These are by far the best Mashed Potatoes EVER! Fluffy, creamy and so flavorful these make ahead mashed potatoes are a simple and easy side dish that will be the star of your weeknight dinner or holiday feast.
When I was a young adult, I took over the mashed potato making for family gatherings. I had come across an easy, make ahead mashed potato before recipe from Betty Crocker; I have since become the self proclaimed mashed potato queen of our family. Unfortunately for me my children do not like mashed potatoes. Yes it’s true. They are the only children on the planet who do not eat mashed potatoes, and it makes me incredibly sad because I love them! I mean seriously, mashed potatoes are in the realm of the ultimate comfort food, right up there with my One Pot Creamy Chicken and Noodles!
I like them pretty simple – no fancy whipped potatoes or crazy ingredients, just milk, cream, butter and salt. Lots of salt. That’s the key to the best mashed potatoes!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST MASHED POTATOES:
For the recipe, you just need some basic ingredients – 3 pounds of potatoes, butter, milk and cream. You cook your potatoes until they are fork tender, then drain the water and mash up the potatoes
Melt the butter, milk and cream together and stir into the potatoes, then pour them into a baking dish. Be sure the reserve about a 1/4 cup of the butter mixture to pour over the potatoes before baking. At this point you can either cover them with foil and pop them in the fridge overnight or cook them right away. When you’re ready to heat them up, just pour that extra reserved butter mixture over the cold mashed potatoes and pop them in the oven.
They get such a yummy, slightly crispy top on them – I could eat them straight out of the pan. Stir them up and serve. Or grab a fork and just dig in. Your call.
Here are a few tips for making Best Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes:
- Dice the potatoes in even sized chunks. This helps them to cook evenly.
- Salt the water. A lot. The potatoes absorb the water and this helps bring out the yummy flavors.
- The masher doesn’t matter. There are super fancy masher’s out there and there are basic ones. I used a basic plastic masher from Tupperware ten years, and it worked perfectly! I now have this OXO Potato Masher and it’s great too. (affiliate link)
- Mash the potatoes dry. I know a lot of people throw in the milk and butter and whatever else they’re adding to the diced potatoes and then mash them. Well don’t! Mash them up while they’re dry – they will be so much smoother!
- Melt the butter and heat the milk. Rather than trying to melt the butter into the potatoes, heat the milk and butter up so they are the same temperature as the potatoes. No risk of cooling the potatoes or curdling the milk.
- For added flavor, add a teaspoon of garlic powder or a few minced cloves of garlic and some fresh shredded cheddar cheese.
Do you have any tips you’d add to my list?
For more delicious potato recipes, check out these favorites:
- Grilled Potatoes Recipe
- Taco Stuffed Baked Potatoes
- Easy Breakfast Potatoes
- Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- Loaded Mashed Potato Puffs
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 pounds Russet Potatoes about 8 medium
- Salt
- 1/2 cup butter 1 stick
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- fresh minced parsley for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- In a 5 quart pot, boil about 2 inches of water. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon of salt. (Water should be enough to cover the potatoes)
- Rinse, peel and dice potatoes into one inch chunks.
- Place potatoes into boiling water and cover. Cooking over medium heat for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.
- Remove from heat and drain.
- Place potatoes back into the pan and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Mash well.
- In a small saucepan, add butter with milk, cream, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and place over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Reserve 1/4 cup and set aside. (Or melt in the microwave).
- Pour the half of the butter mixture over the mashed potatoes and mix well. Add more of the butter mixture until potatoes are light and fluffy.
- Pour potatoes into a greased 9"x13" pan. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
When you are ready to bake:
- Pour remaining butter mixture over the top of the potatoes (you may need to melt in the microwave). Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. Stir before serving, if desired.
- *If baking immediately (while potatoes are still hot), reduce baking time.
Hi! I’m Kristin, the creative mind behind Yellow Bliss Road where you will be inspired by tons of easy to follow recipes, lots of free printables, and a little sprinkling of life thrown in for good measure.
Did I read this correctly that you only cook the potatoes in 2” of water? I’ve always covered them completely but then again maybe that is why I don’t make good mashed potatoes!
In theory, when using a 5 quart pot, 2 inches should be enough to cover the potatoes. But yes, they should be covered with water. I updated the recipe to make that more clear.
Hi,
Can I just heat them up on top of stove instead of casserole dish? I will be making 15 lbs. These taste like just made, correct? I don’t want 30+ people thinking they are day old but time wise this would help me out!
Yes you can make them on the stove. Just mash them in the large pot and add the cream/butter mixture. I would start with maybe half, and then adding 1/4 cup at a time. Since the baked version calls for pouring some on top, you don’t want them to be too thin.
These look amazing. I can’t wait to try them, do i dare try a new recipe on thanksgiving day? Especially with such a staple menu item?! yeah… i think I’m going to try it!! What’s the green stuff sprinkled on top?
Sprinkled on top would be parsley. And I promise you they are amazing!!
I need to cook for a crowd. Do you think this can be doubled and put in an extra large casserole dish or would you make two separate batches? Also, could you use gold or red potatoes for this method, skin on or off?
This recipe is pretty flexible, so yes to both questions!
Does it really take 45 minutes to heat these through? I don’t want them to burn.
Can these potatoes be done in a slow cooker?
I haven’t tried with this specific recipe.
Can I make these potatoes 2 day before?
Hi! Yes you can definitely make them two days ahead. Just cover and refrigerate.
I make a day ahead version too, but I use softened cream cheese. I also dry my potatoes, but after draining, I place them back in the pan over low heat. As I mash and stir them around, they dry and the steam escapes. I use about 1/2-3/4 c. half and half, and 1 stick of butter (also softened) and an 8oz package of cream cheese, softened (Philadelphia is the best!). I put that all in after the first mash and gently stir it all together. You’re right! Never use an electric mixer on potatoes or you will get the equivalent of glue! While I do cook them in salted water, I think the amount of salt you may be encouraging newer cooks to add, may be their downfall. After I add the aforementioned ingredients, keeping in mind that I sometimes use salted, or sometimes unsalted butter, I taste the potatoes. It is only then that I add more salt if needed. And then it’s Lowery’s seasoned salt, in small amounts and tasting after each addition (Oh OK, I’m “snacking”, but that’s tasting isn’t it?). It took me many years as a new cook to really figure out the amount of salt that is in salted butter, and face it, that is what most new cooks use.
I’m only adding these suggestions now, because it’s “tis the season” and many new cooks will be producing their first family Thanksgiving dinner. I personally make ahead as much of the meal as I can, then we deep fry the Turkey (90 mins tops). And after years of being all-in the kitchen, have turned into let me shove this in the oven, set the timer, will be right back! I hope you don’t take offense, but salt is a powerful thing and can make or break a dish. And this is coming from someone whose greatest treat is eating a lemon like a grapefruit sprinkled with a lot of SALT. Not against salt at all, where would we be with out it? Just want new cooks to be successful as they search for recipes for their family dinners.
I use evaporated milk and as much butter as I dare.. Never thought about salting the water…will do that this time.
I am DEFINITELY trying this for Thanksgiving this year Kristin!!! Never seen them made like this and they sound amazing! 🙂
Vanessa
It sounds weird, but adding just a splash of vanilla will blow your mind. We first had it at a fancy restaurant–vanilla bean mashed potatoes. Now, we’re never going out and buying vanilla bean, so we just use a bit of extract. It’s delicious and very very subtle. People will remark that the potatoes are tastier, but they won’t be able to tell why. I promise it’s good!