make these potatoes a day or two in advance and then just re-heat them in the crockpot. Very convenient!
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World’s Best Crockpot Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Following is the recipe for the world’s best crockpot mashed potatoes. Following that, I’m sharing some helpful tips to go along with this recipe!
World's Best Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 9 large potatoes {or 5 lbs} cooked, peeled and drained
- 6 oz package of cream cheese (I typically use the full 8 oz block) softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tsp onion salt
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 Tbsp butter
Instructions
Boil potatoes in a large pot until soft.
Mash potatoes until smooth; combine with remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Beat until light and fluffy.
Cool, cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately.
Use within 2 weeks.
To serve, place desired amount in a greased casserole pan, dot with butter and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through. OR Use crockpot to reheat (our preferred method). You can also microwave small batches until warm prior to placing in crockpot if you are short on time.
Servings: 12
Author: Life on Virginia Street
Crockpot Mashed Potatoes Recipe: Helpful Tips
When making the mashed potatoes, I recommend a good potato peeler that doesn’t slide out of your hands. Ours is like this oneand it is a dream to work with. It will make the job SO much easier and is worth the minor investment since you’ll be making these year after year once you try them!
Additionally, if your crockpotor slow cooker doesn’t heat evenly, be sure to stir often so that the edges don’t burn when you go to reheat them.
I’ve also been asked if these are good with gravy. Honestly, they are SO good on their own but they are amazing with gravy too! There probably isn’t much these incredible potatoes aren’t good with! We’ve tried them with homemade gravy, as well as gravy straight out of the jar, and it all tastes great!
Now, the recipe claims to serve 12. But, we all know how it goes on Thanksgiving. Some years we’ve made 4 batches of this recipe (20 lbs. of potatoes). Other years, we cut it back to doubling the recipe (10 lbs. of potatoes) and had about 12 people. I made them in two separate batches and then combined them in the crockpot in the end. We have always gone the crockpot route because oven space is limited on Thanksgiving. We always believe more is more when it comes to the potatoes, and these reheat so well, nobody minds if there are leftovers!
Looking at the ratio of fattening ingredients to potatoes, it is no wonder they taste so good! Give them a try if you want to help take some of the prep work out of Thanksgiving. The only downside is that you’ll be asked to make the potatoes for years to come!
Other Thanksgiving Recipes & Ideas You May Like
Following are additional Thanksgiving recipes or idea you may enjoy! Tap any of the article names below to see the full post.
- The Best Turkey Corn Chowder Recipe (perfect for Thanksgiving leftovers!)
- My Mom’s Famous Praline-Topped Sweet Potato Recipe
- How To Make A Fall Charcuterie Board
- 20 Boozy Fall Drinks
- 20 Fall Soup Recipes to Try
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FAQs
Always reheat the mashed potatoes with milk, broth, or a few pats of butter in the oven or in the microwave before transferring them to the slow cooker. Make sure to cover the potatoes during warming so moisture doesn't escape.
Why do people add sour cream to mashed potatoes? ›
Sour cream adds a little bit of tangy flavor and a boost of richness to mashed potatoes. It's a fun change from the standard milk or cream and butter combo usually flavoring mashed taters. You can even try your hand at making homemade sour cream from heavy cream!
What is the most efficient way to mash potatoes? ›
A potato ricer is widely regarded as the best tool for mashed potatoes that are smooth and fluffy. Built like a big garlic press, it works by pushing cooked potatoes (one or two at a time) through a perforated grate, creating stringy, broken-down potato bits without releasing a ton of starch.
Can you make mashed potatoes and put them in a crockpot to keep warm? ›
To keep mashed potatoes warm, there are a few different options you can use. The best method is to use a slow cooker to keep the prepared spuds warm for hours. Add the mashed potatoes to the slow cooker and keep them on warm for hours leading up to the meal. This way, you don't have to worry about them burning.
How do you make potatoes soft in a slow cooker? ›
Transfer the potatoes to the slow cooker (I use a 4.5-quart Crock Pot for reference). Toss with olive oil and seasonings. Cook until fork-tender, about 2 to 3 hours on high or 4 to 6 hours on low.
Why do restaurant mashed potatoes taste better? ›
Instead of regular milk, pro chefs generally use a generous helping of buttermilk and plenty of half-and-half or (even better) heavy cream in their potatoes. If you think the bartenders up front are pouring heavy, they've got nothing on the cooks in the back who are in charge of the mashed potatoes.
What does Rachael Ray use to mash potatoes? ›
Mash potatoes with half-and-half or milk using a potato masher. Add in the cream cheese and smash until the cheese melts into the potatoes. Add chives or scallions. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.
Why put a raw egg in mashed potatoes? ›
Adding egg yolks to a pot of mashed potatoes is an easy, dairy-free texture and taste upgrade that doesn't require any special techniques. The yolks harbor all the flavorful fats and emulsifying components and will thus effectively unify the fat and water in potatoes, translating to a smoother, uniformly creamy pot.
Is it better to use cream cheese or sour cream in mashed potatoes? ›
Sour Cream: The sour cream helps keep the mashed potatoes fluffy. Cream Cheese: This adds a bit of creaminess without being too overpowering. Heavy Cream: Increases the creaminess and helps thin out the potatoes a bit.
Why do you put vinegar in mashed potatoes? ›
The addition of a mildly acidic vinegar to a starchy veggie like potatoes not only deepens the flavor profile, but it also helps to tenderize the tubers.
The secret weapon, a good potato ricer (affiliate). This pushes the potatoes into strings, which helps them soak up every bit of the cream and achieve maximum fluffliness.
Is it better to cut potatoes before boiling for mashed potatoes? ›
Drop a whole russet into the pot and by the time the outside has cooked through, the inside will still be raw. Larger potatoes should be cubed to ensure they cook evenly (peeled first if desired). Smaller potatoes tend to have thin skins and can be boiled whole, no peeling required.
How do restaurants keep mashed potatoes fresh? ›
Restaurants prepare the potatoes ahead by boiling and mashing just the potato, then just before serving, it is mixed into boiling cream (or milk or even broth or a combination thereof) to reheat it and make it nice and creamy.
How do you keep mashed potatoes from drying out? ›
Probably the simplest is to place the mashed potatoes in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water. You can cover the bowl with foil, or use a lid that fits over the bowl. Make sure the water doesn't burn dry, and never gets above a simmer—and that's it.
Will potatoes go soft in slow cooker? ›
It depends how well-done you prefer your spuds, but in general, they'll be ready to eat after 4 to 6 hours in a slow cooker. If you use the low setting, which is helpful if you won't be ready to eat anytime soon, they typically take between 6 to 8 hours.
How do you keep mash from drying out? ›
Reheating in the Oven
If you are reheating them in the oven, stir in the liquid and butter pieces, then spread the potatoes out in a baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil to keep the potatoes from drying out. Reheat at 350˚F for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes reach 165˚F.
How do you keep mashed potatoes from hardening? ›
"Hold your mashed potatoes in a bain-marie, or water bath, with a lid on top [and] they stay for hours — days really," Ray, who recently partnered with Home Chef, said in an interview with Allrecipes. The method is oh-so-simple. Just make your mashed potatoes according to your favorite recipe.
