Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

I'd give this recipe 10 stars if I could. My hubby kept asking me if I was sure these potatoes would taste good the next day for our guests. Not only were they good, my guests ate them up so fast, I barely got a taste! Heating them up was so easy. I just popped them in the microwave for about 7 minutes on high, stopping once to stir. Once heated, I added the recommended butter and covered with plastic wrap until lunch time. They tasted divine! No one guessed they'd been cooked yesterday...and I certainly didn't tell! Oh, one more thing, pierce the potatoes with a fork a few times before boiling with skins on.

Awesome and so easy!!!! Made my Thanksgiving so less stressful! I cooked the potatoes at 9am, mashed with half-and-half then left them in a crock pot on warm with a stick of butter on top. At noon I stirred in the butter and they were fluffy and hot to serve! Excellent!!!

Update below: These were bland in my opinion.. They do not keep warm when transfering to the heat proof bowl. If I were to ever make these again I would add chives, cream cheese, onion salt, something to taste.I have made these again since my first review. I make them early in the morning and put them into a crock pot,with a stick of butter on top,put on the warm setting.

I'm giving this 5 stars even though I altered the recipe somewhat. It is a good base to start with. I was cooking for 15 people and wanted to have plenty of potatoes (plus leftovers!). I used about 13-14 lbs of potatoes, cooking in three separate batches. I did peel the potatoes first. When mashing I added 1/2 cup half and half, a couple of ozs of cream cheese, about 2 tbsp butter, salt, freshly ground pepper and onion powder to taste for each batch and as I finished each batch I put them in my large slow cooker. The next day I added additional butter while reheating. I got many compliments from my family and they tasted great with and without the turkey gravy.

I have more time in the mornings to prepare that night's dinner so I always make my mashed potatoes ahead of time this way. No one can ever tell the difference. I prefer to peel my taters before boiling and I use electric beaters to whip them to perfection.

i loved this recipe. you can easily add flavoring.. such as garlic or herbs to taste. this is the only make ahead mashed potato recipe that i found that didn't have sour cream and/or cream cheese in it.. which i don't care for. a huge time saver!

We really liked these! They come out creamy and smooth..almost like instant only they taste better. They are easy to reheat and you can't tell that you've made them at an earlier time. I'm sure you could add things to them but I think the whole idea of this recipe was "make ahead" saving you time and stove space later. I'll use this again in the future for when I need extra time to make something else to go with them. Thanks for the recipe!

I made these for Thanksgiving last year, but I did add extra butter and cream cheese, and they came out just fine. Actually, I think I made them the day/night before, and put them in my crockpot on low T-Day morning. They were hot when I was ready to serve.. I lost the recipes..came back here to find. Now that I think about it..I had some leftover cauliflower from a dinner the night before..I pureed that and added to the 'tatoes..noone noticed.

I made these as part of a meal that I was delivering to another family. I made turkey and gravy to go with the potatoes. The potatoes were outstanding. I followed the recipe exactly. I added a heaping teaspoon of salt. I think I have to make another batch for my family. I can't stop thinking about how yummy they were!

A MILLION STARS!! This is the ONLY recipe I've found that really works. The potatoes were made the day before Thanksgiving, and at our T-day dinner they were light, fluffy, delicious. No gooey texture at all. My only change was after mixing in the butter, I put the potatoes in a lightly sprayed baking dish, covered them with foil and baked them at 350 for about 20 minutes. Seriously, these were perfect! Will be using this recipe ALOT!

Made these last night. Put in the slow cooker this morning on low, with a stick of butter (as one reviewer suggested), and then turned to warm after a few of hours. They were perfect for Thanksgiving lunch. Extremely easy and tasty comfort food. Will definitely make these again.

I peel the potatoes before boiling. I always boilg potatoes whole -- they absorb less water. Add a big scoop of minced garlic to the water. I don't add cream cheese, but rather a large scoop of sour cream. Fabulous!

Love these! For some extra flavor, gently heat the half and half with a garlic clove or two before mixing with the potatoes. I have also used part buttermilk and half and half. These also freeze quite well - they are watery once thawed, but the moisture is absorbed well and they fluff right back up when heated. Thanks!

