Last Updated December 16th, 2020 at 12:50 pm by Lisa
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes are creamy smooth, buttery, and melt in your mouth! Reheated 5 Ways, learn how to keep them warm for dinner or your holiday party.
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This mashed potato recipe is a perfect side dish for family dinner, potlucks, and holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. For more great side dish ideas try my Macaroni Pasta Salad, Loaded Potato Salad, Pull-Apart Bread Dinner Rolls, Homemade Cole Slaw, and Cowboy Baked Beans.
We all want creamy classic mashed potatoes with buttery warm goodness, right? No one wants mashed potatoes that are gummy, lumpy and cold.
Today we will master this side dish with all the tips and techniques that anyone can do.
Plus, any dish that you can have ready to go for dinner or entertaining is always a winner, saving time and stress.
TRUE CONFESSION: ? I didn't make mashed potatoes, as in I didn't want to make them at all...and if I did, I was never happy with how they turned out.
My Sister-In-Law Krisztina makes the most perfectly creamy mashed potatoes ever, and mine seemed sticky and lumpy. (Not what you want in mashed potatoes). I had almost given up until I learned a couple of neat tricks from a Chef and my cooking mentor in a professional cooking school.
I became determined to master this "simple" dish, and made mashed potatoes over and over until I loved how they turned out. Two ten pounds bags of potatoes later, (that's a lot of potatoes folks) as a matter of fact they, are still in our freezer.
And everything I have learned, I am sharing with you!
How Do I Reheat and Keep Mashed Potatoes Warm?
While getting my hair done, my beautiful hairdresser Tina asked a brilliant question.
"How do you keep mashed potatoes warm?"
And to that, I said, "What a great question, can I mention this in a recipe on my website?"
We all struggle with space on big family gatherings or holiday parties, so here we go with the tips and answers.
Tina this is for you, and anyone wondering how to manage all the dishes on a big holiday like Thanksgiving or a party when oven space is at a premium. We can do this, Yay!
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes: Reheated 5 Ways:
Step 1: First, in a large pot, fill ½ way with water and add 1 teaspoon sea salt.
Step 2: Peel and slice the potatoes into 1" pieces. Put the cut potato pieces into the large pot of water as you peel and slice so they don't turn brown. Be sure water covers the potatoes by 2 inches, once all the potatoes are cut, turn onto medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
Step 3: Reduce to medium-low heat, cook the potatoes for 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft and fork-tender.
Step 4: Turn off the heat, and drain well in a colander.
The real secret is this handy little gadget called a potato ricer!
Step 5: Hold the potato ricer over a large pot or bowl, load the ricer full in batches and press all the potato pieces into the large pot. Or, mash the potatoes in the pot with a potato masher. If you want airy fluffy creamy mashed potatoes, the ricer is your friend. A masher will work, but it never gets all the little lumps out completely.
Step 6: In a small pan, heat the heavy cream on low (don't boil), this only takes about 4 minutes. Add the heated heavy cream, 2 teaspoons sea salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper to the mashed potatoes. Next, drop all the small butter pieces into the hot potatoes and stir until combined and creamy. The heat of the potatoes will melt the butter, and they will become creamy smooth and turn out beautifully.
Step 7: Transfer the creamy mashed potatoes to an oven-safe casserole dish and cover with aluminum foil or the lid. Keep in warm oven or place in refrigerator up to 2 days ahead.
5 Easy Ways to Reheat and Keep Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes warm:
1) REHEAT IN THE OVEN: keep foil or a lid on the mashed potatoes at 375 for 30-40 minutes.
2) REHEAT IN A SLOW COOKER OR CROCKPOT on low, add some cream and butter to keep the mashed potatoes moist.
3) REHEAT IN A ZIPTOP BAG, place mashed potatoes in a well-sealed ziplock bag, and place carefully in a simmering pot (low heat) of water on the stove.
4) KEEP MASHED POTATOES HOT Simply reheat the potatoes in the method you choose and place the dish on a HEATING PAD on high covered with a towel for your party.
