Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes are made up to 2 days in advance to save you time! Mashed together with cream cheese, sour cream, half and half, and lots of butter, they stay perfectly creamy and fluffy.
One of the best things about a holiday meal is the side dish extravaganza, right? Suddenly the table is loaded down with all kinds of yummy classics like a Thanksgiving turkey, gravy, homemade stuffing, corn, and sweet potatoes… just thinking about it is enough to make you hungry!
This easy recipe is all about getting one of those crowd-pleasing favorites on the table with minimum fuss. You can pull these ultra-creamy spuds together up to two days ahead of time, and simply stick them in your oven on the big day.
Key Ingredient Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Potatoes: Use Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes for that naturally buttery flavor and silky texture.
- Cream Cheese and Sour Cream: These ingredients should be at room temperature before adding them to the dish. The sour cream adds flavor and also helps to make the potatoes creamy. You can substitute Greek yogurt, or additional half-and-half, if you don’t want to use sour cream.
- Butter: Melted, plus more to grease the pan.
- Half and Half: Warm the half and half slightly before adding it to the recipe. You can also use heavy cream, or a mixture of heavy cream and whole milk.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Optional Toppings: Chives or green onions, plus additional melted butter.
How to Prepare Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
This simple method for make-ahead mashed potatoes delivers perfect results, every time. Below are a few tips, scroll down to the printable recipe card for full instructions!
You can peel and cut the potatoes up to 2 days ahead. Store the potatoes in water in your fridge. This will impact the final texture a little bit, but it still works if you really need to get a jump on things.
Don’t let the potatoes dry out or get gummy. After boiling, be sure to let your potatoes steam dry for a minute or two in the hot pot.
Use warmed half and half and melted butter. For the best texture, mash them while they’re still hot and gradually add in warm milk and butter. Cold dairy can shock the starch in the potatoes and mess with the texture.
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For extra smooth mashed potatoes, use a hand mixer. Beat the potatoes on high speed for 1 or 2 minutes, until they are light and fluffy. If you prefer more texture to your dish, you can skip this step.
Press plastic wrap directly on top of the potatoes to keep them from forming a skin. I like to also place a layer of foil on top of the plastic wrap to ensure they stay fresh.
When you’re ready to reheat, bake them low and slow in the oven. You can even add a little splash of cream or a few pats of butter before reheating. I prefer to top them with melted butter and chives right before serving.
Variations To Try
- For Cheesy Potatoes: Add 1 cup of your favorite shredded cheese, like cheddar or parmesan. Mix it directly into the potatoes or sprinkle it over the top about 10 minutes before they finish baking.
- Slow Cooker Option: Prepare the potatoes according to the recipe, but do not spread them in a baking dish. Instead, place them in the crockpot on warm for several hours, until ready to serve. If the potatoes get dry then stir in a little additional half-and-half to moisten them.
- Flavor Twists: Garlic mashed potatoes, chives, cheeses (cheddar, Parmesan), or herbs (rosemary, thyme) add variation. You can also top them with cheese and crushed crackers for a variation on the always popular cheesy potato casserole.
Can I Freeze Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes?
You can absolutely freeze mashed potatoes, but there’s a little trick to getting it right. Make sure to use full fat cream cheese and sour cream, so they don’t dry out or become grainy.
Thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat again in the oven. Always reheat slowly, adding a little milk or cream as needed to revive the texture. While fresh is always best, this method works well if you’re trying to prep way in advance for a big event or holiday meal.
Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- ¼ cup butter, melted (plus additional butter to grease the pan)
- ½ cup half and half, warmed
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Optional Toppings:
- Melted butter
- Chives or green onions
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Instructions
- Butter a 9×13 baking dish. Set aside.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into large cubes. Add the potatoes to a large pot and fill the pot with water.
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the temperature to medium heat, and cook for 20 minutes. The size of your potatoes will determine the cook time. Larger potatoes may take longer. The potatoes are done when they are easily pierced with a fork.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place back on the stove for one minute to remove excess moisture.
- Mash the potatoes using a potato masher or ricer.
- Add all of the ingredients and fold into the potatoes. If you prefer lumpy mashed potatoes, skip to the next step. For smooth mashed potatoes: beat on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes using a hand mixer, until the potatoes are light and fluffy.
- Spread the potatoes evenly in the prepared baking dish. Press a layer of plastic wrap against the potatoes and then cover them with aluminum foil. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Remove the plastic wrap, but place the foil back over the top of the casserole dish. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the potatoes are heated through. Top with additional butter and chives, if desired.
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Notes
Nutrition
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I made these make ahead mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving. I stored them over night, then warmed them in my crockpot. It worked great. I melted extra butter on top and served when everything was ready. I didn’t add the sour cream, just used the block of cream cheese. Thank you for a great make ahead recipe.
Sounds delicious! How many servings will this recipe make?
It will serve 10 to 12 people!
Hello!
When reaheatibg, do you bake covered? Or uncovered?
Hi Jenn! With the foil still on! Thanks for catching that, I will make sure it’s clearer in the recipe! 🙂
Can this be frozen for about a week?
Hi Susan! Yes! Freeze mashed potatoes for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat again in the oven. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave.