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This recipe for Crockpot Mashed Potatoes is a game-changer when it comes to getting mashed potatoes on the table without stress. With their creamy, velvety texture and rich flavor from garlic and parmesan, these mashed potatoes are every bit as delicious as the stovetop version, just a lot easier to make.
What makes crockpot mashed potatoes extra special? You can prep hours ahead of time, hold warm for hours, and free up precious stovetop and oven space. No last-minute boiling, draining, or rushing around. Perfect make-ahead dish for the holidays!
Kristen's Keys for Perfect Crockpot Mashed Potatoes (Start Here!)
Making buttery, creamy, luscious mashed potatoes in the slow cooker is easy--exceptionally easy. But for the best results, be sure to pay attention to the following:
- Choose Yukon gold potatoes. Yukon Golds are naturally buttery and less starchy than russet potatoes, which means they mash into a smooth, dreamy texture without getting gluey.
- Use vegetable broth or chicken stock instead of water. Because this is a no-drain mashed potato recipe, the potatoes absorb the liquid and broth enhances the overall taste. Because there's no draining, the potatoes soak up all that savory flavor.
- Use a masher, not a hand mixer. It keeps the potatoes fluffy and avoids the dense, gummy texture you get from overmixing.
- Warm the milk or cream before adding to potatoes, as adding cold liquid to the warm potatoes can cause them to seize up.
- Sour cream is the secret to incredible flavor and texture. A bit of tang balances out the rich notes and brings the potatoes to life. It also makes the potatoes super creamy and fluffy.
- Hold warm up to 4 hours. Talk about an easy way to make mashed potatoes for the holidays, guests, or your family on a busy weeknight.
5-Star Reader Review
These are perfect! Made them this weekend and paired with some fried chicken. Everybody loved them. Will add these to my list for Thanksgiving side dishes! - Michelle ⭐⭐⭐⭐
How to Make Mashed Potatoes in the Slow Cooker
While the process of cooking potatoes in the slow cooker is easy-peasy, think of this step-by-step section as me helping you achieve perfect crockpot mashed potatoes.
- Cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes. This helps the potatoes cook evenly so you end up with creamy, lump-free mashed potatoes.
- Slow cook potatoes. Add potatoes, broth, salt, garlic, and butter to the base of your slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours, or until potatoes are fork tender.
- Mash potatoes. Once cooked, use a hand masher to mash the potatoes directly in the slow cooker. They will absorb the excess liquid as you mash, creating a rich base.
- Warm milk or cream. Place milk or cream of choice in a heat-safe dish (a glass measuring cup works well) and microwave for 30 seconds--just to take the chill off.
- Fold in additions. Add half of the warm cream and gently mix into the mashed potatoes until absorbed. Fold in the sour cream and parmesan cheese, if using. Add additional cream as needed to reach the texture you like.
- Serve or hold warm. Serve immediately or hold warm and enjoy within 4 hours.
Crockpot Mashed Potatoes Video
If you learn better through step-by-step video presentation, join me in my kitchen as I make these delicious slow cooker mashed potatoes.
Serving Suggestions
- For a Holiday Meal: Crockpot mashed potatoes are the obvious choice for holiday meals--like Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. They pair beautifully with baked ham, Instant Pot ham, Instant Pot turkey breast, roasted turkey, or a New York Strip roast.
- For a Weeknight Dinner: Don't just limit these easy crockpot mashed potatoes to the holidays or entertaining. Serve them any night of the week with dishes like chopped steaks, lemon pepper chicken, or bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin.
Recipe Modifications
- Keep It Simple: Omit the addition of garlic and parmesan cheese for classic mashed potatoes.
- Additional Additions: Black pepper, chopped fresh rosemary, fresh thyme leaves, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, or chives are great options to add additional flavor and texture.
- Dairy-Free: Use extra broth in place of cream, non-dairy butter, and omit the parmesan.To replace the sour cream, you can use non-dairy sour cream, non-dairy plain yogurt, or simply add additional broth to loosen up the consistency a bit.
- Sour Cream Replacement: Softened cream cheese, plain Greek yogurt, or additional cream or milk all work to add moisture and creaminess to the mashed potatoes. But nothing quite compares to the flavor of sour cream.
- Options for Milk/Cream: Use heavy cream for incredibly rich and decadent mashed potatoes, half and half for super creamy and slightly rich mashed potatoes, or whole milk for simple, yet creamy results. Reduced fat and skim milk can be used, but the results won't be as luxurious.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerate: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Once fully cooled, transfer the mashed potatoes to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost the potatoes in the refrigerator overnight before reheating .
