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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!

Close up image of crock pot mashed potatoes in white bowl.

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

  1. PREP. Peel and chop the potatoes into one-inch pieces.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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

Creamy mashed potatoes made in crock pot on spoon.

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.

Crockpot Mashed Potatoes topped with shredded butter and chopped parsley.

for More Great Potato Recipes, Try:

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5 from 17 votes

Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes

By: Lil’ Luna
Creamy, cheesy crockpot mashed potatoes are the perfect accompaniment to any meal. They are SO easy to make – especially for busy holidays!
Servings: 8
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 15 minutes

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
Save This Recipe!
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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!

Video

Notes

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 36mg, Sodium: 803mg, Potassium: 867mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 400IU, Vitamin C: 18.2mg, Calcium: 175mg, Iron: 1.8mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Making this recipe? Tag us!
Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!

Head over to The Baker Upstairs to see more delicious recipes from her!

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Recipe Rating




33 Comments

  1. Nosipho says:

    Going to make these tomorrow for Father’s day meal.

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      How’d they turn out? Hope everyone enjoyed them!! We love them!

  2. Danny says:

    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!

    1. Jessica Konold says:

      5 stars
      Wow!! So amazed at how easy these are! Yum!

  3. Jaren (Diary of a Recipe Collector) says:

    I’m pretty obsessed with my slow cooker lately! I can’t wait to try these!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      SAME!! And I’ve never tried potatoes in the slow cooker – so excited to try this!!

  4. Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says:

    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!

  5. Derek says:

    awesome way to have delicious home made mashed potatoes ready for the weeknight!

  6. Becky Hardin | The Cookie Rookie says:

    5 stars
    YUM! Can’t believe these were made in a slow cooker! These look amazing!

  7. Kimberly Ann @ Bake Love Give says:

    How have I never made mashed potatoes in the crock pot? I just may need to make this happen tonight!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      I’ve never made them in the crock pot either, so I’m excited to try these! 😀

  8. Tonia from TheGunnySack says:

    What a great idea! I love using my slow cooker during the holidays!

  9. Amy Stafford says:

    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.

  10. Paula - bell'alimento says:

    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.