Million Dollar Mashed Potatoes

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If you want perfect whipped potatoes make a big batch of creamy, fluffy Million Dollar Mashed Potatoes in your slow cooker.

You and your family will love this simple potato side dish.

Million Dollar Crockpot Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Any holiday or family dinner is more manageable if you can keep your stovetop and oven free for the main dishes while your slow cooker does the side dish work.

This slow cooker recipe is a fix-it-and-forget-it kind of recipe.

The crockpot can do the work while you’re busy with the rest of the dinner – no babysitting is required.

These potatoes are so smooth and creamy you can eat them plain! No gravy is required.

Make crockpot potatoes ahead of time, and then just reheat them on low the day of your big dinner.

Million dollar mashed potatoes recipe ingredients

Russet potatoes: If you want mashed potatoes that have a fluffy, airy texture, russet potatoes are the ones you need. Starchy varieties such as russet, Idaho, or Yukon gold make the very best mashed potatoes. Of the three varieties, russet potatoes are typically the most economical.

Butter: Please use real butter when you make these yummy mashed potatoes.

Cream cheese: I used regular full-fat cream cheese, but you could substitute low-fat cream cheese if desired.

Chicken broth: Instead of boring old water as the liquid for cooking potatoes, I love using chicken broth (or even vegetable broth) for added flavor. Because broth does contain sodium, always do a taste test before adding salt and pepper.

Milk: Once you’ve mashed the potatoes with the butter and cream cheese, add the milk a little at a time until the potatoes are creamy and smooth. Or, if you’re out of milk, add some of the hot broth that was used for cooking the potatoes – it works just fine in place of milk.

Recipe tips

• I love to make my potato-cooking broth by using Better Than Bouillon base. It is a concentrated paste that you keep in fridge and add water to when you need to make some broth for a recipe.
• Use warm or at least room temperature milk for making mashed potatoes. If the milk is warm it allows the potatoes to absorb it more easily. And, if the mashed potatoes cool down too quickly from using cold milk, the consistency can turn into “gluey”, sticky mess!
• If you happen to add to much warm milk to the cooked potatoes when mashing them and they become a bit too “mushy” or even runny in texture, sprinkle in a few instant mashed potato flakes, a little a a time, and fold them in.

How to make slow cooker mashed potatoes

Place the potato chucks into the bottom of a greased 6-quart slow cooker.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the butter chunks over the potatoes, then gently pour the chicken broth over all.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook the potatoes on high for 4-5 hours, or until the potatoes are very fork tender.

Carefully drain the excess broth from the cooked potatoes, then return them back to the slow cooker.

Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or hand mixer until smooth (or the consistency you desire).

Add the remaining 1/2 cup of butter cubes, along with the cream cheese cubes, then mash again to the desired consistency.

Add milk, a little at a time, as needed, until the mashed potatoes reach the desired consistency.

Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Italian parsley, if desired.

Cover the slow cooker, keeping the mashed potatoes on the warm setting until ready to serve.

How long to cook potatoes in crock pot

This recipe advises to cook the potatoes on high for 4-5 hours or until they are very fork-tender.

It’s best not to cook potatoes by time but rather by texture – you want them to fall apart when you insert a fork.

At that point, they are full cooked and ready to be drained and mashed.

You could also cook potatoes in a slow cooker on low (instead of high) for 8-10 hours, if needed.

Again, cook them just until they are fork-tender.

Make ahead mashed potatoes crock pot

I love to make my mashed potatoes ahead of time in the crock pot.

Follow this recipe (below) all the way through, then let the potatoes fully cool.

Once cooled, cover the potatoes and place the crock pot insert (with the potatoes) into refrigeration until you need them.

Chilled mashed potatoes will take at least 3-4 hours on low heat in a covered crock pot to get fully hot throughout, stirring from time to time.

To speed up this process, get the crock pot insert full of the chilled potatoes out of refrigeration a couple hours of ahead of time and let them rest on the cupboard to remove some of the chill before reheating.

How many potatoes for mashed potatoes 20 people?

I love to have lots of potatoes so there are leftovers, so I always figure one medium potato per person for making mashed potatoes.

So if you have 20 people coming, cook 20 potatoes!

This will also help if you’re feeding lots of men and teenage boys, and because people adore mashed potatoes and will usually take a big serving.

If you’ve got dainty eaters, you could figure 1/2 potato per person.

Can you use russet potatoes for mashed potatoes?

Russet potatoes are the very best potato for making mashed potatoes because they are considered a “starchy” potato and not a “waxy” potato.

Starchy potatoes are best for mashed potatoes because they have a fluffy, almost airy texture that breaks down easily as they are mashed.

Waxy potatoes, on the other hand, are not great for mashing because they tend hold their form and are rather chunky in texture.

What is the best potatoes for mashed potatoes?

Again, I think the very best potatoes for making mashed potatoes are good old boring russet potatoes.

If russet potatoes are available, you could substitute Idaho potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes but they are typically more expensive.

Can you make mashed potatoes with just milk?

Sure, but the texture won’t be as rich and luscious when using just milk.

Can you mix potatoes with for mashed potatoes?

Yes! For making fluffy and light mashed potatoes, you could use a combination of russet, Idaho, and Yukon Gold.

In a pinch, you could use just about any combination of potatoes to make mashed potatoes and I’ve done it many times.

Can you use half and half in mashed potatoes?

Yes. Replacing milk with half and half for making mashed potatoes makes them even more rich and creamy in texture.

Do I have to peel potatoes for mashed potatoes?

Most potatoes should be peeled when using them for mashed potatoes.

However, Yukon Gold potatoes do not have to be peeled due to their thin, tender skin.

Just give them a good scrub before cooking with them since you are skipping the peeling.

Can I make this recipe on the stove instead of in the crock pot?

Yes! Cover the cubed potatoes with broth in a large stock pot; add 1/2 cup of butter cubes.

Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook the potatoes for 20-25 minutes or until very fork tender.

Drain and proceed with the recipe as directed.

To reheat a full batch of mashed potatoes later, place them into a large microwave-safe serving dish and reheat on 50% power until hot throughout.

More Favorite Side Dish Recipes

• This Baked Potatoes in a Roaster recipe is hands-down the easiest and best way to cook and keep warm baked potatoes for a crowd.
  
• If you’re looking for a decadent side dish, chock full of savory flavors from roasted buttenu squash, coconut milk, and Parmesan cheese, give Butternut squash orzo a try.
  
• Cranberry walnut dressing makes the perfect sausage cranberry stuffing side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
  
• Skillet-style mac and cheese is the ultimate macaroni and cheese recipe that’s comfort food like no other – creamy, rich, and totally decadent with a buttery, crispy topping