Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Make creamy mashed potatoes easily in your slow cooker for a hands-free side dish perfect for holidays or family dinners.
Equipment
- Vegetable peeler
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- 4-quart or larger slow cooker
- Medium saucepan
- Potato masher or ricer
- Wooden spoon or spatula
Ingredients
For the Potatoes
- 5 pounds russet potatoes peeled and diced
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper optional
For the Dairy Mixture
- 3 to 3 1/2 cups whole milk, half-and-half, or a mixture of whole milk and heavy cream divided
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick
- Butter or cooking spray for coating the slow cooker
Instructions
- Peel and chop the potatoes. Lightly coat a 4-quart or larger slow cooker with butter or cooking spray. Peel 5 pounds russet potatoes and cut into 1-inch dice. Transfer the potatoes to the slow cooker.
- Add the seasonings. Smash and peel 3 to 4 garlic cloves, if using, and drop on top of the potatoes. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a generous quantity of freshly ground black pepper if desired.
- Pour in 1 1/2 cups dairy. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of the whole milk, half-and-half, or a mixture of whole milk and heavy cream. Stir to combine.
- Cook until tender. Cover and cook until the potatoes are very tender and soft, 4 to 5 hours on the HIGH setting.
- Melt the butter. When the potatoes are done, turn the slow cooker off or onto the warm setting. Melt 1 stick unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over low heat.
- Warm the dairy. Add 2 cups of the whole milk or other dairy to the butter and heat until just warmed through.
- Mash the potatoes. If you used garlic but don't want the potatoes super garlicky, remove the garlic cloves and discard. Use a spoon to scoop out and discard any browned bits on the sides of the pot. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes right in the slow cooker, or scoop the potatoes out into a large bowl and pass the potatoes through a ricer back into the slow cooker.
- Slowly stir in the dairy. When the potatoes are as smooth as you like, slowly stir in the warmed dairy and butter. The potatoes will look soupy at first, but the potatoes will quickly soak up the liquid. Add up to 1/2 cup more milk if you want them to be even creamier.
- Taste and season. Taste and season with more kosher salt or black pepper as needed.
- Keep warm. To keep the potatoes warm, cover and keep on the WARM setting for up to 4 hours.
Notes
For extra creaminess, use a mix of whole milk and heavy cream. These potatoes can be kept warm for serving, making them ideal for holiday meals.