The best, creamy mashed potatoes, made in the slow cooker for the ultimate hassle-free side dish! Perfect for Thanksgiving or a busy weeknight!
Forget boiling mashed potatoes and taking up precious stove-top space on a busy holiday, let the crockpot do the work for you!
This is one of those recipes I’ve been meaning to get up here on the blog for a while now, but I kept working on getting it just right. I know what you’re thinking… it’s mashed potatoes… they’re hard to get wrong. But there’s so many things that can lead to mashed potatoes being just so-so, and not truly the BEST. I’ll dive into some of those things below.
WHAT ARE THE BEST POTATOES TO USE FOR MASHED POTATOES?
Technically it all comes down to personal preference, but my favorites are russets or yukon golds. Beyond them just being my favorite potatoes in general, they’re starchier, which make for very fluffy and smooth mashed potatoes. Waxier varieties, like red or white potatoes usually need more mashing to get as creamy, which can sometimes make the mashed potatoes gluey or pasty.
CAN MASHED POTATOES BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?
They sure can! You can make the mashed potatoes by boiling them or making this crockpot variety, then cool them completely and refrigerate in an airtight container. This can be done 1-2 days ahead of time. The day you want to serve them, you have a couple of options to reheat them:
- Crockpot – add mashed potatoes to slow cooker, cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours, stirring a few times. Right before serving, dollop with a little bit of butter and stir.
- Oven – add mashed potatoes to pan, and bake at 375 for 30-45 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add additional butter or cream if needed before serving.
HOW LONG CAN YOU KEEP MASHED POTATOES IN A CROCKPOT?
Around 3-4 hours is what I’ve successfully done without the potatoes drying out too much. Plenty of time to last through a hearty holiday meal!
HOW MANY POTATOES SHOULD YOU USE PER PERSON FOR MASHED POTATOES?
The rule of thumb is around 1/2 lb of potatoes per person. So this recipe uses 5 lbs of potatoes and serves 10 people. If you have huge potato lovers you’ll be serving, you might want to go with 3/4 lb per person.
WHAT FLAVORS CAN YOU ADD TO MASHED POTATOES?
The sky is the limit!
- Horseradish and caramelized onions
- Add in a bit of roasted garlic
- Add in different cheeses
- Add in different herbs
- Or go for loaded mashed potatoes with sour cream, cheddar, bacon and chives!
WHAT SHOULD YOU SERVE MASHED POTATOES WITH?
My all-time favorite is my Glazed Chipotle Meatloaf, but lately I’ve been loving this Shredded Italian Beef over mashed potatoes. I also like to serve some Roasted Vegetables or Cheesy Brussesls Sprouts alongside as well.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST MASHED POTATOES:
- Use starchier potatoes. Like I mentioned earlier, they make for the fluffiest and creamiest mashed potatoes.
- When adding liquids to cooked potatoes (like heavy cream), make sure they’re at least at room temperature, or warmed if you have the time. Adding cold liquids to hot potatoes can cool the potatoes down.
- Season the potatoes well. A lot of people under-salt their mashed potatoes. Start with 1/2 tsp of kosher salt, then take a quick taste. Add more salt, a pinch at a time, tasting in between until they’re just right. When in doubt, ask a family member to take a quick taste too.
LOOKING FOR MORE HOLIDAY RECIPES?
- Copycat HoneyBaked Ham
- Cheesy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Garlic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes
- Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese
- The Ultimate Sweet Potato Casserole
- Slow Cooker Roasted Carrots
- The Ultimate Dinner Rolls with Whipped Honey Butter
SHOP THE RECIPE:
- Crockpot – I love this brand, and the fact that it locks down for travel is great if you’re headed somewhere else for the holidays!
- Potato Masher – I didn’t think I needed a new potato masher until I tried this one.. it’s truly amazing!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 5 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 32 oz chicken broth (reduced sodium is best)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), divided
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (optional)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Grease sides of slow cooker insert lightly with butter, then add chopped potatoes. Top with onion powder and garlic powder, then pour in chicken broth.
- Cube 1 of the sticks of butter and place cubes around the tops of the potatoes. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 1/2 - 4 hours.
- Drain potatoes then place back in the crockpot. Add remaining stick of butter (cubed), cream cheese, heavy cream and salt and pepper. Start with 1/2 tsp of kosher salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and adjust from there.
- Use a potato masher to mash potatoes until mashed to your desired consistency, using a bit more heavy cream if needed.
- Serve right away, or cover and set to WARM setting for a few hours.
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Chef Tips
- All slow cookers cook a little differently, so to tell if your potatoes are done cooking, open the lid and pierce a potato chunk with a fork. You're looking for the fork to slide into the potato easily.
- Yukon gold potatoes can be used instead of russets.
