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Creamy, cheesy crock pot mashed potatoes are the perfect accompaniment to any meal. They are SO easy to make – especially for busy holidays!
Crock pot mashed potatoes are an easy take on everyone’s favorite version of potatoes – Mashed Potatoes!! If you’re a fan of these, you’ll also love our Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Loaded Mashed Potatoes!
We love them!
We all love potatoes, especially Mashed Potatoes.
Throw them in the crock pot, and we love them even more! Here’s why:
- Great for busy holidays. When there is a lot of food to make for days like Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s great to have sides made in the slow cooker.
- Delicious. The cheese adds so much delicious flavor, and the garlic adds a great depth of flavor, and they simply taste amazing!
- Simple. The slow cooker does most of the work, and we love it!
These Crockpot Mashed Potatoes would be super fun for a Thanksgiving side dish, but they’re easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- russet potatoes – We us Russet Potatoes, but Yukon Golds will also work in this recipe. Stay away from waxier potatoes like red potatoes.
- minced garlic
- chicken broth
- bay leaf
- milk – we recommend 2% or higher
- butter
- sour cream
- salt and black pepper
- sharp cheddar cheese – or your favorite cheese
How to Make Mashed Potatoes in CrockPot
- PREP. Peel and chop the potatoes into one-inch pieces.
- COOK. Add the potatoes and garlic to a slow cooker, and pour the chicken broth over the top. Add the bay leaf and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.
- MASH. Drain the potatoes, reserving the cooking liquid. Mash the potatoes (with a potato masher) with the milk and butter until mostly smooth (they should be tender and easy to mash). Add cooking liquid as needed to achieve desired consistency.
- SEASON + SERVE. Stir in the sour cream, salt, pepper, and cheese. Serve warm and enjoy!
Make them on the Stove Top
Add the cubed potatoes, chicken broth, garlic, and bay leaf to a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook for 15-20 minutes. Complete step 2 as written.
Ingredient Tips
Don’t overdo it.
- Over-cooking will result in a soupy mash. Check doneness by sticking a fork directly into one of the cubes. If it slides right in without resistance, they’re done.
- Over-mixing will create a gluey texture, instead of the desired fluffy mash. Use a potato masher or potato ricer for desired texture.
For more flavor, consider adding:
- more salt and pepper (or even garlic salt)
- add extra cheddar cheese or Parmesan cheese (or even cream cheese)
- top with parsley, chives or crumbled bacon
- top with Mashed Potato Gravy
Serve these with; How to Roast a Turkey, Pot Roast Recipe, Ritz Cracker Chicken
storing Tips
MAKE AHEAD Yes, keep them in the refrigerator, and when ready to serve, simply reheat them in the crockpot on the “warm” setting until heated through. You may need to add a splash of milk or broth to restore the creamy consistency.
STORE these potatoes in an air-tight container, in the fridge, for up to 5 days.
FREEZE. These mashed potatoes can be frozen, because they have some fat (butter and sour cream), which helps them keep that creamy consistency. Store in an airtight container in the freezer.
Thaw. Let the potatoes thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
for More Great Potato Recipes, Try:
- Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Funeral Potatoes
- Baked Mashed Potatoes
- Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole
- Cheesy Potatoes
- Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes
- Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes
Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- ¾ cup milk
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Peel and chop the potatoes into one inch pieces.
- Add the potatoes and garlic to a slow cooker and pour the chicken broth over the top. Add the bay leaf and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Drain the potatoes, reserving the cooking liquid. Mash the potatoes with the milk and butter until mostly smooth. Add cooking liquid as needed to achieve desired consistency.
- Stir in the sour cream, salt, pepper, and cheese. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Head over to The Baker Upstairs to see more delicious recipes from her!
