Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
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Perfect for the busy holidays, these ultra-creamy make-ahead mashed potatoes can be prepared two days ahead of time and reheated in the microwave.
As much as my family loves buttery, gravy-drenched mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving, I’m always hesitant to make them because they’re typically a last-minute dish. Traditional mashed potatoes don’t hold up well when made ahead—they often turn dry, grainy, or even gluey, which is a real letdown for such a special occasion. And the idea of mashing potatoes at the eleventh hour, while juggling a dozen other dishes in a kitchen buzzing with guests of all ages, is downright nerve-wracking!
That’s why I was thrilled to discover a method for make-ahead mashed potatoes from Cooks Illustrated that works really well. These mashed potatoes stay ultra-creamy and can be made up to two days ahead of time. Best of all, they reheat perfectly in the microwave—a lifesaver when oven and burner space is at a premium during the holidays.
“I’ve always dreaded making mashed potatoes on the day of Thanksgiving. Too much work and mess, and they never seem to come out the way I want them to. These make-ahead mashed potatoes were the perfect solution! And they were so creamy and delicious!! They got rave reviews from my family and definitely earned a permanent spot on my Thanksgiving menu!”
What You’ll Need For Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Interestingly, the recipe calls for baking the potatoes instead of boiling them. In all my years of cooking, I have never seen a mashed potato recipe that starts with baked potatoes. But it makes sense: water is the enemy of perfectly mashed potatoes. If the potatoes are too wet, they become dense and heavy. (That’s why most recipes instruct you to “dry” the boiled potatoes on the stovetop before adding the butter and liquid.) In many ways, the recipe is similar to twice-baked potatoes, which can also be made mostly ahead.
Baking the potatoes does take longer but it’s a tradeoff: you don’t have to peel or dry the potatoes and it’s completely hands-off. And since the potatoes cook directly on the oven rack, you won’t even dirty a pan!
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, place the potatoes directly on an oven rack and bake until very soft, 50 to 60 minutes. While the potatoes are still hot, cut each in potato in half lengthwise. Scoop out all of the flesh from each potato half into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or the bowl of an electric mixer). Break the cooked potato flesh down into small pieces using a fork, potato masher, or rubber spatula.
Beat on low speed until completely smooth and no lumps remain, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. It’s important to do this while the potatoes are still hot, otherwise you’ll end up with lumps.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the cream and butter to a simmer.
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a large rubber spatula, gradually fold in the hot cream and butter mixture. Folding (rather than stirring in the stand mixer) prevents the potatoes from becoming gluey.
It will take a few minutes to mix the liquid in; keep folding until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Mix in the salt, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Reheating Instructions
To reheat, poke lots of holes in the plastic wrap with the tip of a knife and microwave at medium-high (75 percent) power for about 14 minutes. Stir the potatoes halfway through reheating to be sure they warm evenly. Season to taste, then transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl. Top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the chives and serve warm.
If you’d prefer to reheat the potatoes in the oven, transfer them to an oven-safe dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake in a 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure they heat evenly.
Video Tutorial
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Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Perfect for the busy holidays, these ultra-creamy make-ahead mashed potatoes can be prepared two days ahead of time and reheated in the microwave.
Ingredients
- 3½ pounds Russet potatoes
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- Chives, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and adjust an oven rack to the middle position.
- Prick each potato a few times all over with a fork. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack (alternatively, you can place them on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet). Bake until very soft, 50 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. (Err on the side of overcooking rather than undercooking them.)
- Remove the potatoes from the oven. While they are still hot, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Using an oven mitt or a folded kitchen towel to hold the hot potatoes, scoop out all of the flesh from each potato half into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (*see note below on using a potato ricer, food mill or hand-held electric mixer). The flesh near the skin gets a little tough, so be sure to leave it behind. Break the cooked potato flesh down into small pieces using a potato masher, fork, or rubber spatula. Beat on low speed until completely smooth and no lumps remain, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. (Note: it’s important to mash the potatoes while they are still hot, otherwise you’ll end up with lumps.)
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream and 6 tablespoons of the butter to a simmer.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and, using a large rubber spatula, gradually fold in the hot cream and butter mixture. It will take a few minutes to mix it all in; keep folding until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Stir in the salt, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap (the bowl should be large enough that the potatoes don’t touch the plastic wrap). Refrigerate for up to 2 days. (DO NOT FREEZE)
- To reheat, use the tip of a knife to poke about 10 holes in the plastic wrap, and microwave at medium-high (75 percent) power until the potatoes are hot, about 14 minutes, stirring halfway through the reheating time. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a serving dish, top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and sprinkle with the chives. Serve hot.
- Notes: For perfectly smooth potatoes, pass the potato flesh through a potato ricer or food mill before adding them to the mixer. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use a hand-held electric mixer. If you don't have an electric mixer, pass the potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer and then whip by hand with a wooden spoon.
