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’ve always been hesitant about making them because they need to be prepared at the last minute. Traditional mashed potatoes don’t hold up well when made ahead of time, often becoming dry, grainy, or even gluey—a real letdown for such a special occasion. The thought of mashing potatoes in the eleventh hour, while juggling a dozen other dishes in a kitchen buzzing with guests of all ages, is nerve-wracking, to say the least! That’s why I was thrilled to discover a method for make-ahead mashed potatoes from Cooks Illustrated that works really well. Not only do these mashed potatoes stay ultra-creamy, but they can also be made up to two days ahead of time and reheated in the microwave—a huge bonus 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!
How To Make Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
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. 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.
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, if you like (see note). 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.
- Note: Conventional wisdom says that prior to baking, you have to prick potatoes with a fork a few times to allow steam to escape during baking. The theory is that if you don’t prick the potato, the steam can build up under the skin and cause the potato to explode in the oven. I don't prick my potatoes and have never had a potato explosion, but pricking won't harm the potatoes, so go ahead and prick them as insurance, if you like.
- 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.
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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This is the most brilliant recipe ever!! Jenn, you are genius!! I made 10 pounds of mashed potatoes the day before Thanksgiving and cleaned up the “mess”, which made the holiday SO much easier!! My microwave was not large enough to hold the dish, so when the turkey came out of a 325 degree oven, I popped the dish (covered with foil so they wouldn’t dry out) into the oven for about 40 min. They came out hot and moist and ever so delicious. Everyone commented on how delicious they were. They were floored when I confessed how I made them and we all thought, “Why didn’t I ever think to do this??” I will never peel and boil potatoes again!!! A million thanks Jenn!!!
These were awesome!! My momma and I have hosted Thanksgiving since I was a kid. Over the years, we have enjoyed making more and more recipes ahead of time. It makes thanksgiving day so much less stressful. And the one item I have to have at turkey day dinner EVERY year is mashed potatoes. I made this recipe this year and they were the most delicious and silkiest potatoes ever. And since they reheat in microwave, even better in days following for leftovers.
This was fantastic! I made this to see if it would work for our upcoming Christmas dinner, and it was perfect. I liked baking the potatoes in their skin—quick and easy! Heating up the potatoes the next day was also easy. The only thing I need to remember for next time is to keep a better eye on the microwave…the recipe is so quick and simple, I got a bit lazy and almost scorched the potatoes in the microwave! I am definitely making this again! Thank you!!
These Creamy Mashed Potatoes are my new Holiday potato dish! Baking the potatoes allowed me time to prep other items for the Thanksgiving meal and they went together so effortlessly. The only change that I made was using half and half for the cream and they were still wonderful. I was never a fan of using the microwave, but it was a dream to have everything ready so quickly and not have to juggle items in the oven. Everyone loved them!!!
This recipe is absolutely a life changer. All my children and grandchildren are crazy about mashed potatoes, but finding the time to fit them in to the schedule for holiday meals is always an issue. Not only do they take up stove space, but I find myself having to do the mashing right when I need to be attending to something else. This recipe was absolutely perfect. I made it the day before and just popped it into the microwave right before we ate. The left overs were still perfect for shepherds pie the next day! Thanks!
I’m in charge of mashed potatoes every family Thanksgiving and loved the make-ahead idea — as I also was charged with making your roasted Brussels sprouts and blondies (gluten free)! The mashed potatoes were my best ever. I didn’t even use the extra butter at the end but still ended up with creamy, tasty mashed potatoes. Big hit. Thank you!
Yep, oven and counter space are at a premium in my house every day. I cook for a lot of people and mashed potatoes are at the top os everyone’s list. I made the make ahead mashed potatoes as written . What a difference in taste ! ❤️ I wouldn’t change a thing on this one. It really saves my bacon on holidays.
This recipe was yummy! It is nice that it heats up so well in the microwave. I used 1 cup half and half and 1 cup heavy whipping cream, and this worked fine. Next time I plan to add some truffle oil!
How much truffle oil do you suggest?
Best thing ever when u are serving a crowd !!! Loved this recipe…. did not get goopy!!
Made ahead for Thanksgiving & reheated in crock pot. So delicious… and stress & time saver.