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These Crockpot Mashed Potatoes cook and mash right in the slow cooker, leaving your stovetop free for the rest of dinner. Made with Yukon Gold and Russet potatoes, butter, sour cream, and cream cheese, they’re creamy and easy to prepare early for Thanksgiving or any meal when you want less to do at dinnertime.
Making Room on the Thanksgiving Stove
I wanted to see if I could make mashed potatoes in the Crockpot that tasted just as good as stovetop mashed potatoes. Thanksgiving was the main reason, because having one less pot on the stove makes a difference when you’re trying to get everything ready for dinner. But it’s also nice on other days when you have time to prep early and want less to do later.
It took a little adjusting. I overcooked the potatoes the first time and tested the amount of liquid before getting it right. After making those changes and trying again, I was happy with the results. These turned out just as good as stovetop mashed potatoes, with that stovetop space freed up for something else!
If you’d rather use the stove, try our Homemade Mashed Potatoes. We also have Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes when you need them ready sooner.
❤️ Erica
Ingredients
- Potatoes: You’ll need both Yukon Gold and Russet potatoes. Peel the Russets; the Yukon Gold skins can stay on if you like a little texture. Peel both varieties for smoother mashed potatoes.
- Cooking liquid and seasonings: The potatoes cook in chicken broth with salt, then get another seasoning adjustment with salt and black pepper after mashing. Taste before adding the final salt, since the broth and butter also contribute salt.
- Dairy: Have butter, sour cream, softened cream cheese, and whole milk or half-and-half ready. The butter goes in at two different stages, so remember to save half for mashing. Soften the cream cheese so it blends into the potatoes more easily.
How to Make Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
- Cut the potatoes into about 1½-inch pieces so they cook evenly. Add them to a 6-quart slow cooker with the chicken broth, the first teaspoon of salt, and half the butter.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for about 3 hours. Check a few pieces before mashing; a fork should slide through easily. If the centers are still firm, keep cooking until they’re very tender.
- Spoon out and reserve excess cooking liquid, leaving just a few tablespoons in the bottom. Add the remaining butter, sour cream, and softened cream cheese, then mash directly in the slow cooker with a potato masher.
- Gradually stir in warm milk or half-and-half, stopping when the potatoes reach the consistency you like. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve right away, or keep covered on WARM. Add a tablespoon or two of warm milk if they thicken before serving.
Recipe Tips
Leave the lid on. It’s tempting to peek, but lifting the lid lets heat escape and slows things down. Wait until close to the 2-hour mark to check the potatoes.
Mash carefully. Use a potato masher instead of an electric mixer or food processor. Too much mixing can turn the potatoes gummy, so stop when you have the texture you like.
Make Ahead and Storage
If you’re making these earlier in the day, cook and mash the potatoes, then leave them covered on WARM for up to 4 hours. Just make sure they stay at 140°F or above.
Put leftovers in shallow, airtight containers and refrigerate promptly. Use them within 3–4 days.
Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring in a little milk if they’ve thickened up. They need to reach 165°F all the way through. If you want to serve them from the Crockpot, heat them first, then transfer them to a preheated slow cooker to keep warm.
More Crockpot Side Dishes
Mashed potatoes aren’t the only side you can make in the slow cooker. Try these recipes when you want to get a side dish going early and free up space on the stove or in the oven.
Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- 2 pounds Russet potatoes
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, divided
- ½ cup sour cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ to 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half, warmed
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Peel the Russet potatoes. Peel the Yukon Gold potatoes if you prefer completely smooth mashed potatoes, or leave some of the skins on for a little more texture. Cut all of the potatoes into roughly 1½-inch pieces.
- Place the potatoes in a 6-quart Crock Pot. Pour the chicken broth over the potatoes, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Cut ¼ cup of the butter into pieces and scatter it over the top.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for approximately 2–3 hours, checking the potatoes at the 2-hour mark. They're ready when a fork slides easily through the center with no resistance. If they're still firm, continue cooking and check again every 30 minutes.
- When the potatoes are tender, check the liquid in the bottom of the slow cooker. If there is more than a few tablespoons remaining, spoon some of it out and reserve it. You can always add a little back later if needed.
- Add the remaining ¼ cup butter, sour cream, and cream cheese. Mash the potatoes directly in the slow cooker with a potato masher until mostly smooth.
- Slowly add the warm milk or half-and-half, a little at a time, mashing and stirring until the potatoes reach the consistency you like. Season with the additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve right away, or turn the Crock Pot to WARM and keep the potatoes covered until ready to serve. Stir in a splash of warm milk before serving if they thicken while sitting.
Equipment
- Crock Pot (Slow Cooker)
Notes
- Use a potato masher rather than an electric mixer or food processor. Mash carefully and stop when you have the texture you like; overworking the potatoes can make them gummy.
- Peeled Russet potatoes can brown when exposed to air. This won’t affect their flavor or how they cook. Place the Russet potatoes in the slow cooker first, with the Yukon Gold potatoes on top, to help keep the Russets in contact with the broth and reduce browning.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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