- Oven-Reheating Instructions: If you’d prefer to reheat the potatoes in the oven, transfer them to an oven-safe dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake in a 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure they heat evenly.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 464
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated fat: 21 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 470 mg
- Cholesterol: 112 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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These are the best mashed potatoes I have ever tasted! For years I have been making mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving Day. I felt rushed and anxious peeling the potatoes while trying to complete so many other tasks. Needless to say this recipe was a game changer. A true time saver that doesn’t sacrifice great taste and texture. Thank you!
This recipe is genius!! For Thanksgiving we celebrate with approx. 20 people so to make mashed potatoes for that size crowd is very difficult. This recipe solves the problem!!! I did 10 lbs of potatoes and adjusted the other ingredients proportionately. In an effort to save a few calories somewhere, I adjusted the ratio of cream to 3/4 heavy cream; 1/4 whole milk. I also cut the butter in half but I only did that because we were serving turkey gravy so lots of butter would have been way too rich along with gravy. However, if gravy was not included, I would have left the butter as per the recipe. Rather than use the microwave to reheat the potatoes, I took the casserole out of the fridge ahead of time and covered it very loosely with foil. When the turkey came out of the oven, I popped the casserole in to heat it. I was so pleased with the outcome. The potatoes were hot all the way through and they stayed warm. Because they were covered, a crust did not develop (which I usually like but not for this meal). There was not one bit of potato left!! Guests raved about how creamy and smooth the potatoes were. And there were several requests for “my secret”.
This recipe is a keeper and it has changed my holiday prep forever!!! Thanks Jenn!!
Hi Jenn… these are my go to potatoes and family and friends love them! Question…have you ever tried using Yukon gold? Wonder how they would be. Thanks! Noreen
Hi Noreen, So glad you like these! Unfortunately, Yukon golds won’t work well here – they’ll get gluey with this method. Sorry!
1.Why do you say not to freeze? Is it because of all the cream in the recipe.
2.When I was a kid, before baking, we always had to cut a cross in each end of the potato and then prick them with the fork all over. Is this a completely unnecessary step? If so why was it ever thought up in heavens name? I guess it was thought that the potato would burst open.
Hi Rose Marie, I just don’t think potatoes freeze very well as it changes the texture. And regarding poking or cutting into the potato before baking, it seems that a lot of people do it because, like you, that’s what their mom did. I’ve never found it necessary. This piece experimented with poking vs. no poking in case you want to read more about it. 🙂
Oh, I’ve had to scrape exploded potato from the sides of my oven!!!!!! Can’t wait to try this recipe for Easter!
This is the first review I have ever written about ANYTHING!
Every recipe on this Blog ( I have made MANY) has been DELICIOUS and easy to follow! My five adult children and their partners are enjoying every recipe I experiment with including these simple, over-the-top mashed potatoes ! SOOOO simple and tasty!
Thank you Jenn for making cooking fun, easy and a simple expression of LOVE to my family and friends!!
FOOD is LOVE!
❤️
These were so easy to make and simply divine! Thanks, Jenn!
These potatoes tasted great but I think I messed up on my execution and unfortunately the potatoes came out gluey. I think it was because I used a hand mixer which left lumps and then I overworked the potatoes with the spatula to try and get them smoother. I have never used a hand mixer for my mashed potatoes, always just a hand masher and have never had a gluey consistency. Therefore, they were not the hit I wanted them to be. What I ended up doing the next day is putting them in a baking dish and topping with toasted panko and cheddar and then baking in the oven. They were much better that way and hid the texture issue. I will definitley try this again and hopefully learn from my mistakes….
Wow! These are my new go-to mashed potato recipe! I used a potato ricer to get the potatoes really smooth. As suggested in one of the replies to a question, I baked them the next day in a 350F oven, covered in foil, for 40 minutes (stirring once half way through). I did not add the extra butter or chives (I was serving with gravy). Soooo good!
I made these yesterday in the morning to serve with a rib roast for New Years Eve dinner. By far some of the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever eaten. I had to divide the scooped out potatoes in half before adding the cream as my son doesn’t tolerate dairy products. Just added extra butter to his half. Both versions were excellent and both bowls were empty at the end of the evening. Another winner, Thanks Jen 👍😁👍
I was hesitant to try this because I was afraid they would get gummy. I was so wrong!!! Not only was this method genius – baking the potatoes!!!! – it was so easy. These were hands down the best mashed potatoes my family has ever had. The baking gave these potatoes a depth that boiling just can’t achieve. And being able to do this two days ahead of Christmas was great! Thank you Jen! I will never make mashed potatoes any other way.
I made these 2 days before Christmas and they heated up perfectly in the oven. So creamy! I also made the beef tenderloin with wine sauce and the grilled carrots. All were a hit!