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Easy Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe, plus tips for how to make the best creamy mashed potatoes. These slow cooker mashed potatoes are the perfect make ahead Thanksgiving side dish!

Mashed potatoes in a crock pot.

Mashed potatoes are a staple side dish that always have a place on our Thanksgiving table. They are a crowd favorite at holiday meals and a family favorite for weeknight dinners.

Over the years I’ve tried many different ways of preparing mashed potatoes. For a holiday meal, I love making these mashed potatoes in the crock pot because they are so easy and you can make them ahead of time.

These crock pot mashed potatoes are creamy and perfect. This make ahead crock pot mashed potatoes recipe will save you time at the last minute when you’re trying to get all of the parts of your holiday dinner on the table!

Creamy crock pot mashed potatoes in a bowl with butter.

Why you’ll love crock pot mashed potatoes

  • All of the work of cooking and mashing your potatoes can be done right in the crock pot. You don’t need to boil the potatoes on the stove or dirty a mixing bowl.
  • You can mash the potatoes ahead of time and keep them warm in the slow cooker. It couldn’t be easier or more convenient!
  • These crock pot mashed potatoes are creamy, buttery and perfect!

I want your mashed potatoes to turn out perfect, every time. Here are some tips for making the best mashed potatoes.

What kind of potatoes are best for mashed potatoes?

Russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes are the best types of potatoes for mashed potatoes. You can use Russets or Yukons, or a combination of the two, to make your mashed potatoes. These potatoes are starchy, not waxy, and they produce the best fluffy mashed potatoes.

How many potatoes should I cook per person?

Plan to cook about 1/2 pound of potatoes per person. This recipe calls for 5 pounds of potatoes, so it will serve about 10 adults. You can double this recipe and it will fit in a 6 or 7-quart slow cooker. A double recipe will not fit in my 5-quart slow cooker, but 1 1/2 times the recipe (about 8 pounds of potatoes) would.

Mashed potatoes in a crock pot with a potato masher and butter.

How do you make creamy, smooth and fluffy mashed potatoes?

There’s nothing worse than having your mashed potatoes turn out gluey. Besides using the right kind of potato, getting the best mashed potato texture is determined by how you mash them.

For the absolute best smooth and fluffy mashed potatoes, you need to use a potato ricer. I don’t use a ricer because I’d rather just mash my potatoes in the pot. It’s much easier that way, and I don’t have to store another kitchen tool.

You can make mashed potatoes with great texture without a potato ricer. The key is to not overwork your potatoes. Use a potato masher and mash them by hand.

If you want your potatoes to be really smooth, after mashing you can beat them with an electric mixer for no more than a minute. Do not beat your potatoes for a long time with a mixer. Overworked potatoes will turn out gluey.

If your potatoes turn out lumpy, they may be undercooked. Be sure to cook your potatoes until they are very soft and tender.

Crock pot mashed potatoes in a bowl with butter.

How to make mashed potatoes in a crock pot

  1. Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut them into 1-inch cubes.
  2. Place the potatoes and 1 cup of chicken broth in your crock pot.
  3. Cook on high for 3 1/2-4 hours, until the potatoes are very soft.
  4. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until smooth.
  5. Add butter, salt and pepper and continue mashing to incorporate.
  6. Stir in warmed whole milk, 1/4 cup at a time, until the potatoes are creamy.
  7. Serve immediately or keep warm in the slow cooker for up to 2 hours.

Can you make mashed potatoes ahead? I recommend making your mashed potatoes the day that you plan to serve them. Leftover mashed potatoes have a tendency to harden and dry out. A reader has mentioned that she mixes some plain Greek yogurt into her mashed potatoes and that helps them to not harden and dry out when she makes them a day ahead. I haven’t tried this but if you do let me know how it works.

Mash your slow cooker mashed potatoes no more than two hours before you plan to serve them. Stir in a little more warm milk right before serving if they become dry.

For the best mashed potatoes, you need to use real butter for flavor. While I try to share mostly healthy recipes, this is one time where you don’t want to go light on the butter. I use one stick of butter for 5 pounds of potatoes. Some recipes call for two full sticks of butter. I recommend starting with one stick, tasting your mashed potatoes, and adding more if needed.

The best way to make your perfect mashed potatoes is by taste. This goes for the butter, salt and pepper. Add your seasonings, taste the potatoes and adjust as necessary. Be sure to use whole milk for rich, creamy potatoes.

When you cook potatoes in the slow cooker, a few of the potatoes near the edge of the slow cooker may brown and crisp where they touch the side of the slow cooker. You can remove these browned edges or leave them in. In my slow cooker on high heat, just a few potatoes near the side browned. If your slow cooker cooks really hot, I recommend checking on your potatoes before the cook time ends and stirring once halfway through.

Creamy slow cooker mashed potatoes in a bowl with butter and chives.

Tips for slow cooker mashed potatoes

  • Heat the milk before adding it to the potatoes to keep the potatoes hot. You can heat the milk in the microwave or on the stove. Some potatoes are naturally more moist than others, so add milk 1/4 cup at a time until the potatoes are perfect.
  • Do not overwork your potatoes or they may turn out gluey. Mash them with a potato masher and then stir in the warm milk with a wooden spoon until creamy.
  • You can add 1/4-1/2 cup of sour cream, plain Greek yogurt or cream cheese to this recipe for a tangy flavor. Or, try using buttermilk in place of the milk.
  • For garlic mashed potatoes, mix in roasted garlic to taste after mashing.
  • I recommend cooking your crock pot mashed potatoes on the high setting. You can cook them on low for 7-8 hours, but the potatoes (especially Russet potatoes) have a tendency to turn gray when cooked for that long.
  • I use this 5 quart slow cooker and cannot recommend it enough! If you need something bigger, this 7 quart model comes with great reviews.

I’ll be making these easy crockpot mashed potatoes for our Thanksgiving dinner this year, along with my favorite broccoli casserole, green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole. I also love to serve mashed potatoes with our favorite crispy baked chicken thighs. Mashed potatoes are also my go-to side dish when I cook pork chops in my Instant Pot.

Looking for a faster method? Try my classic mashed potatoes recipe or Instant Pot mashed potatoes. Also, try my Crock Pot baked potatoes for an easy side dish. 

If you try this recipe, leave a comment and star rating below to let me know!

Mashed potatoes in a crock pot.
5 from 3 ratings

Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes (No Boil)

Servings: 10 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
Easy Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe, plus tips for how to make the best creamy mashed potatoes. These slow cooker mashed potatoes are the perfect make ahead Thanksgiving side dish!

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds Russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup low sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 8 pieces
  • ½ - 1 cup whole milk, warmed
  • ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon pepper, or to taste
  • chopped fresh chives, for serving, if desired

Instructions
 

  • Place the potato chunks in the crock pot/slow cooker.
  • Pour in the broth.
  • Cover and cook on high for 3 1/2 - 4 hours, until potatoes are very soft and tender. (You can cook on low for 7-8 hours, but the potatoes may gray a little.)
  • Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until smooth. Add the butter, salt and pepper and continue mashing to incorporate.
  • Using a wooden spoon, stir in the warm milk, 1/4 cup at a time, until potatoes reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
  • Serve immediately or keep warm in the crock pot for up to 2 hours.
Serving: 1/10 recipe, Calories: 277kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 144mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: American
Course: Side Dish
Tried this recipe?Mention @kristines_kitchen on Instagram or tag #kristineskitchenblog.

Creamy crock pot mashed potatoes in a slow cooker with butter.

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