Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Name: Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8 to 12 servings (10 cups)
Ingredients: Salt and pepper; 5 pounds russet potatoes; 10 tablespoons butter, sliced and at room temperature, plus more for reheating; 1 cup whole milk, warmed, plus more for reheating

By Genevieve Ko

Updated Nov. 4, 2024

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes — Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.

Total Time: 40 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ reheating, if desired
Rating: 4(1,312)
Comments: Read comments

It’s not just that mashed potatoes can be made ahead; they actually end up creamier and fluffier when prepared in advance. When mashed potatoes chill, their starches firm up, and when reheated gently, they relax into a mash with an even silkier texture. But you can’t save potatoes that start out gluey. Shearing cooked spuds with any blade — food processor, blender or hand mixer — releases enormous amounts of starch and turns the mash into spackle. Here, you break up the potatoes by hand or with a stand mixer’s paddle attachment for an airy smoothness. If you have a ricer or food mill, you can use that instead. Discover more ideas for the big day in our best Thanksgiving recipes collection.

Featured in: These 6 Thanksgiving Dishes Only Get Better With Time

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 12 servings (10 cups)

Salt and pepper
5pounds russet potatoes
10tablespoons butter, sliced and at room temperature, plus more for reheating
1cup whole milk, warmed, plus more for reheating

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Fill a large pot with 8 cups cold water and 1 tablespoon salt. Peel and quarter the potatoes, adding each to the cold water as you cut to prevent them from discoloring. The potatoes should be immersed. If they’re not, add enough water to cover them, along with a pinch of salt.
Step 2
Bring to a boil over high heat and continue boiling until a knife slides through the potatoes very easily, 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 3
Drain well, then return the potatoes to the pot. Some should be falling apart. Heat over low, shaking the pot occasionally, until the potatoes are mottled and very dry, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Step 4
Mash in the pot, adding the butter a few pieces at a time, until smooth, then stir in the milk and season to taste with salt and pepper. Or transfer to a stand mixer and beat with the paddle on low, adding a few pieces of butter at a time, until smooth, then add the milk with the machine running. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 5
You can serve the potatoes right away or hold them for up to 3 hours: Transfer the hot potatoes to a large, wide metal bowl and evenly smooth the top. Set the bowl over a large saucepan of steaming water (or in a skillet of steaming water) over low heat. Add just enough milk to barely cover the potatoes and partly cover the bowl. Stir gently but well before serving so they’re evenly hot and creamy.
Step 6
You also can transfer the potatoes to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, use the setup in Step 5, but add an ⅛-inch layer of milk over the cold, flat top of the potatoes and stir the potatoes every 10 minutes to help them reheat evenly. The whole batch should be steaming hot within 30 minutes. If the mash is still stiff when hot, stir in more milk (or butter, if you’d prefer). Season to taste with salt and pepper again before serving.

Ratings

4 out of 5

1,312 user ratings

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Comments

Diana2 years ago

I reheat my potatoes in a slow cooker. One less thing I have to fuss over at the last minute.

make ahead?2 years ago

This title is a bit misleading. To make ahead, cook potatoes as directed, but put thru a ricer or food mill then refrigerate until ready to use. Then heat milk and melt butter, add in riced potatoes and heat through. That’s how we did it in a well respected restaurant. Works great and you can make single servings on up to a bunch.

Gabby B.2 years ago

We skip the milk and use sour cream instead. Full-fat sour cream, plenty of butter, and salt. I don’t want to hear anything about the amount of fat and salt! We’ll enjoy thanksgiving our way, and you do yours. See how easy that was? When our kids were younger, we made ‘party potatoes,’ by adding a few tablespoons of really tiny minced carrots and broccoli into the mashed potatoes, giving them a festive look. They were thrilled when I made them again during our first pandemic Thanksgiving. :-)

Best mashed Potatoes Ive ever had6 months ago

I don’t even like mashed potatoes haha. But I needed a good recipe as I was making Thanksgiving dinner for the first time for my boyfriend’s family! Eek I know, talk about pressure! This recipe is so good that I not only liked them but was in love with them. I didn’t think potatoes could taste this good! I’ve already raved about this recipe to everyone that would listen. Definitely make these potatoes!

P R6 months ago

I made mine as in the recipe and then froze them which really must do a number on the starches in the potatoes. Took forever to defrost, warmed them up in the oven along with everything else but they were soupy. Had to put them in a pan and just keep stirring them for a long time, ended up having to add instant potato flakes to the mashed potatoes to finally get the correct consistency. It wasn’t any easier or faster on Thanksgiving Day than just making them fresh like I usually do.

LizzieMac7 months ago

Always warm milk...or half-half. And cream cheese with sour cream. Go all in! It's a holiday and we have a lot to be grateful for....!

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