Looking for the easiest and best mashed potatoes to make ahead? These extra rich mashed potatoes can be refrigerated or frozen and then reheated when ready to eat.
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When it comes to holiday dining, the more dishes you can prepare ahead of time, the better, right?
stress free! (At least the potato part.)
An easy make-ahead mashed potato recipe
In this easy recipe, we mash boiled potatoes and garlic (a potato ricer helps to fluff it up), toss with butter, cream cheese, yogurt and a touch of rosemary.
The cream cheese strengthens the mashed potatoes so they warm up well, and the yogurt gives them a light flavor. You could also use sour cream.
Heap the casserole dish with the potatoes and refrigerate until a few hours before dinner, then allow to come to room temperature and bake. Simply!
Once prepared, allow the mashed potatoes to cool completely, then cover and store in the refrigerator for up to two days.
You can also freeze these mashed potatoes for up to two weeks. The high fat content in these mashed potatoes means they freeze and thaw well.
How to properly freeze mashed potatoes
Freeze, First, line your casserole dish with a layer of aluminum foil, followed by a layer of plastic wrap. Add the mashed potatoes, let cool completely, then freeze in the casserole dish until set.
Once frozen, use the foil to lift the mashed potatoes out of the pan by lifting the foil. This way the mashed potatoes will be formed into the shape of your casserole dish, but your bowl won’t stay in the freezer for weeks. (The layer of plastic wrap between the mashed potatoes and the foil protects the potatoes from picking up any metallic taste from the foil.)
Cover the top of the frozen mashed potatoes with plastic wrap and another layer of foil so the mashed potatoes are fully protected. Freeze for up to two weeks.
Steps to reheat mashed potatoes
Frozen mashed potatoes can either be thawed overnight in the refrigerator or reheated while frozen. Either way, unwrap the mashed potato block from the plastic wrap and foil and place back in the original casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate when thawing overnight.
Once your mashed potatoes are thawed, follow the baking instructions in the recipe as directed. If you are baking from frozen, add 15 to 20 minutes to the reheat time. You may want to stir the mashed potatoes once or twice during baking to ensure it heats evenly.
If the frozen mashed potatoes appear a bit watery when reheatingjust stir in some butter or cream cheese.
More favorite potato side dish recipes
- Cheesy funeral potatoes from scratch
- Crispy Hasselback Potatoes
- Pressure cooker garlic mashed potatoes
- Crispy parmesan potato stacks
- Slow cooker mashed potatoes
Need to use a potato ricer?
A potato ricer creates the fluffy texture in these mashed potatoes, but other methods will work if you don’t have a potato ricer. Use a hand-held potato masher or electric hand mixer, but make sure the potatoes are hot when you mash them so they don’t get sticky.
Frequently asked questions about reheating mashed potatoes
Can you reheat or keep warm in a slow cooker? Yes, you can reheat both frozen and thawed mashed potatoes in the slow cooker. Place them in the slow cooker on low, stirring occasionally. Mashed potatoes that come straight from the freezer into the slow cooker will need to be thawed a little before stirring. Once the potatoes are warmed through, turn the slow cooker down until warm.
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Should mashed potatoes be thawed before reheating? No, you do not need to defrost the mashed potatoes before reheating them in the oven or slow cooker. However, they take longer to reheat than thawed mashed potatoes, so allow for that extra time.
Can you freeze and reheat mashed potatoes in a foil pan? Yes, you can freeze this dish in a foil pan and pop the pan in the oven without placing the plastic wrap under the potatoes mentioned in the How to Freeze Mashed Potatoes Properly section above.
More make-ahead recipes you’ll love
- Prepare turkey gravy
- Make ahead dinner rolls
- Thanksgiving stuffing with sausage and apples
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette Roasted Root Vegetables
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
ingredients
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4 to 5 lb potatoes (Russets, Yukon Gold, or a combination), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
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Salt
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3 cloves garlicpeeled and kept whole
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1 small branch fresh rosemary
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3 tablespoon unsalted butterdivided
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8th ounces cream cheese (full fat), room temperature
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1/2 Cup unadorned or Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
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1/4 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
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2 teaspoon kosher salt
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1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
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Chives, for garnish
method
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Boil potatoes:
Place the peeled, sliced potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water to an inch above the potatoes. Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the water. Add garlic cloves and rosemary sprig.
Heat on high to bring to a boil, then reduce to low and continue to simmer, covered, until potatoes are just cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the potatoes. Discard the sprig of rosemary and keep the garlic cloves with the potatoes.
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Mash potatoes and garlic cloves:
While the potatoes are still hot, use either a potato masher or ricer to coarsely mash the potatoes and garlic cloves in a large bowl.
A rice machine produces fluffy, less sticky mashed potatoes.
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Stir in cream cheese and yoghurt:
In a large stand mixer (or you can do this by hand if you have strong arms), add the grated or roughly mashed potatoes to the mixing bowl along with 2 tablespoons butter, the softened cream cheese, and the yogurt.
Mix on low at first, then increase speed to medium and mix just until well incorporated. (Don’t overmix!)
Stir in chopped rosemary, salt and pepper. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
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Put in a casserole dish:
Generously butter the inside of a 2 liter casserole dish. Add the mashed potatoes and spread in an even layer. Dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
At this point you’ve done the make-ahead part of the recipe. You can cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. You can book up to 2 days in advance. (Or you can freeze up to 2 weeks ahead; see top notes for more detailed freezing and reheating instructions.)
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Bake:
When done, remove from the fridge and let sit for an hour to come to room temperature. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 45 minutes until top is lightly browned.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 422 | calories |
| 15g | Fat |
| 64g | carbohydrates |
| 10g | protein |
