Mashed potatoes are a non-negotiable part of any holiday meal. Non-negotiable. But sometimes when you have a lot of pots on the stove, and things to tend to, making them on the stovetop is one thing to many. That’s where the beloved appliance The Crock Pot comes into play, and saves the day. All you have to do is cook the potatoes – completely hands-off – in your slow cooker in a bit of broth, with a bit of garlic and salt, and then when they are tender, mash them up with some milk, cream and butter, and you are ready to roll. The potatoes go right into the slow cooker without being cooked – no boil mashed potatoes!
Peeling and cubing potatoes is a good task to assign to someone else by the way! So is the mashing!
Make sure to use a slow cooker large enough to hold all of the potatoes with some room to spare. You will be adding the milk and cream right into the slow cooker, so use a slow cooker that has at least a 4-quart capacity.
Serving Amounts
This recipe, with 4 pounds of potatoes, will serve 8 people amply as a side dish, even more if you have a lot of sides on the menu. But you can’t ever have too many mashed potatoes, really. And you can always reheat them or make mashed potato pancakes with the leftovers! Or think about making a Shepherd’s Pie or Moussaka.
The general rule of thumb is ½ pound of potatoes per person.
| Pounds of Potatoes | Servings |
|---|---|
| 1 pound potatoes | 2 people |
| 2 pounds potatoes | 4 people |
| 3 pounds potatoes | 6 people |
| 4 pounds potatoes | 8 people |
| 5 pound potatoes | 10 people |
| 6 pounds potatoes | 12 people |
Variations and Mix Ins
If you want to give your potatoes some extra “umph” try stirring in any of the following!
- 1⁄2 cup soft goat cheese or shredded hard cheese, such as cheddar or fontina
- 1⁄4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, oregano, thyme, tarragon, or chives
- 1⁄4 cup pesto
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon drained prepared horseradish
No Boil Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
The best part of making mashed potatoes in a crockpot is that you don’t have to boil them first, and you also don’t have to drain them. You need to cook them on high heat because they are so dense. Low heat would take a really long time, and because there is very little liquid in the crockpot during the cooking process, it would be difficult for them to become tender on low heat.
After the potatoes are cooked and tender, you can leave them on warm in the slow cooker. The cooked potatoes can stay in the crockpot for a couple of hours if you need some extra time before you mash them.
Once you do mash them, they can sit at low for a couple of hours, or on warm for even longer – up to 4 hours – before serving. You can serve the mashed potatoes straight from the slow cooker, or you can transfer them to a large bowl just before serving.
Potatoes do not need to be submerged in water while cooking in the crockpot. However, because they are not covered in liquid, and because there is a bit of broth added, the color might not be a starkly white as mashed potatoes made in boiling water on the stovetop. However, they will still be a beautiful creamy color, and they will taste amazing. And I have never seen anyone turn down mashed potatoes because they are a slightly off-white color. Who would do such a thing? Also the addition of the cream and milk will compensate for the slightly beige tone of the slow cooked potatoes.
You can add ½ cup or more of sour cream or softened cream cheese for more body and thickness and a tangy note.
How to Make Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
Combine the potatoes, broth, garlic, and salt in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, until the potatoes are tender.
Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes right in the slow cooker. You can also use an electric mixer but be careful not to overbeat them or they will start to become gluey and dense. If you want smoother potatoes, you can run the potatoes through a food mill or a ricer and return them to the slow cooker. Add the butter, milk, and cream, and stir to thoroughly combine.
If you like you can re-cover the crockpot and set it to low and hold them for up to an hour, stirring occasionally. Or leave them in the slow cooker on the warm setting for up to a few hours. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and recombine everything.
Transfer to a large bowl to serve (add a pat or two more of butter, which looks luscious!), or serve right out of the crockpot.
Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes: Mashed potatoes made in the crock pot are SO easy and stay warm for hours. No boiling needed!
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What to Serve with Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes:
- Green Bean Bacon Bundles
- Baked Ham
- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Turkey Marsala
- Beef Tenderloin
- Fall Apart Pork Roast
Other Mashed Potato Recipes:
- Perfect Mashed Potatoes
- Baked Mashed Potatoes
- Herb Mashed Potatoes
- Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
- Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Roasted Garlic
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Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes , peeled and cubed
- ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth or water
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup warm whole milk
- 1 cup warm heavy cream
Directions
- Combine the potatoes, broth, garlic, and salt in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, until the potatoes are tender (a knife should slide right into a potato cube with no resistance).
- Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes right in the slow cooker. You can also use an electric mixer but be careful not to overbeat them or they will start to become gluey and dense. If you want smoother potatoes, you can run the potatoes through a food mill or a ricer and return them to the slow cooker. Add the butter, milk, and cream, and stir to thoroughly combine.
- If you like you can re-cover the crockpot and set it to low and hold them for up to an hour, stirring occasionally. Or or leave them in the slow cooker on the warm setting for up to a few hours. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and recombine everything.
- Transfer to a large bowl to serve, or serve right out of the crockpot.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition values are provided as an estimate. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional.
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