5) SECOND WAY TO KEEP MASHED POTATOES HOT, reheat the potatoes in the method you choose and keep hot on an ELECTRIC WARMING TRAY:
By the way, this warming tray was my parents, and was a wedding gift in 1960! It still works perfectly and I used it all the time to keep food warm at parties. I even took it to my cousin's house last Christmas, and he loved it and found one just like it a garage sale! Hope they make a comeback, they were quite common in the 60's...super helpful when you are serving a buffet or having people stop by and want the food warm!
Hope they make a comeback, they were quite common in the 60's...super helpful when you are serving a buffet or having people stop by and want the food warm!
Your creamy, buttery, mashed potatoes will stay hot for your dinner party or holiday gathering, just pick the best option. Make these the day before and simply reheat, then you can relax and enjoy the party.
Happy Entertaining!
All the Best Dishes,
Lisa
XO
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Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes: Reheated 5 Ways
Ingredients
- 5 lbs russet potatoes - peeled and sliced into 1" pieces
- 2 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 stick salted butter - cut into small cubes
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream - heated
- Note: For really creamy smooth mashed potatoes use:
- Potato Ricer - presses the potatoes through a screen with holes and creates a smooth creamy consistency of the mashed potatoes.
Instructions
- In a large pot, fill ½ way with water and add ½ teaspoon sea salt.
- Peel and slice the potatoes into 1" pieces. Put the cut potato pieces into the large pot of water as you peel and slice so they don't turn brown.
- Be sure water covers the potatoes by 2 inches, on medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to medium-low heat, cook the potatoes for 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft and fork tender.
- Drain well in a colander. Discard the water.
- In a small pan, heat the heavy cream on low (don't boil).
- Hold the potato ricer over a large empty pot, and load the ricer full in batches and press all the potato pieces into the large pot. Or, mash the potatoes in the pot with a potato masher. If you want airy fluffy creamy mashed potatoes, the ricer is your friend. A masher will work, but it never gets all the little lumps out completely.
- Add the heated heavy cream, 2 teaspoons sea salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper to the mashed potatoes, next drop all the small butter pieces into the hot potatoes and stir until combined and creamy.
- Transfer to an oven-safe casserole dish and cover with the lid or aluminum foil. Keep in a warm oven or place in the refrigerator.
5 Ways to reheat and keep mashed potatoes warm:
- Reheat in the oven: keep foil on mashed potatoes at 375 for 30-40 minutes
- Reheat in a slow cooker, add a little cream and butter to keep them moist.
- Place mashed potatoes in a zip lock bag, seal well and place carefully in a simmering pan of water
- Place mashed potatoes in a heat-safe bowl over a pot of water.
- Reheat the potatoes in a method you choose and keep hot on an electric warming tray or a heating pad covered with a towel.
Nice article. I happened to watch America's Test Kitchen (ATK) where potato-mashing methods were discussed. Their top-score method was the ricer, and I've been doing it ever since. Hand-held ricers are fine, but it's really challenging to get scoops of hot potato chunks into the strainer chute, but once done, they whip and blend to perfection.
Agreed JJ! And I LOVE ATK, obsessed would be a better description. I love their equipment reviews. I just made mashed potatoes last week, and agree they are tough to get in the ricer but worth it. I am making more potatoes tomorrow for Thanksgiving, and I will think of you when I am struggling to get them in the dang ricer! Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for the nice comment.
Hi Lisa, great article. I heat my cold mashed potatoes in a heat-proof bowl over a gently, simmering pot of water. I cover the bowl with the pot lid & stir occasionally until potatoes are heated through. Works like a charm & the potatoes don’t form a crust on top, the way they do when you bake them.
Overall a good article EXCEPT one reheat approach. Do NOT heat in a ziptop bag in hot water. All of the manufacturers of bags that I have checked explicitly say this is not food-safe due to plasticizers leeching from the bag into the food.