Terrific recipe. Made it day ahead for both Thanksgiving and Christmas and it was great. Recipe said, and reviewers concurred, that key to good taste was to wait until the day of serving to add the butter. But even a day after that with butter it still tasted good. I used unsalted butter because I like to add my own salt; I find the sweetness of unsalted butter with the freshness of my own added salt makes a good contrast.

Used yukon gold potatoes. Followed other reveiwers suggestions, made the night before, put in the crockpot on low in the morning with a stick of butter on top- turned on warm after 3 hours. Came out great, whole family enjoyed.

This was perfect for me today being low on time. I only made one substitution, I used evaporated milk in place of the half-n-half only because that was what I had on hand. I also added a good amount fresh ground pepper. A couple hours before dinner, I was able to transfer these potatoes to my slow cooker and keep them warm until dinner. Worked out GREAT. These potatoes taste EXACTLY like the ones Grandma used to make.

Really good Recipe! I made these the night before and switched out the half and half for low fat milk. The next morning I put them in the slow cooker on warm with a stick of butter on top (a recommendation from another reviewer) and they came out perfect!

I have fixed these for years, but now with just 2 of us, it is alot of trouble and work. But I have discovered you can FREEZE them! I make them, then put in one cup containers and freeze, take out when needed microwave add butter give a quick stir and wa-la taste just like fresh!

This is a great recipe and makes mashed potatoes a quick side if made ahead. For extra flavor, add roasted garlic!

Better yet is to let them slowly warm up in a crock pot. So on day 1,2,or 3 after mashing just store in your crockpot insert then you r ready to go .... 4 hours on low! You will never know they were made ahead of time. My family just doesn't lke reheating good food in the mw!

This is the way to "de-stress" during cooking a Thanksgiving meal! Thanks for sharing.

Haven't tried yet, but THIS is the recipe I've been looking for! I don't want garlic,cheese,spinach etc. in my potatos...just good old spuds!

Great Recipe, I added about 1/2 tsp minced garlic in oil when boiling the potatoes and then simmered it down before mashing. Other thyan that followed thr recipe for a great potato dish.

This was great, thank you! And a HUGE thanks to whoever suggested keeping the taters whole and peeling them after they cook...SO much easier and less time consuming!

Just wanted to say these potatoes were great. I didn't make them ahead of time though. I made them for Thanksgiving dinner and this is what I did and it worked great. I boiled them, drained off the water, and since they were done a little bit earlier than I thought they would be, I put the lid on the pan and set them aside. They will stay warm quite a while like that. Came back a few minutes later to peel and mash, but my daughter said I should leave the peel on the potatoes...my other daughter and grand daughter agreed with her so that's what I did. After mashing them, I put the butter on top of the potatoes and covered with lid. Just before it was time to eat, I put the pan on the stove on low heat while heating up the half and half, poured that over the potatoes, added salt and pepper and by the time the milk was stirred in real good, the potatoes were prefectly warm. Very good. And if you like potatoe peeling try leaving it on....I'm glad I did.

Yummy, creamy mashed potatoes - so easy to make & saves sooo much time too! I also used tips from other reviewers: added about 1 oz cream cheese and mixed in while mixing. I also used an electric hand blender and it worked fine. Came out creamy, and like someone else said - like instant (super creamy) but better!

We do a thanksgiving buffet at out Lodge for about 100 people. These are absolutely the easiest & the best. We always get compliments on the potatoes. When you are cooking for a large crowd fixing the potatoes ahead of the day needed is a great time saver.

Using my food mill was a lot more work than just peeling, boiling and mashing. Still had to use an electric mixer afterward. Half and half was a nice touch.

These were excellent mashed potatoes, and a real timesaver! I mixed in some roasted garlic to complement the roast pork loin (also from Pam Anderson) I made. I will make these again and again.

boring

Very easy & simple.

Great!

My mash potatoes are basicly the same. due to potatoes being differant, When I cook them, I add my butter first, (1/2 stick) for 5 to 8 potatoes. Once I whip them, I add my salt and pepper to taste. I will use milk, half and half, or cream to make them creamy and soft. My grandmother, and mother would add an egg before the milk/cream. I make enough to have leftovers so I can have Shepards pie another day.

