The easiest way to make mashed potatoes
Give your stove a break this Thanksgiving!
The older I get, the more I find myself leaning into simple recipes, particularly for the holidays. I want the days I’m gathered with loved ones to feel less stressful and more spacious.
I want room to feel present, not overwhelmed or harried. Part of that includes releasing expectations and some of the pressure I put on myself. Part of that includes simpler recipes that allow me to do the bulk of the work ahead of time.
These Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes are really a revelation, and not just for the holidays. I rarely make mashed potatoes from scratch on weeknights, because it feels like too much work, but this recipe makes it feel possible!
These are pretty classic as mashed potatoes go. I use a lot of butter and milk to make them creamy and flavorful and swirl in a good amount of sour cream for a rich tang. You can add chives for a little freshness and color, or just let your eyes feast on the rich pools of melted butter on top.
I hope this recipe lightens the load this holiday season. If you’re looking for more short cut and make ahead options for the holidays, I recommend checking out:
As always, you can find all the step by step photos and additional tips for Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes here.
Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
5 lbs potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2 inch chunks (I recommend Russets or Yukon Golds)
3 cups low sodium chicken broth (I use Better Than Bouillon, but any broth you have on hand should work fine)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ cup warmed whole milk (Substitute 2% milk OR half and half, if you prefer)
1 ½ cups sour cream, at room temperature (We like to be able to really taste the sour cream. If you prefer, reduce this to 1 cup for a less pronounced flavor).
8 Tablespoons salted butter, plus more for serving (If using unsalted butter, just be sure to add enough salt. Potatoes need quite a lot!)
Handful chives, chopped, for serving
Directions:
In a large slow cooker, combine the 5 lbs. chopped potatoes, 3 cups chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon Kosher salt. Stir, then cover with a lid and cook on high for 4-4.5 hours or low for 7-8 hours, or until potatoes are fork tender.
Carefully drain the potatoes, then return them to the slow cooker. Leave the slow cooker on the warm setting.
Give the potatoes a quick mash with a potato masher, then slowly begin to drizzle in 1/2 cup milk. Add 8 Tablespoons butter and 1 cup sour cream, letting the mashed potatoes soak up the liquid as you gently finish mashing and stirring together. Taste and add the rest of the sour cream and salt if desired. Top with lots of fresh chives.
Potatoes will keep on the warm setting for up to 2 hours. Top with more pats of butter and allow them to melt before serving.
I will be doing this for sure next week, thank you!
So glad to read that these will stay well in the crockpot for 2 hours. That frees up the stovetop and gives me one less of the last minute things to think about.