Overhead view of a black and white bowl full of fluffy mashed potatoes with a butter pat melting on top.

Are you hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year? If so, the slow cooker is your best friend. If you’ve never done the whole massive turkey dinner thing, you might not realize it, but one of the most difficult things about getting that awesome yumminess on the table is timing. It may seem like a silly thing to worry aboutโ€”who cares if dinner is 15 minutes lateโ€”but it becomes problematic when dishes start coming off at different times. No one wants cold mashed potatoes!

This is where the Crock-Pot can rock your holiday. Will you be able to fit your 20-pound turkey into your slow cooker? No, but the slow cooker can take the always-important mashed potatoes off your to-do list while you work on everything else.

Can you make mashed potatoes in the Crock-pot?

Absolutely you can make mashed potatoes in the slow cooker! In fact, mashed potatoes are one of my very favorite Thanksgiving dishes to “hand off” to my Crock-Pot. Itโ€™s not just easier, but I also think the resulting mashed potatoes are some of the creamiest, most flavorful potatoes you can make! I started doing slow cooker mashed potatoes a few Thanksgivings ago, and I havenโ€™t looked back since! My mashed potatoes are hot, creamy, and ready to go whenever I am. With barely any work or thought on my part.



Fluffy mashed potatoes in a large Crock-Pot slow cooker on a white countertop.

How do I make this crockpot mashed potato recipe?

It really couldnโ€™t be easier to make mashed potatoes in your slow cooker. Hereโ€™s the method:

  1. Place peeled, chopped potatoes in the crock of a slow cooker with butter, broth, salt, and garlic. Stir well to make sure all the potatoes are submerged under the broth.
  2. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, stirring regularly. Potatoes are ready when they are very tenderโ€”they should fall apart when you try to split one with a fork. Drain off the broth, and reserve for another use (it’s great for thickening and adding richness to soup).
  3. Add in additional butter, sour cream, milk, and additional salt to taste. Mash, mash, mash!
  4. Sprinkle on some chopped chives and serve!

Protip: Don’t forget to drain the broth!

Don’t forget to drain the broth off before you mash! You want mashed potatoes here, not potato soup.

How do you keep mashed potatoes warm in the slow cooker?

Thatโ€™s the absolute beauty of cooking your mashed potatoes in your slow cookerโ€”no worries about whether the potatoes will be cold by the time dinner is ready! Once Iโ€™ve made my potatoes, I switch my slow cooker to the โ€œwarmโ€ setting, and place the lid back on. The potatoes will sit there happily until Iโ€™m ready to scoop them into my serving dish.

What are the best potatoes to use for mashed potatoes?

The type of potato you choose for your mashed potatoes DOES matter! The best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had were made using German Butterball potatoes. They’re almost impossible to find in stores, but we grew them in our garden a few years back, and oh my gosh, they were amazing! Check for them at your farmers’ market.

If you canโ€™t track down German Butterball, I recommend going with either Russet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, or a combination of the two. I much prefer the creamy texture of the Yukon Gold potatoes, but it does mean your mashed potatoes are yellow. If you prefer the white, fluffy, cloud-like mashed potatoes, go with all Russet potatoes or a combination of Russet and Yukon Gold.

Ingredients (butter, broth, russet potatoes, salt, milk, sour cream) for slow cooker mashed potatoes on white counter top.

Do you need to peel potatoes before making mashed potatoes?

If you want super creamy mashed potatoes, you need to peel them, but if youโ€™re okay with more rustic โ€œsmashedโ€ potatoes, you can leave the peel on. Russet potatoes do tend to have a tougher peel than potatoes like Yukon Gold, so Iโ€™d recommend peeling Russets. 

Protip: Cutting the potatoes

Cut your potatoes into small chunks, which will cook more evenly. It will make your mashed potatoes smoother!

Can you make this crockpot mashed potatoes recipe ahead of time? 

The beauty of the slow cooker is that you don’t really have to make them ahead of timeโ€”the crockpot makes them while you work on other dishes. But if youโ€™d like to make them ahead of time, you can:

  1. Cook the mashed potatoes all the way through, including mashing.
  2. Either transfer into a food storage container, or cover the removable crock of your slow cooker (if it has one) and store in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
  3. When itโ€™s time to reheat, place the potatoes back in the slow cooker on low, adding in an additional 1/2 cup of milk, and warm for 1-2 hours, stirring frequently.