- Reheat in the Microwave: Place the mashed potatoes in a heat-safe bowl with a bit of broth or milk to loosen, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave in 60-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until warmed through.
- Reheat in Slow Cooker: Add potatoes and a splash of milk or broth to slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 2-3 hours, stirring often.
- Transform Leftovers into a New Creation: Use leftover mashed potatoes to make recipes like potato cakes, potato tacos, pierogi lasagna, or Thanksgiving egg rolls. Any and all are absolutely delicious!
More Favorite Holiday Side Dishes
Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
This is an easy recipe for creamy, buttery slow cooker mashed potatoes that are seasoned with garlic and parmesan.
Video
Ingredients
- 5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled (optional)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock, or vegetable broth
- ½-1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½-1 cup milk or cream
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, optional
Instructions
- Place peeled, cubed potatoes and 3 peeled garlic cloves in the slow cooker. Add in 1 cup of broth, ½ teaspoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons butter and stir to combine.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours, or until potatoes are fork tender and mash easily. Do not drain off the cooking liquid.
- Once the potatoes are tender, mash the potatoes with a hand-held potato masher until they are broken down.
- Place 1 cup of milk or cream in a heat-safe glass container and microwave for 30 seconds to just warm slightly. Add in ½ cup of the warm milk and ½ cup parmesan cheese to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Stir in the ½ cup of sour cream. If needed, add up to an additional ½ cup or warm milk until the mashed potatoes reach the right consistency. Give a taste and add in additional salt if needed.
- Serve immediately or keep on warm for up to 4 hours until ready to serve.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker (no bells and whistles, but gets the job done!)
- potato masher (so easy to clean too!)
Notes
Broth: Use low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken stock.
Cream: Use half and half, cream, or milk of any fat percentage for a creamy finish to these slow cooker mashed potatoes.
Flavoring: Feel free to omit Parmesan and Garlic for a more classic recipe for crockpot mashed potatoes.
Dairy-Free Option: Use additional broth in place of the cream, use non-dairy butter, and omit the parmesan. To replace the sour cream, you can use non-dairy sour cream, non-dairy plain yogurt, or simply use additional broth to loosen up the consistency a bit.
Storage: Leftover cooled mashed potatoes can be stored in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze the mashed potatoes in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month.
Reheating: I suggest reheating the potatoes with a bit of broth or milk to help keep the potatoes creamy. If frozen, defrost the potatoes in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat over low heat in a slow cooker or in an oven-safe dish at 300 degrees F until warmed through.
Nutrition
Calories: 263kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 7gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 541mgPotassium: 968mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 560IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 104mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe for Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes was originally published in 2017 and updated in 2025.
This sounds like a perfect recipe if I wasn't so lazy and didn't want to peel potatoes. Do you think this would work with the baby yukon golds, not peeling them, but making more of a 'smashed' potato?
Absolutely! As long as you aren't going for super smooth, it will be perfect. Happy Thanksgiving!
can you use an immersion blender?
Hi Mary! You can, but I don't recommend using an immersion blender as it will overwork the potatoes and make them gummy. A handheld masher should do the trick.
Can you use 5lb bag of russet potatoes?
Thank you!
Hi Anna! You can, but the results will not be as creamy, as russets will release a lot of starch as they cook. For the best results, use Yukon Gold potatoes. They not only have a creamy, buttery texture, but they do not release as much starch when cooked in the crockpot, making the final result absolute perfection.
If you need to double the recipe do/ how would you adjust cooking time?
Hey there! Plan on adding 20-40 minutes to the cooking time and don't fill your slow cooker more than 3/4ths of the way full. Happy Thanksgiving.
What size crock pot is sufficient for this recipe?
Hi Michelle! Amy slow cooker from 4 to 8 will work well with this recipe.
What would be your make ahead suggestions? Like a day before?
Hi Lori! To make a day in advance, I would prepare the potatoes as suggested, then transfer them to a greased baking dish. Let cool, refrigerate, covered overnight. The next day, I would let the potatoes come to room temperature for 30-60 minutes and then Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes, uncovered. It is hard to reheat them successfully without burning or drying out using the crockpot.
I haven’t tried these yet but I was wondering if they could be mashed using a ricer? That’s what I usually use for mashed potatoes.
Hi Stacy! Yes, you can use a ricer for sure! I do that as well when I make russet potatoes, to get them super smooth. However, you will likely find it won't necessary, a masher will get these super smooth.