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Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Creamy mashed potatoes made with cream cheese and sour cream, spread in a dish up to two days ahead, and baked on the day. One less pot on the stove.

⏱ 1 hr 35 min (20 min prep, 1 hr 15 min cooking) 🍽 Serves 12 Β· about β…” cup make ahead vegetariangluten free

Part of our Thanksgiving dinner: menu, timeline and shopping list β†’

πŸ“… Add to my plan

ContainsMilk. Check the labels on what you buy; brands differ.

Ingredients

Make 12 servings
  • 4 lb Yellow (Yukon-type) potatoes, or russets, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks
  • 1 tbsp Table salt, for the cooking water; most is poured away
  • 4 oz Cream cheese, softened
  • Β½ cup Sour cream
  • 6 tbsp Butter, unsalted, divided
  • ΒΎ cup Whole milk, warm, up to 1 cup
  • 1 tsp Table salt
  • ΒΌ tsp Ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp Fresh chives, snipped (optional)

Make it yourself

Make the butter yourself β†’

In the planner, Make it on the shopping list swaps the store item for these ingredients and puts the work on your prep day.

Nutrition

Nutrition coming: the USDA numbers for these ingredients are being added.

Steps

You’ll need: large pot, potato masher or ricer, 9 Γ— 13-inch baking dish, foil, food thermometer.

  1. Put the potatoes in the pot, cover with cold water by an inch, and add the 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until a knife slides in easily, 15 to 20 minutes.
  2. Drain well and return them to the warm pot for a minute to steam dry. Mash or rice them.
  3. Beat in the cream cheese, sour cream and 4 tablespoons of the butter, then enough warm milk to make them creamy. Season with the salt and pepper.
  4. Spread in the buttered baking dish and dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Serve now, or cool, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours, for up to 2 days.
  5. To serve, heat the oven to 350Β°F. Bake covered 30 minutes, then uncovered 20 to 30 minutes more, until hot in the center (165Β°F) and lightly golden on top. Sprinkle with chives.

🌑 Safe temperaturesMake-ahead dishes, reheated 165°F. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer (USDA). More on food safety.

Make aheadMake and refrigerate them up to 2 days ahead. Take the dish out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.
β†Ί LeftoversRefrigerate within 2 hours; use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat to 165Β°F, or make potato pancakes.
πŸ§’ With kidsKids can mash (with a grown-up holding the hot pot) and sprinkle the chives.
Garlic swapSimmer 4 peeled garlic cloves with the potatoes and mash them in.
Slow cooker swapInstead of baking, reheat the potatoes on low in a buttered slow cooker for 3 to 4 hours, stirring once, until 165Β°F; this frees the oven.

Goes well with

πŸ₯£ Turkey Gravy from the DrippingsπŸ«• Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy

Good to know

Table salt vs. kosher salt vs. sea salt Cooking Fats Compared Salted vs. unsalted butter Fresh vs. dried herbs Food Safety Basics

An original Teddy Rook Book recipe, written for our Thanksgiving dinner; safety steps follow USDA. Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central and changes with brands and portions.