How much mashed potatoes should you make per person?

The rule of thumb for mashed potatoes is 1/2 pound of potatoes per person. This recipe below calls for five pounds of potatoes, which will feed 10 people as a side dish (without any leftovers) for Thanksgiving dinner. A word of warning: these mashed potatoes are so delicious that you might want to bump up your estimates a bit more! Any time I make these, people come back for seconds and thirds.

Pouring chicken broth over potatoes and butter in a slow cooker.

How much mashed potatoes can I fit in my slow cooker?

A smaller size, 3-quart slow cooker will just fit this recipe as written belowโ€”which serves around 10 people. A larger size, 6- or 7-quart slow cooker will fit double this recipeโ€”which can easily serve 20 people. If youโ€™re having trouble getting the recipe to fit in your Crock-Pot, just cut the potatoes into slightly smaller pieces. Theyโ€™ll be able to nestle into the crock better, and theyโ€™ll cook faster!

Protip: The Instant Pot version

If your slow cooker is unavailable, you can still keep your mashed potatoes hands-off! How? With our Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, of course!

Whatโ€™s the best way to mash mashed potatoes?

There are three ways that Iโ€™ve tested for the actual mashing of mashed potatoes, and letโ€™s run through them:

  1. Using an electric hand mixer, food processor, or blender (NOT recommended): You might be tempted to bring out your small kitchen appliances to mash potatoes, but it is very easy to overmix potatoesโ€”which is what turns them gummy or gluey. I donโ€™t recommend it. This is a job for your muscles!
  2. A potato ricer: If you want incredibly smooth and consistent mashed potatoes, a potato ricer is going to be your best bet. I used to own one, but I realized I only used it once a year (on Thanksgiving!) and it wasnโ€™t worth the storage space in my small kitchen, so instead I always use…
  3. A hand masher (my favorite way!): And not just any hand masherโ€”the best potato mashing comes from hand mashers that have a mashing plate. Itโ€™s the same idea as the potato ricer, but takes up a lot less storage space. Because you are doing it by hand, itโ€™s hard to guarantee 100% smooth mashed potatoes, but there are bigger problems in life than a few lumps, right?

Protip: Mash by hand

Promise me you will mash your potatoes by hand! Thatโ€™s how you get fluffy mashed potatoes instead of gluey ones.

Why should you make mashed potatoes with sour cream?

Sour cream (or you could use plain, full-fat Greek yogurt) is one of my favorite secret ingredients to making super creamy, super flavorful mashed potatoes! I mix in just enough to add a touch of tang and some creamy texture. Trust me, donโ€™t skip it!

Closeup view of fluffy mashed potatoes in a large Crock-Pot. Mashed potatoes are topped with fresh chives.

Can you make these slow cooker mashed potatoes dairy-free and vegan?

I tested these mashed potatoes multiple times โ€œfully loadedโ€ with butter and whole milk, but I also did a test with vegetable broth, vegan margarine, cashew cream, and cashew sour cream with good results. Itโ€™s not exactly the same, but itโ€™ll definitely do the trick!

Can I add garlic or other flavors to these crock pot mashed potatoes?

You can most definitely boost the flavor of the slow cooker mashed potatoes with whatever strikes your fancy! I will say that because of the cooking method (the potatoes are cooked in broth and butter), these mashed potatoes are inherently more flavorful than your standard boring mashed potatoes. But if you still want to punch up the flavor, here are some ideas:

  • Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes: The recipe already includes a couple cloves of garlic for base flavor, but adding in a whole head (or two) of roasted garlic will really take it over the top!
  • Zesty Ranch Mashed Potatoes: Swap out the whole milk for either Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing, Cashew Ranch Dressing, or Coconut Milk Ranch Dressing for a zesty batch of mashed potatoes.
  • Pesto Mashed Potatoes: Gently mix a couple tablespoons of basil or kale pesto into these crockpot mashed potatoes for a beautiful and flavorful green swirl.
Tight view of creamy mashed potatoes in a bowl with a butter pat melting on top.

