Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
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Our Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes are the ultimate stress-saver for holidays or busy weeknights. You get all the creamy, buttery, fluffy flavor of freshly made mashed potatoes without the last-minute hustle. Prep them a day or two in advance, then just reheat and serve. They're a total game changer!
Table of Contents
- Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You'll Need
- In Photos: How To Prepare Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
- Recipe FAQ
- More Thanksgiving Recipes
For the longest time, I would never even consider making mashed potatoes ahead of time. I was convinced that in order to have fluffy mashed potatoes, they would have to be made just before serving. I had seen first-hand how they stiffen and clump up as they sit, becoming heavy and leaden.
Then last year, I was invited to a Thanksgiving dinner at a relative's house. I asked them what I could bring, and they said mashed potatoes.
It's all about the method with this recipe. Normal mashed potato recipes would clump up as they sit, becoming gummy and heavy, but with this special technique, these stay velvety and light for days.
The most important thing to remember is to work quickly, so everything stays hot as it's being mixed together. I'll explain more as we move along through the steps!
Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Time-saving: This recipe is perfect for prepping ahead, leaving your stovetop (and hands) free for other dishes.
- Incredibly fluffy: A potato ricer gives you the smoothest, most luxurious texture.
- Rich and flavorful: Butter, cream, and sour cream come together to create deep, comforting flavor.
- Easy to reheat: Stays creamy and smooth even after chilling and reheating.
Ingredients You'll Need
The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you're cooking.
- Yukon gold potatoes: Naturally buttery and perfect for mashing; leave the skins on for cooking, they'll slip right off.
- Kosher salt: Divided and used at key stages to layer flavor.
- Milk: Use whatever kind you have, but whole milk is best.
- Cream: Just a splash adds silky body.
- Butter: Softened so it melts beautifully into the hot potatoes.
- Sour cream: Adds tang and creaminess; buttermilk also works.
- Ground black pepper: Freshly ground is best, but whatever ground pepper you have on hand will work.
In Photos: How To Prepare Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Step 1: Salt the water
Fill a large pot with cold water and add about 3 ½ tablespoons of kosher salt.
Step 2: Cook the potatoes
Add unpeeled Yukon golds to the pot. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Step 3: Warm the dairy
While the potatoes cook, gently heat the milk and cream together in a small pot over low heat.
Step 4: Simmer until tender
Cook the potatoes for 30 to 40 minutes, or until fork-tender but not falling apart. Drain and return to the hot pot briefly to evaporate any excess moisture.
Step 5: Ricing magic
Pass the hot potatoes and softened butter through a ricer, alternating layers so the butter melts evenly into the potatoes. Discard the skins as you go.
Step 6: Add flavor and moisture
Gently toss the riced potatoes with the melted butter. Stir in the warm milk and cream, sour cream, remaining salt, and pepper.
Step 7: Mix until smooth
Stir until everything is fully incorporated and the texture is creamy and fluffy.
Step 8: Make ahead and store
Keep warm in a crockpot for same-day serving or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Salt the water generously: This is your first chance to season the potatoes from the inside out.
- Don't skip warming the dairy: Cold milk and cream can make the potatoes gluey.
- Avoid overmixing: Stir just until blended to keep the texture light and fluffy.
- Use full-fat ingredients: They reheat better and give a richer result.
Troubleshooting
The most disappointing mashed potatoes tend to be:
- gluey
- sticky
- gummy
- grainy
- lumpy
- heavy
You won't have any of these issues with this recipe.
There are 2 reasons why:
- Because the ricer mashes so finely, while also aerating the mixture.
- Because when every particle of potato gets coated in butterfat before adding the liquid, it "seals" the potato from absorbing too much and becoming heavy or sticky.
Just be sure to boil the potatoes until tender, or else it will be really hard to pass them through the ricer and they could come out grainy. You also want to work quickly and get everything mixed together while still hot.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, but Yukon golds yield the best texture and flavor. Russets work too, but they're a bit starchier.
Technically, yes, but the texture can suffer. For best results, make up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate.
Stovetop works best. Stir frequently and add a splash of milk or cream to keep them creamy.