Great ideas and basic recipe for make ahead mashed potatoes! The recipe and tips on keeping the potatoes warm helped this busy cook during Thanksgiving! I made the recipe the night before Thanksgiving using white potatoes I peeled and cut before boiling. I then followed the recipe and instructions, using a mixer to mash and blend the potatoes with low-fat half and half and a "sprinkling" of salt. Thanksgiving day I continued with the rest of the recipe and tips and had fantatic, fluffy, creamy mashed potatoes that no one knew where made the night before! Thank you for the recipe and ideas! :)

I made these for Thanksgiving. They were everything I expected - easy and sinful.

These were delicious!

I chose this recipe because it seemed simple and to make a few days in advance was a plus. I added black pepper to season. Bravo!

Yum!! We use seasoned salt instead of regular salt and always throw a clove or two of garlic in with the potatoes while they cook, but the method was awesome! I've never done potatoes so easily - I will never peel 10 or 20 pounds of potatoes for big dinners again, this is totally the way to go! And the slow cooker with the butter on top just made it all the better for my time.

Needs extra butter

I felt that this recipe was very bland. Keeping the potatoes warm in the crockpot sounded like a great idea, but after a few hours, they really started to brown, and by the time we were ready to eat them, I didn't really want to serve them. Unfortunately, the taste didn't make up for their odd color. Sorry, I won't be making these again.

This ended up being a great technique, especially when it gets busy in the kitchen! Very helpful and tasted good.

This make-ahead method is awesome! You can still add your own personal touches & it doesn't matter. Personally, I haven't peeled a potato in over 20 years ... for any recipe. Adds nourishment too. Thx for a great idea.

Nice Recipe, thanks for sharing. My Family loves Mashed Potato's, we leave the skin on however making for a less creamy more rustic type dish.

I cooked my potatoes a couple of hours before our Christmas lunch, keeping the skin on. After they were done, my husband started peeling the potatoes for me. I started w/ a few potatoes and some half and half and used my electric beater to mix. As he got more peeled, I added more potatoes, and more half and half, etc, etc. I eventually added my salt and black pepper. Right before serving lunch, I heated the potatoes in the microwave and added a stick of butter. They were really thick and very tasty. My children love mashed potatoes and went back for seconds….and yes, thirds.

I have tried other recipes for make ahead mashed potatoes. The recipes that called for cream cheese were too rich for serving with gravy; other recipes tended to collect water overnight. This is a wonderful recipe. Using the russet potatoes and keeping the skin on while boiling was the answer. After fixing and refrigerating, I warmed mine to room temperature in the microwave and then added butter, covered with aluminum foil, and heated up in the oven. They came out with the dinner rolls, nice and hot and yummy.

This is my first year hosting Christmas. I'm clueless, my mom always winged it and somehow got it right. This was EASY! I did vary a little. I did not make them ahead - I meant to but I stayed up to long cleaning. I also did not peel them because I like the skin, it makes them look homemade. They came out perfect. There are more than I need because I was afraid to halve the recipe on my first attempt, but I am sure they will disappear. Now to see how the meat turns out.

I added a bit too much garlic, but otherwise I was pleased with the recipe.

Delicious! This recipe turned out great for our family Christmas.

I used my own recipe for the making. It's the method of the reheating that, I think, finally made my recipe finally come out great!! For great flavor, letting the completed potatoes sit at least one night and then 1/4 of half and half and 6 tablespoons of butter at food time...perfect level of flavor!! THANK YOU!!

The potatos were very bland. Almost tasteless without a ton of butter and salt. The only difference between my regular recipe and this one was the 1/2 and 1/2 instead of milk.

Great recipe! I followed recipe as written except I used a combination of Yukon Gold and russet potatoes that totaled 10lbs and half and half to lighten the calories even a little bit. This was a MAJOR time saver doing the potatoes the day before Thanksgiving.

Super easy! Turned out great! I used the 6 Tb of butter, not a whole stick as some people suggested, seemed like plenty of butter. I couldn't eat them due to the dairy but everyone at Thanksgiving gave them a thumbs up! Next I will try with non-dairy ingredients and see how that works.