Hey Dave, I know it would seem to be the case, but I learned this technique in a professional-level cooking school taught by a French chef who also teaches at the International Institute of Culinary America. I just pulled this from Ziploc bags website: FDA Requirements
"All Ziploc® brand Containers and microwavable Ziploc® brand Bags meet the safety requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for temperatures associated with defrosting and reheating food in microwave ovens, as well as room, refrigerator and freezer temperatures." I feel safe to do this technique, but understand if you don't no worries!! Happy Cooking and thanks for the comment.
Thanks for your suggestions they are all good ones. I have been doing this for some years. I place in a shallow roasting pan, and cover with foil. Then place in the oven for approx hour and a half. I use my Bosch mixer to mash with melted butter, cream cheese and hot milk. The most difficult thing is making sure they are hot all the way through when reheating. I will pull the pan out of the fridge to bring to room temp, good suggestion.
Thanks, Ruth for your comment, I will try using cream cheese...heard it makes them really creamy. Appreciate your comments so much and happy cooking.
These are SO good. Turned out beautiful and no one knew I had made them the night before. I used a ricer and reheated them in a crockpot. I added extra cream and butter during reheating and stirred about every 30 minutes. Thank you!
Yay Jo!!!! Thank you so much for leaving your comment, this is how I make them every year. It took me years to figure out how to get them smooth and creamy. So glad everyone loved them. Happy Holidays Jo, keep on cooking!
If I reheat in the oven,do I not need to add additional butter and cream, as you say to do in the crock pot method? I am making this recipe for Thanksgiving.
Hello Linda! What I do is pull from fridge for an hour of so, keep covered with a lid or heavy foil, and pop into the oven. You can always add some butter or cream if them seem a bit dry, but I have never had to do that! Happy Holidays...
I see that you do not mention microwaving the potatoes to reheat them...Have you ever done that, and if you don't, is there a reason why it would be a bad idea?
Karen, I haven't tried the microwave (but it might work just fine!) I do like how the oven crisps them right up...they are yummy leftovers.
So I can make mashed potatoes the night before and then reheat the night before?
Hi Nancy, you can make the make the mashed potatoes ahead, and reheat the day of your party!
I followed your recipe exactly and they turned out perfect! I even picked up a potato ricer at Bed Bath and Beyond ($12.00 with coupon). Thank you for sharing your recipe and tips. There are tons of recipes out there, but yours is the one (complete with so many options for reheating). I'm so thankful I stumbled across your blog. Happy Thanksgiving
Thank you SO much Pamela! : D That was my thought when I wrote the recipe, is people want some different ways to reheat them. (As my hairdresser had asked me one day) Happy Thanksgiving, I appreciate your kind thoughtful comment, and thanks for finding Delicious Table!
How long should the mashed potatoes be reheated in the crockpot?
Hi MJ, Great question! Well, that will depend on a couple things. The amount of mashed potatoes you are reheating and the brand of slow cooker (some slow cookers actually reheat faster than others!). What I would plan on is at least 2 hours, I would pull the mashed potatoes out ahead of time to start bringing them up to room temperature. Then I would load the mashed potatoes into the slow cooker on low with extra cream and a little butter, and make sure to stir them every 30 minutes or so. Then turn the heat up 30-45 minutes before serving to med-high. Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you for spelling out how long it takes for them to reheat. I never know how long and would hate to have cold mashed potatoes for everyone! Happy thanksgiving!
Hi Malia, You are welcome! Timing and reheating is the hard part of Thanksgiving Day cooking, glad it is helpful...Happy Cooking and Happy Thanksgiving!
I'm going to make these for Thanksgiving. What is the serving size? I'm having 12 people, so not sure whether I should make more than the recipe calls for.
Hello Peggy, This recipe will make 10 servings (so 10 people) each serving is 8 oz. You might want to double the recipe for your party? I always like to have extra sides for Thanksgiving because people tend to eat more than a regular portion. You can make little sandwiches with rolls and all your leftovers, or even Thanksgiving empanadas. I have a recipe for you if that sounds good to you. Happy Thanksgiving Peggy, and happy cooking!
How am I 45 years old and have never heard of a potato ricer? I made these without one and they were still amazing with all that heavenly cream and butter, but I am hopping online to order a ricer and see first hand the difference that makes. I love an experiment!