Have a mashed potato problem? Letโ€™s troubleshoot:

These crockpot mashed potatoes are the easiest mashed potatoes on the planet, but sometimes life happens and something goes wrong, so letโ€™s fix some mashed potato problems.

How do I fix mashed potatoes that are too thick?

This is the easiest mashed potato problem of them all to fix! Just mix in a small amount of extra milk until they are the consistency you like.

How do I fix watery/runny mashed potatoes?

There are a number of ways to fix watery or runny mashed potatoes. If they are just slightly runny, you can heat the potatoes uncovered over medium-low heat on the stove, stirring frequently, to cook off some of the liquid. If they are very soupy, I have the best luck with adding a thickening agent. You can add a tablespoon or two of instant mashed potato flakes, arrowroot powder, or cornstarch to the hot mashed potatoes to help them thicken up.

How do I fix lumpy potatoes?

The one caveat with making crockpot mashed potatoes is that it can be easy for the potatoes to cook unevenlyโ€”which results in lumps when you mash. To prevent this, make sure to:

  • Use enough broth.Because of the different sizes and shapes of Crock-Pots, you’ll need to add more or less broth to make sure the potatoes are covered in broth. This is the number one reason why you’d have lumpy mashed potatoesโ€”not enough broth. Make sure everything is covered!
  • Cut the potatoes evenly in small chunks. Youโ€™re looking for 1โ€ chunks hereโ€”smaller than you would for regular stove-top potatoes. You also want your potatoes to be evenly cut so they cook in the same amount of time.
  • Make sure that the potatoes are fully cooked through before mashing. Once you start mashing, itโ€™s hard to go back, so make sure your potatoes are completely cooked through before mashing.

How do I fix gummy/gluey mashed potatoes?

Gummy or gluey mashed potatoes come from the potatoes being overworkedโ€”which turns the starch in the potatoes into the gluey texture. This happens most frequently when people use electric mixers, food processors, or blenders to do their mashing (stick with the hand masher, friends!). Unfortunately, there isnโ€™t much you can do to come back from gummy mashed potatoes. Your best plan of action is to turn the gluey mashed potatoes into something elseโ€”potato soup is a great option. All Recipes has a full video of ideas for how to repurpose gluey mashed potatoes. 

Tight view of bowl of fluffy slow cooker mashed potatoes on white countertop. Mashed potatoes are topped with fresh chives and a melting butter pat.

Whatever you do, donโ€™t make these two HUGE mashed potato mistakes!

There are two big rookie mistakes that people make when making mashed potatoes, and I really want you to avoid them:

  1. Donโ€™t undersalt! Mashed potatoes require A LOT of salt to be flavorful. If your potatoes feel under seasoned, keep adding salt. Youโ€™d be amazed at how much salt it takes to make mashed potatoes really wonderful. Keep tasting, adding seasoning, and tasting again. Hey, maybe even bring in some of your family to be taste-testers, too!
  2. Donโ€™t use a mixer/blender/food processor to mash! Hand-over-heart promise me you wonโ€™t use any of your small kitchen appliances to mash your slow cooker mashed potatoes. Thatโ€™s a recipe for gluey, gummy mashed potatoes. This is a job for your biceps and a good hand masher.

Protip: Don’t be shy with the salt!

Salt will take your mashed potatoes from flavorless to flavorful. Donโ€™t be shy with itโ€”it is hard to over-salt mashed potatoes!

My protips for perfect crockpot mashed potatoes

  • Cut your potato chunks small. Smaller potato chunks cook more evenly in the slow cooker, resulting in lump-free mashed potatoes.
  • Don’t forget to drain the cooking broth! If you mash before draining, your potatoes will end up soupy.
  • It’s hard to over salt mashed potatoes, but it’s easy to under season them! Keep adding salt until they taste flavorful and delicious.
  • Mash the potatoes by hand to prevent the mashed potatoes from going gummy or gluey.

You’ll never go back to the regular way of doing mashed potatoes again! Enjoy.

Want more Thanksgiving recipes like this one?