Amazing best potatos I have ever made. I did the day before and put in slowcooker the next day. ..... amazing

These potatoes were extemely easy to make. The ratio of potatoes:liquid was right on. Everything blended well at the end (was looking soupy but I kept going). My only changes were to keep the skins on and to place in a 200 degree oven to keep warm. This recipe really is a make-ahead one with no loss of flavor.

I do this but after heating them in the microwave I butter my crockpot and put it on low. It keeps the potatoes hot and they are just as good as if you made them that day!

12.12.20 If time permits, it’s great to be able to get a side dish like this prepared in advance. I typically like a little cream cheese and freshly-ground pepper in my mashed potatoes, but these turned out very creamy and tasty.

These came out great! I had to mash by hand and they were still fantastic. I was looking for a basic mashed potatoes recipe with russet potatoes and this one was perfect. No extras and noting complicated. Everyone loved it!

I love dishes that can be made ahead.....they save so much time when trying to get the meal on the table. This worked well and I'll make them again. Thanks for sharing.

I have made this recipe on two different occasions now, following the directions, and they turned out great. I love this make ahead dish b/c everyone loves it and & get to spend more time visiting. It's a win, win...

best ever!

i would make it again.i made it the night before i added garlic powder and oregano but followed directions.The next day warmed in oven and they tasted freshly made.will make again.

I always add garlic or some truffle oil in place of some butter.

Quick and easy

This recipe really came in clutch this weekend! All of the 'hard work' was done and it was basically heat and eat. The family loved them...a definite keeper-yum! Thanks for sharing

I made these to take to my in-laws for an early Thanksgiving on Sunday. They were SO GOOD!! If I could give them 10 stars I would. The best mashed potatoes I ever made. Everyone loved them. Thank you Pam!

I made this. II do not recommend. Came out with tiny lumps. In the future, I will peel, cut in cubes and boil potatoes. They come out way better!

These came out really good.

I added about a half cup of sour cream and they turned out great.

solid recipe, I make these at holidays, helpful when you're trying to get everything else cooking and ready at same time! I like to add 3 large garlic cloves to the water with the potatoes, and mash them in too, very tasty. have used whole milk and they come out great every time!

Why weigh yourself with Day-of cooking. Making a few things ahead is a great option. These are perfectly fluffy with less hassle.

best ever! Yumminess!

Very easy and I cut the half-n-half but added a little cream cheese ( 1/4 c ) that I had left over and it was even richer.

Made hours ahead of Christmas dinner. Used a potato ricer. Put riced potatoes / half and half mixture in a crock pot set to warm. Mixed the butter in just before serving. Delicious and fluffy as ever.

These are a great way to make mashed potatoes ahead of time. I made them on Sunday and it took me minutes to finish them up on Monday night. Mine did get a little “gluey”, but, I think I just mixed them up a little too much.

These came out way too runny. Maybe because I baked instead of microwaved.

These were sooo good. The Yukon Gold potatoes are key. I tripled the recipe and liked that I didn't have to peel 12 pounds of potatoes. It takes longer to cook the potatoes whole but I did it in three batches and was working on other dishes while they cooked away. The skins come off easily after cooking and then the stand mixer does all the work. I used whole milk instead of half/half and used less than stated to get them to the right consistency. Used salt to taste and could have easily just eaten them up at this point. I did layer each batch in the crock pot and added butter between the layers - but I used one stick total and honestly I thought they tasted better without the butter. Turned the crock pot on the morning of Thanksgiving - stirred a few times - and was ready by dinner.

I will absolutely be revisiting this recipe. Used whole milk as I didn't have half and half on hand. Wonderful fluffy mashed potatoes. They never survived until the next day. they

Easy, tasted fresh mashed.

It's nice to make this in advance...very good!

These potatoes were excellent!

I don't like mashed potatoes, but this was liked by others.

I followed the recipe exactly and they were very bland and boring. The only reason I gave them two stars is because they are from scratch, try another recipe!

This is a really good recipe for learning how to make mashed potatoes