Highly recommended! It makes the potatoes extra smooth. A masher works in a pinch, but the result will be chunkier.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
- Homemade Applesauce
- Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- Sweet Potato Pie
- Southern-Style Buttermilk Biscuits
- Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (907.18 g) Yukon gold potatoes
- 4 tablespoons (59.15 g) kosher salt, , divided
- ¾ cup (183 g) milk, (whatever kind you keep on hand)
- ¼ cup (59.5 g) cream
- 8 tablespoons (118.29 g) butter, , softened
- ¼ cup (57.5 g) sour cream, (buttermilk can be substituted)
- ¼ teaspoon (1.23 g) ground black pepper
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with cold water and add about 3 ½ tablespoons of salt.
- Add the potatoes (unpeeled) to the pot and place it over medium-high heat (covered) until it comes to a simmer.
- While the potatoes are cooking, warm the milk and cream in a small pot over low heat.
- Simmer the potatoes until very tender but not waterlogged or crumbly (approx. 30 to 40 minutes), drain, and return to the heated pot to dry.
- Pass the hot potatoes and softened butter through a ricer (alternating potatoes and butter so the butter melts over each layer of riced potato), removing the potato skins in the process (see video).
- Toss the riced potatoes together with the butter, allowing the fat to cover every particle of potato.
- Pour in the hot milk & cream mixture, add the sour cream, and season with the remaining 1 ½ teaspoon of salt and the pepper.
- Stir the mashed potatoes until all the liquid is incorporated.
- Mashed potatoes can be kept warm in a crockpot (if serving later the same day) OR refrigerated for up to 2 days. To reheat, place them in a large pot over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and adding additional milk/cream as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
I never thought of putting unpeeled potatoes in my ricer. I used russet potatoes and cut the larger ones in half then cut side down and they riced beautifully. The peels were on the plunger so when I took them off I put them on a cookie sheet and baked to a crisp. Yummy treat and even sprinkled on the potatoes. I did put the smaller ones in whole and it worked just fine. So easy and I warmed the milk in the same pot as I cooked the potatoes in. Save a pot!! Thank you for the recipe.
Dorie, We're so glad that you loved the recipe! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Made this for our Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. I steamed the potatoes because I always seem to overcook boiled potatoes-so when I riced them I sprinkled some salt on the layers. I used whole milk. I made them several hours before our meal and put them in my Instant Pot on warm. I did put a few pats of butter on top of and poured a little of the reserved milk/cream mixture around the edge of the mash (because I didn't butter or spray my pot before putting in the mash so I was worried it would stick-it did not). They were perfect and a big hit - delicious. I am throwing away/deleting all other mashed potato recipes! Thank you!
So happy you were pleased Carla! TYSM for the awesome feedback!
You just described the Salt Potato recipe I use regularly. We stop at boiling them and coat them in butter in the pot and serve whole. Leftovers make gr8 home fries or just reheated in the mickey. I always boil a smaller one for me to eat speared with a fork over a plate. They are the absolute best spuds imaginable. Many thanks to New England Irish who created them. (Reportedly)
Sounds great! My mom used to make them like that too. She would sometimes sprinkle on some freeze-dried parsley flakes. 😛
Can these be made the day before and reheated in the slowcooker?
Yes!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I struggled so much with making mashed potatoes before. This recipe made it a breeze!
Can these be frozen?
Yes there's info on that towards the bottom of the post, under the heading "How Long will They Keep." Please give it a read.
EXCELLENT! I made the recipe exactly as written and they were beyond my expectations. Everyone loved them! Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for the positive feedback!
I was confused about salt measurements. Tbl in one place tsp in another. 🤔
You want to add several tablespoons of salt to the cold water you boil the potatoes in, then season the finished product with the remaining salt at the end. Hope that clears things up for you!
I just got the recipe for the mashed potatoes and will try it out and let you know.
I have used a ricer for many years and absolutely love it. It's great for breaking up egg yokes when you make large numbers of deviled eggs.
A word of caution though...if you buy a rice for purposes of peeling potatoes you will be sorely disappointed ! It is not (repeat, not) a potato pealer.
It does, however, help make wonderfully fluffy mashed potatoes!
That is a great tip! It is not a potato peeler but if you use thin-skinned potatoes it does remove the skins very well.