- Waxier potatoes like red or white potatoes have the potential to become a bit gluey when mashed, so use at your discretion.
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Robert Mackreth says
I have the meat loaf in my slow cooker now as I texting you I will let you know how it comes out for are dinner thank you and wish me luck it does smell good
Suzanne says
What amounts do you add to make loaded mashed potatoes?
The Chunky Chef says
I don’t measure when I’m making loaded mashed potatoes, just add and taste as you go until it’s just the way you want.
Barb says
I have made these a few times. Love them. Makes holiday cooking easier. Making for a neighborhood dinner tomorrow.
Leonard Ramsey says
not a everyday recipe but I do use this for holidays’ my FAV
Alanna says
10/10! These were the BEST mashed potatoes I’ve EVER had!!!! Followed the recipe and turned out delicious! Will be using this recipe forever!! Thanks Chef!❤️🥳🤟🏼
Nicole says
Can you double the recipe?
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t tested doubling this recipe, so I can’t say for certain how well it would work out. You would need a large slow cooker though. If you do some experimenting, I’d love to know how it turns out 🙂
Jenna says
I was wondering if the hover to adjust recipe was accurate? I am looking to make 16 servings. Thank you!
The Chunky Chef says
It is, but since the original recipe is for 10 servings, unless you’re changing it in an increment of 5 or 10, the amounts will be a bit weird (just the unfortunate way math works). I would look for the amounts of ingredients for 15 servings, then add a bit to those 🙂
Jennifer Miller says
These potatoes were perfect. Perfect texture and taste. I followed recipe as written. Thanks!
Cyra Wilkins says
Can you make ahead and freeze? Will they still taste as good
Kayleigh says
These potatoes where a hit at thanksgiving and now a regular in my home. I see its 445kcal per serving but what is the serving size? lol thanks
The Chunky Chef says
So happy to hear they were a hit! Since this isn’t a health or diet focused website, I don’t measure my serving sizes exactly, so it’s just approximately 1/10 of the total amount of mashed potatoes 🙂
Kayla says
Made this last year for thanksgiving. My parents and in-laws couldn’t believe it came from a crock pot! Best way to make them, and absolutely delicious. Saves a lot of time and space when cooking a big meal. Will be using it again this year!
Amanda VanDenBerg says
made these a few times for holidays and larger gatherings. Always a hit, and the best part is that I can make a couple of days beforehand and then just throw in the slow cooker and not have to worry about it. I love the richer flavor cooking the potatoes in chicken broth does for the what can usually be just a boring dish. Highly recommend and so simple!
Carla says
When you make them a couple days early.. how long do you give to make sure they are reheated?
AMANDA VANDENBERG says
I think I followed what the chunky chef says above: Crockpot – add mashed potatoes to slow cooker, cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours, stirring a few times. Right before serving, dollop with a little bit of butter and stir.
Carol Zepelin says
How can I make this recipe without the cream cheese? I know that sounds crazy because I’m sure they are amazing with it.. just trying to do less dairy.
The Chunky Chef says
You could always use a dairy-free cream cheese, or you could try just omitting it and seeing how the texture is. If they’re dry, you could add more butter or cream. Although without testing and retesting it myself, I can’t say for certain if that would work. If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out!
Nordene says
What size cock pot?
The Chunky Chef says
You can cook this in any size crockpot that the recipe will fit in. This was cooked and tested in both a 4 quart and standard 6 quart.
Carol says
I made these a day ahead of Thanksgiving. I reheated for 3 hrs. in the crockpot on low and added a little bit more butter on top. Perfect!!!!!
Brianna Bradford says
I’ve made this recipe twice now and it turned out flawlessly both times!! I didn’t have the garlic or onion on hand either time but it makes no difference to me. My coworkers just made me hand out copies of this recipe (:
Anne says
Can I make ahead and freeze this?
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t tested it, and normally wouldn’t recommend freezing potatoes, as it can change the texture. With enough fat (the dairy and butter), it could work though, so use your best judgement on freezing these. They do hold up well in the refrigerator for several days.
Jamielyn says
These look so creamy and delicious! Love the loaded version. 🙂
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
This mashed potato looks SO good! Can’t wait to give this a try!
Paula says
I really need to utilize my slow cooker more, these look wonderful!
Stephanie says
Hello, I saw this was posted a while back, but I just came across it now… I made these last night and really good. Will make again… But I was wondering can I use milk instead of heavy cream.. I always don’t have heavy cream on hand, I usually have everything else… Would it make a difference to use milk?
The Chunky Chef says
Milk should work just fine 🙂
Melanie Bauer says
Looks so yummy! I love how creamy these potatoes are, so excited to try this recipe!
Dee says
These potatoes look so creamy! They would be great for the holidays!
Demeter says
This is so great to still have this must have dish without taking up precious stove top space during holiday cooking! They look so creamy!!