I’ve been cooking for almost 50 years and I love these potatoes in the crock pot because it frees up a burner on the stove and the fact you can start these 4 hours ahead of time and mash them in the crock pot. When done mashing keeping them covered keeps them nice and hot while bringing the rest of dinner together. I prepare a Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner for 14=16 people and these are a time saver and are delish! I double the garlic for some extra garlicky flavor. 5*****
This is a delicious no fail recipe that is perfect for large gatherings.
How would we double this? Instead of guessing I’d genuinely like to know, please and thank you!
YUM!!!!!!
Love being able to make the mashed potatoes a little bit ahead and keep them warm! Must have for every holiday!
This recipe is a terrific solution for my Thanksgiving dinner. My stove is very croded during the meal preparation. Every burner is in constant use. In the past I have prepared the potatoes on the stove, then transferred to the crockpot to stay warm. Now that I know how to do the whole thing in the crockpot, I have a free burner.
I love this recipe. It saves so much time on the day to have things prepped and ready to go!
Love this! I love that this will keep the mashed potatoes warm since they are in the crockpot 🙂
Any kind of a potatoe dish is a favorite in our home. I always have a bag ready for anything. I love these mashed potatoes.
I use good cheeses in there also
These mashed potatoes are wonderful. Sometimes I add Parmesan cheese to them when I cook an Italian roast. Keeps the stovetop free for other dishes😊
That’s a fun idea! Thanks for sharing. So happy to hear you enjoy the potato recipe!
I love making my potatoes this way! So easy. Thanks
Who knew you could make mashed potatoes in the slow cooker? So glad I found this recipe. They’re amazing!!
Isn’t it the greatest little trick? So glad you love the recipe!
I love how you can cook mashed potatoes in a slow cooker. They are loved at my home ❤️
Want to try these for my family’s thanksgiving feast! Curious of what constitutes a serving size for this recipe though. For 3 lbs of potatoes, it’s 8??? Is it about 1-2 cups’ worth? Please clarify my confusion 😊
Yes, it’s a little over a cup per serving. I mean, that can adjust depending on if you are feeding adults or kids… but for the recipe, it’s a little over a cup.
Love how easy these are to make! Such a time saver. My family loves potatoes.
I love any recipe that uses a crockpot. It feels like its doing all the work for me. These mashed potatoes are cheesy and creamy. WHat could be better?
These were creamy & so good!! Making them in the crock pot came in so handy, since I didn’t have a lot of time.
Going to make these tomorrow for Father’s day meal.
How’d they turn out? Hope everyone enjoyed them!! We love them!
Hi there!…
I have little, to NO skills in the kitchen, which is why I decided to choose mashed potatoes for an upcoming thanksgiving potluck I’ll be attending… Figured I can’t mess up mashed potatoes, right?!… :::crosses fingers::: Anyway, Just curious as to how many people this recipe (3lbs of potatoes) should feed?
And if I were to bump that up to say 5lbs of potatoes, how much should I adjust the recipe? Any help will be GREATLY appreciated!… Thanks!
Wow!! So amazed at how easy these are! Yum!
I’m pretty obsessed with my slow cooker lately! I can’t wait to try these!
SAME!! And I’ve never tried potatoes in the slow cooker – so excited to try this!!
My daughter looooooves mashed potatoes … and I love how easy this recipe is in the slow cooker! Even better, cooking side dishes like this in the slow cooker really frees up stovetop and oven space when you’re pulling together big holiday meals – total lifesaver!
awesome way to have delicious home made mashed potatoes ready for the weeknight!
YUM! Can’t believe these were made in a slow cooker! These look amazing!
How have I never made mashed potatoes in the crock pot? I just may need to make this happen tonight!
I’ve never made them in the crock pot either, so I’m excited to try these! 😀
What a great idea! I love using my slow cooker during the holidays!
I can’t wait to try this recipe out. I always throw a large Thanksgiving party and the mashed potatoes take so much time right before the party starts {when I am usually flipping out, so having them slow cooking would be a huge help.
I’m just going to go ahead a put my crock pot on the counter for the season. So many great ways to use it.