These Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes are so perfect to add to your busy holiday menu. They make last minute preparations so much easier!
What’s the best way to cook potatoes for mashed potatoes?
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add peeled potatoes, and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain. Mash, and continue with the instructions for this recipe.
How to prepare Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes:
Start with already cooked potatoes that are mashed. Add cream cheese, sour cream and milk. This is going to make your mashed potatoes creamy, and they won’t dry out when you’re making them ahead! Onion salt and pepper are added for a little flavor.
If serving right away, cover and bake in a preheated oven at 325°F. for 50 minutes. However, you can make this recipe up to several days ahead and store in the fridge. If baking cold, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes first. Add melted butter on top and maybe some chopped chives!
Is there any way to lighten up mashed potatoes?
It’s okay to lighten this make ahead mashed potatoes recipe up a little by using low fat cream cheese and light sour cream. Don’t skimp too much though because they’re so creamy and good if prepared as the recipe is written.
How can you keep Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes warm?
You can certainly make them ahead and keep them in a buttered slow cooker (just butter the sides of the slow cooker). Just set it at warm, and it’ll be good to go warming for a few hours.
This is a terrific recipe for those who get nervous about preparing a lot of recipes on Thanksgiving Day. If you have a slow cooker, you can make them ahead of time and just warm them in a buttered crockpot until they’re ready to serve. So easy!
If you’re looking for delicious main dishes to serve with mashed potatoes, you might like to try my Prime Rib Roast or this Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf. Balsamic Beer-Braised Pork Roast, Beef Tenderloin with Balsamic Glaze and Rosemary and Garlic Leg of Lamb Roast are great pairings with mashed potatoes too!
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled, boiled & mashed)
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk or half and half cream
- 2 teaspoons onion salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; mix well using an electric mixer. Place in a large, buttered casserole dish.
- If serving right away, cover and bake in a preheated oven at 325°F. for 50 minutes.
Notes
- *How to cook the potatoes: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add peeled potatoes, and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain. Mash, and continue with the instructions for this recipe.
- *It's ok to lighten this recipe up a little by using low fat cream cheese and light sour cream.
- *You can make this recipe several days ahead and store in the fridge. If baking cold, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes first.
- *If you're lacking oven space, start warming this in a well-buttered crockpot earlier in the day.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have never boiled the water first before cooking potatoes. Won’t the outsides get too mushy before the inside of the potato is cooked? Thanks
I have not had that problem!
Do you have to use Yukon Gold potatoes or will Russets be ok?
Yes, Russets are ok
This is my go to recipe for every holiday dinner when I need mashed potatoes ! Works great and tastes great! Saves time when I need it.
I do something similar and freeze in muffin pans then baggies for individual portions
These potatoes are so good!
So creamy and delicious. I made first for a progressive dinner and kept warm in crock pot. Everyone had 2nd helpings. I just made for our Christmas dinner instead of twice baked potatoes, big hit with my family!
This is a delicious recipe. I made them in the morning for Christmas Eve dinner. I reheated them in my crockpot on low. They turned out great. Super moist and creamy. The only thing I changed is I added two garlic cloves in the boiling water with
This is a delicious recipe. I made them ahead and reheated them in the crockpot for Christmas Eve dinner. Very moist and creamy. The only thing I changed is I added two cloves of garlic in the pot of boiling water. Thank you for the recipe.
Made Thanksgiving prep much calmer at the end. Delicious, tasted like o just made. Prepared a little less than 3 days prior.