With an easy technique and a simple reheat-to-perfection method, these Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes are a great way to get ahead for holiday meals or family dinner when you’re busy with all of the things. (No one will be able to tell you made these ahead of time, promise!)
Making holiday meals with a lot of dishes can be overwhelming if I have to do it all in the same day, so I’ve figured out a few ways to rely on make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes to help me stay sane. And these mashed potatoes are a perfect and easy way to get ahead to make meals easier.
These mashed potatoes work well for any holiday dinner or lunch, for Thanksgiving recipes for kids, or just a side dish for a healthy family meal. You can make them up to 3 days ahead and simply warm up to serve.
They’re so good and taste exactly the same when reheated, which is amazing.
(You may also like my Broccoli Mashed Potatoes, Boiled Green Beans, Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes, and Spiced Thanksgiving Cookies.)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
To make this make-ahead mashed potatoes recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients so you know what to get at the store.
- Yukon gold potatoes: These have a buttery texture when cooked, so they are a great option for mashed potatoes.
- Milk: I use whole milk here for maximum creaminess. You can use a different type if you prefer.
- Unsalted butter: This adds creaminess and richness and allows you to control the salt.
- Plain whole milk Greek yogurt or sour cream: This lowers the amount of butter needed and adds a lot of creaminess.
- Salt: This can lift the flavor nicely, so we want to be sure to salt the potatoes.
TIP: You can double this recipe to feed more people. Scroll down to the recipe for the full information.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at how to make this make ahead mashed potato recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information.
Step 1. Peel and dice your potatoes. Add to a pot with water.
Step 2. Simmer until the potatoes are very soft.
Step 3. Drain the potatoes. Add the milk and butter to the pot and heat to melt.
Step 4. Add the potatoes back to the pot, stir in with the yogurt, and blend.
TIP: You can use an immersion blender, transfer to a food processor, or use a potato masher (for less smooth potatoes).
How to Store and Reheat Mashed Potatoes
I store my mashed potatoes in a heat-safe ceramic or glass container with a heat-safe lid and put it into the microwave, covered, to reheat. This traps in the steam to hold in the moisture.
Stir it halfway through heating and voilà, ready-to-eat mashed potatoes!
Best Tips for Success
- Yukon Gold potatoes have a consistently great texture in this recipe, so use them if you can find them.
- Use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream—but full fat will make these mashed potatoes taste best.
- You can use an immersion blender to blend the potatoes right in the pot, transfer to a food processor, or use a potato masher (for less smooth potatoes).
- Taste and salt according to your preferences.
- Serve to a kiddo with a spoon (or let them use their fingers!).
- Reheat with the lid on to keep the moisture in, stopping to stir halfway through.
- Double the recipe to make a larger batch.
Related Recipes
Vegetables
Best Boiled Green Beans
Vegetables
Sweet Potato Puree
Dinner
Mashed Butternut Squash
Baby Food
Favorite Sweet Potato Baby Food
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe if you try it, so please comment below to share.
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup butter ½ stick
- ¼ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt or sour cream
Instructions
- Peel and dice your potatoes. Add potatoes and salt to a large pot and cover with two inches of water.
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then turn down to medium. Simmer until the potatoes are very soft, about 15-20 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander.
- Add the milk and butter to the pot and heat to melt over low heat.
- Add the potatoes back to the pot, stir in the yogurt, and blend using an immersion blender. (Or use a potato masher for slightly chunkier potatoes or transfer to a food processor or blender.)
- Season to taste with additional salt as you like, then serve or store for later.
Notes
- Store, once cooled at least slightly, in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat with the lid on to keep the moisture in for 4-6 minutes, stopping to stir halfway through for even heating.
- You can use an immersion blender to blend the potatoes right in the pot, transfer to a food processor, or use a potato masher (for less smooth potatoes).
- Use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream—but full fat will make these mashed potatoes taste best.
- Taste and salt according to your preferences.
- Serve to a kiddo with a spoon (or let them use their fingers!).
- Double the recipe to make a larger batch.
Nutrition
This post was first published October 2020.
Super simple and super tasty. Great idea to make it ahead!
Could you use a regular blender? I don’t have an immersion blender or food processor.
A lot of people have recommended using a hand mixer (like what you’d use to make a cake) if you have that.
Can these be frozen?
I haven’t done that but this seems like a very thorough explanation of how to! https://www.bonappetit.com/story/can-you-freeze-mashed-potatoes
If you do not have a microwave for reheating, what oven temperature and reheating time can you recommend? Just a rough estimate. 🙂