  • How to Dry Brine a Turkey. Once you’ve tried this method, you’ll never skip the turkey brine again!
  • Fresh Green Bean CasseroleSkip the canned stuff and learn how to make a flavorful version of this Thanksgiving classic!
  • Fool-Proof Turkey Gravy. Intimidated by gravy? Don’t beโ€”we’ll show you all our tricks for getting the smoothest, most flavorful gravy, every time.
  • Fan Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dishes. Get all our most loved turkey day sides in one spot. You’ll definitely want to consult this while you put together your Thanksgiving menu.
  • Our Best Thanksgiving Cocktails. We are declaring 2020 the year of the holiday cocktail. Here is our list of the best drinks to serve.
 
Tight view of bowl of fluffy slow cooker mashed potatoes on white countertop. Mashed potatoes are topped with fresh chives and a melting butter pat.

Crockpot Mashed Potatoes

Yield: 10 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes

By using your slow cooker to make these easy mashed potatoes, you get creamy, flavorful potatoes for any major holiday with barely any effort at all.

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes (or a mixture), peeled and cut into even 1" pieces
  • 4-6 cups chicken broth (see notes)
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cupโ€“1 cup whole milk
  • Fresh chopped chives, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Combine the potatoes, 4 cups of broth, 1 stick (1/2 cup) of the butter, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the basin of a slow cooker. Add additional broth if needed to cover the potatoes. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or until the potatoes are very tender. Stir occasionally throughout the cooking time to make sure the potatoes cook evenly.
  2. Drain off and reserve the majority of the cooking broth (it doesn't have to be completely dry, but you want to get most of it).
  3. Mash the potatoes using a hand-held potato masher until no lumps remain. Then, mash in additional salt to taste, as well as the remaining butter, sour cream, and whole milk, starting with 1/4 cup and adding more until the potatoes reach your desired consistency. You can also add in more of the cooking broth to thin it out.
  4. Sprinkle on chopped chives, cover the potatoes, put the slow cooker to warm, and then serve.

Notes

  • Make sure your potatoes are completely covered by the broth. Depending on the size and shape of your slow cooker, you might need to use more broth. For example, I have two 6 quart slow cookersโ€”in one (that is oval-shaped), I only need to use 4 cups of broth. The other is a square, and I need to use a full 6 cups to get the potatoes covered.
  • Don't toss the broth! The drained-off chicken broth is great to use in soups, stews, and gravies.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 301Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 2363mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 10g

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30 Comments

    1. If cream cheese and pepper are in your best ever mashed potatoes then go for it! For us, it’s the combo of sour cream, whole milk, and salt that makes them perfect. But once you have the slow cooker technique down, you can adjust this recipe to your tastes and preferences. Let us know how they turn out for you!

  1. I usually roast a whole head of garlic and add to my potatoes before mashing. Do you think I could do that with this recipe instead of adding the minced garlic at the beginning?

  2. Mine tasted good, but were too soupy using one whole cup of broth. Next time I will use 1/2 cup of broth and then have room for yummy sour cream and maybe even cream cheese. Perhaps itโ€™s a difference in which slow cooker you use, but you can always add more liquid but itโ€™s impossible to take it away

    1. Sorry to hear they were soupy! Did you use the full cup of whole milk? That could be the cause of the soupiness too!

      1. You don’t mention whether or not to drain the broth and that could be the problem. I am cooking them now and there is a lot of broth on the bottom of the crock pot that i will probably dump. If not, they will be souply.

  3. This recipe looked like a recipe I had used in the past but somehow misplaced it. I was hoping this was it but was greatly disappointed. I followed your recipe exactly but ended up with very bland mashed potatoes with small lumps. I have no idea why they turned out this way. I even used my electric hand mixer much longer than I probably should have but fortunately they didn’t get gummy. I had to really doctor these potatoes up with garlic powder, garlic salt, onion powder – just about anything I could find in my spice rack to give them some flavor. I timed them so they would finish in the crock pot about an hour before we planned on eating so I don’t think they overcooked. As far as the mashing of the potatoes I would recommend a ricer. If I had used one of those I could at least say they weren’t lumpy. Sorry I dont have a more positive comment.

  4. Can I cut up the potatoes the night before and add the rest of the ingredients in the morning? Or will they get weird?

  5. My husband is the mashed potato chef extraordinaire at our house. This method looks like a fantastic idea. I am wondering if you could use plain water instead of broth? I know he won’t want to change up his recipe too much, especially for Thanksgiving. He’s very much into tradition. Thank you!