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These simple and Easy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes come together in minutes – you set it and forget it so you can make all the other sides! You can also keep these warm in the crockpot during dinner – they’re the easiest and best mashed potatoes ever.
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BEST Crockpot Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Mashed potatoes are my love language these days, seriously. I think they’re the ultimate comfort food and I guess I’ve been needing comfort lately because all I want is mashed potatoes with gravy.
What’s funny is that, while I love them, mashed potatoes weren’t part of my holiday traditions growing up. Whenever we had Thanksgiving or Christmas, we served stuffing and knoepfle (a Swiss noodle), not potatoes. When Mel and I got married and he expected potatoes at Thanksgiving I was stumped!
Why you’ll love this recipe
Crockpot mashed potatoes are life changing. I’m just gonna put that out there. They’re a super easy side dish perfect for ANY meal – not just at the holidays.
I know, you think. Why make mashed potatoes in a crock pot when it’s easy to make them on the stove? Well, for one, because you can, and two, because sometimes the stove is too full. At any given time on a holiday my stove is full of a stock pot making knoepfle, a turkey pan, a pot making gravy, and, well, there’s no more standing room at the stove. Making mashed potatoes slow in the slow cooker takes care of the stove problem and you can set it and forget it.
P.S. I used to make the Pioneer Woman crockpot mashed potatoes until I found THIS recipe – now it’s the only one I make.
Why make Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
This easy recipe comes from my friend Leigh Anne’s book, Holiday Slow Cooker. It’s a cookbook full of recipes for every holiday, from Thanksgiving to Christmas, Chinese New Year, to 4th of July and everything in between. There are also entire sections on soup, sandwiches, and breakfasts! Leigh Anne is the blogger behind Your Homebased Mom and if you don’t have this book yet you need to grab a copy. I plan to make lots of recipes from it, including her Beef and Broccoli, Brisket, and Lemon Pull-Apart Biscuits.
Whether or not you’re making a huge holiday meal you should keep this recipe in your arsenal. It’s easy and totally satisfies your mashed potato comfort food cravings!
How to make mashed potatoes in the crockpot
- Cut your potatoes in uniform size, about 2-3 inch cubes. The size of your potatoes affects how long they take to cook. You can peel your potatoes or not. I like leaving the peels on because I’m lazy, but I also like the flavor.
- Put the potatoes in the slow cooker and add the chicken stock or broth.
- Add herbs and/or seasonings.
- Cook on high. Note that crockpots all cook differently. I suggest checking after 2 1/2 hours although they’ll most likely take at least 3 hours.
- Add the butter, sour cream, and cream cheese.
- Mash the potatoes with a hand masher then taste and see if you want to add more salt or pepper or other seasonings. I prefer using a potato masher to a mixer – otherwise your potatoes might get gluey consistency.
How do you know potatoes are done cooking?
You know potatoes are done and ready to be mashed when they fall easily off a fork when pierced.
Variations
- Want even creamier potatoes? Add some whole milk (or nonfat even) to thin.
- Healthier mashed potatoes: swap Greek yogurt for the cream cheese or sour cream. Use light or low-fat cream cheese or sour cream and use light butter in place of the regular butter.
FAQs
Keep mashed potatoes warm for a few hours by putting the heat on “warm”. They may dry out after a few hours, so only plan on keeping them warm for about 1-2 hours.
3-4 hours on HIGH power.
Nope – they cook and boil IN the crockpot!
Possibly they sat too long, or you just like creamier potatoes. Try adding a bit of milk to get to your desired consistency.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top and add a bit of milk to fluff them.
What to serve with mashed potatoes:
Other Potato Favorites:
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Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 1-2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- Milk as needed
- 1 tablespoon dried herbs of choice I used Italian seasoning
- Additional seasoned salt to taste (about 1-2 teaspoons)
Instructions
- You can peel the potatoes or leave the skins on and clean them really well. (I like leaving my skins on.) Cut potatoes into quarters.
- Place potatoes in the bottom of a 6-quart crockpot. Add chicken broth just to cover the potatoes. Cover and cook on high 3-4 hours (mine took exactly 3 hours but all crockpots cook differently.) Potatoes are done and ready to be mashed when they fall easily off a fork when pierced.
- Drain the potatoes (reserve some potato stock if you want to use instead of milk when mashing).
- Add the butter, sour cream, and cream cheese and mash until your desired consistency, adding milk as needed. (I like my potatoes a bit chunky and less creamy, but everyone likes them their own way.) Add the herbs and more seasoned salt, to taste.
- Serve hot. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Recipe Video
Recipe Nutrition
Items used to make this recipe:
- Slow Cooker (aka Crockpot): get at least a 6-qt one for regular sized meals.
- Potato masher – to mash the potatoes, of course!
Crockpot Mashed Potatoes are easy and such a simple side dish. They come together in minutes while you set it and forget it so you can make all the other dishes you need for your family dinner. The flavor of these is so good, they’re full of sour cream and butter and cream cheese!
Last Updated on April 30, 2023
Everyone loved them at Thanksgiving last year!
I don’t understand this question about leftover mashed potatoes. After seconds later in the day there should be no leftovers. I would love to have leftovers to make potatoes pancakes.
I can’t wait to make these!
This is my exact recipe except I’ve never tried chicken stock! Can’t wait to try that. Have you ever used brown butter instead of just regular? That makes it also very yummy.
I can’t wait to make these! Doing a trial run Sunday with ham, but betting this recipe will be in the “must have” file.
I also make our dressing in the crock pot. It’s delicious, and we don’t mind it not being in the bird at all.
I’d love that recipe
I would love to get your crockpot stuffing recipe.
Yum, I’ll take the ones with lots of butter and garlic! 🙂
Ok….I never make mashed potatoes. Like ever. So for my future attempt one day I will listen to you and make them in the Crock Pot since they sound so much better that way!
Hello Dorothy….! your crockpot mashed patatoes looks so yummy & delicious and this recipe is so simple and easy. Thanks for sharing…!
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