Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Craving creamy mashed potatoes for your holiday feast but dreading day-of prep? Discover this foolproof make-ahead mashed potatoes: rich, velvety, utterly delicious—and made up to 3 days early!
Are holiday meals stressing you out? Imagine a Thanksgiving where your mashed potatoes are already done—fluffy, luscious, and tasting like you just whipped them up! Hi friends, Mary Katherine here. This recipe for make-ahead mashed potatoes will transform your holiday prep, giving you more time with your loved ones and less time tied to the stove.
Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, a big family gathering, or just a cozy busy-weeknight dinner, these dreamy mashed potatoes are the perfect side. They’re packed with flavor and so creamy—yet made entirely ahead. Let’s bring more peace, joy, and good food to your table!
Can I really make them three days ahead?
Yes! Once prepped and cooled, store tightly covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just bake before serving for perfect texture and taste.
How do I keep them from getting gummy?
Start with room temp/warmed dairy—not cold! Cold butter, sour cream, or cream cheese can mess with the potato starch, so make sure everything’s gently warmed or softened before mixing in.
What are the best potatoes to use?
Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes are classic, but any starchy variety will work. Yukon Gold gives a particularly creamy texture.
Can I freeze these mashed potatoes?
For the best flavor and texture, keep them in the fridge (up to 3 days). Freezing can make them watery when reheated.
How should I store and reheat leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the oven, covered, or microwave gently, adding a splash of milk if needed.
Any special flavor tips?
Try stirring in roasted garlic, swapping sour cream for Greek yogurt, or adding a little shredded cheese! Fresh chives on top add brightness and a pretty finish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These mashed potatoes are a holiday lifesaver—creamy and satisfying, yet so easy and stress-free. You’ll have a crowd-pleaser that lets you focus on what really matters: sharing good food and sweet moments at your table.
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 lb potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
- ½ cup half & half or milk, gently warmed
- ½ cup salted butter, gently warmed
- 1 cup sour cream
- 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 tsp kosher salt divided: ½–1 tsp for boiling; then up to ½–¾ tsp to taste when mixing
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder optional
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Butter for topping optional, 2–3 pats
- Chives for garnish optional
- Nonstick cooking spray for pan
Instructions
Prep the Potatoes:
- Peel a 5 lb bag of potatoes and cut them into large chunks for faster, more even cooking.
- Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Sprinkle with about ½ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
Boil:
- Bring to a boil over medium to medium-high heat.
- To prevent boiling over, lay a wooden spoon across the top of your pot (a little trick from Mary Katherine!).
- Boil for about 20 minutes, or until a knife slides easily through the potatoes.
Drain and Mix:
- Drain well and transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, gently warm together the half & half and butter (about 40 seconds; butter doesn’t have to be fully melted).
- Add warmed butter/half & half, room-temp cream cheese, and sour cream to the hot potatoes.
- Season with about ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional), and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Beat with a mixer until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Mary Katherine likes hers extra creamy, so she bumps up the speed for a bit at the end.
Pan & Store:
- Spray a 9×13-inch (or similar) baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Spoon mashed potatoes into the prepared dish.
- Let cool a bit, then cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap and foil. Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Bake to Serve:
- When ready to serve, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- If desired, dot the top with extra butter before baking.
- Bake, covered, for 35–45 minutes until hot and edges are just starting to crisp.
- Stir to make them nice and creamy, garnish with chives if you like, and serve! No one will know you made these ahead of time—they taste just-made.
i love everything you do.
Aww, thank you so much!
You do not mention how many this recipe serves, this would be helpful.
It will probably feed up to 20 people. We fed 13 with it and had several servings leftover!
They looks so yummy!
Thank you!
Hi there! Looks delicious. Can you use almond milk or soy milk instead? Just wondering 🙂
I have never done that before, but I’d love to know your results if you give it a try!
Love your posts Mary Katherine!
Thank you so much, Jane! 🙂
They look great! I need to do things ahead of time this year and these will do perfectly. May I ask if you brought them to room temperature before putting in the oven or did they go in straight from the refrigerator?
I do usually let them sit out for a little while. Maybe at least 30 minutes to an hour, but they may not be quite up to room temperature at that point. Sitting out a little longer would be fine too!
Recipes are simple not complicated with a lot of different ingredients. We don’t have on hand. Especially love the mashed potatoes made ahead of time.
Thank you! Hope you enjoy them. 🙂
I love your recipes and will give the mashed potatoes a try !! Glad I found your page !
Wonderful! I’m so glad to have you here!
Can I double or triple recipe? 30 people for dinner!
Yes, if you double it, that should feed 30 people! We fed 13 people and had plenty leftover from one recipe!
Could these be heated in a crock pot instead of baking in the oven? I will be bringing them to a friends house and her oven space is limited.
Yes! Be sure to stir them gently a time or two in order to keep them from burning or sticking to the sides! Should work well, though! 🙂
How do these taste with gravy? I have some big gravy fans!
These would be delicious with gravy, just like freshly made mashed potatoes! 🙂
Turned out awesome and so nice to have most of the work already done before the holiday.
That’s great! Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Fabulous, so perfect according to your instructions. First time for me. I made these to take for Thanksgiving dinner.
Thank you for sharing your recipe and excellent instructions.
That’s great! I knew you could do it! 🙂
It must have been angels that guided me to this recipe. These were by far the best mashed potatoes I have ever made. So creamy and delicious…I can’t stop talking about them. I would never have tried them if Mary Katherine had not made that perfect video. Thank you so much!!
Oh, thank you so much! My husband, the camera guy & video editor sure knows what he’s doing. 🙂 So glad you found the recipe & enjoyed it so much. 🙂
This recipe is very close to the mashed potatoes my mom and I always make but we never followed a recipe – so it’s nice to have something to follow and to share with others when asked. I think the addition of sour cream and extra butter on top before reheating are essential for the extra moisture needed when reheating.
I’m so glad you have the recipe too! Yes, the sour cream and cream cheese make a difference…and the extra butter on top does help too!
The best mashed potatoes ever!
They are so good! Glad you enjoyed them!
We are going to give this a try for our Christmas celebration. I also like the fact that you can make them early, so that the actual day need not feel rushed. Thank you and enjoy your Christmas season too.
Thank you! Yes, I love a good make-ahead dish that frees up special family time! 🙂
Love these, easy to make, family favorite!