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Home Christmas

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes (Restaurant Trick)

By:Nagi
Published:22 Dec '14Updated:13 Nov '20
42 Comments
Recipe v

Did you know you can make ahead mashed potatoes? It’s a restaurant trick!

Creamy Make Ahead Mashed Potato in a white bowl, ready for serving.

Whenever you order a dish with mashed potatoes at a restaurant, did you ever wonder whether they peeled, boiled and mashed the potatoes to order? No they don’t!

Restaurants prepare the potatoes ahead by boiling and mashing just the potato, then just before serving, it is mixed into boiling cream (or milk or even broth or a combination thereof) to reheat it and make it nice and creamy.

When it comes to ridiculously creamy restaurant style mashed potatoes, there’s not much to it. The secret is just loads of cream and butter. The creamier the mashed potato, the more cream and butter it has in it!

Here’s another little tip for you – if your pot is a bit small and there is risk of the bubble overflowing, just place a wooden spoon across the top. No more overflow!

Wooden spoon resting on a bubbling pot to stop it from boiling over.

Mashed potatoes are a “must have” for special occasion feasts like Thanksgiving and Christmas. So having this make-ahead trick on hand is very useful! – Nagi x

PS Use any leftovers to make mashed potato cakes!

Thanksgiving or Christmas Feast

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Creamy Make Ahead Mashed Potato in a white bowl, ready for serving.

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes (Restaurant Trick)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 25 mins
Side
Western
5 from 7 votes
Servings5
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 33
Make-ahead mashed potatoes are super handy for busy holiday festivities! The trick with creamy mashed potatoes is simple - more cream, more butter!

Ingredients

  • 2 lb / 1 kg starchy potatoes (Note 1)
  • 1 cup / 250 ml cream , half and half or milk (Note 2)
  • 60g / 1/4 cup butter
  • Salt and pepper

To Serve

  • Olive oil
  • Chives , finely chopped
  • Pepper

Instructions

  • Peel and cut the potatoes into large chunks.
  • Bring a pot of water to the boil, then add the potatoes. Cook for 20 minutes until soft and starting to fall apart.
  • Drain then tip back into the pot placed over the stove (turned off). Allow to steam dry for a few minutes.
  • Mash to your taste. Do NOT use a hand held mixer, blender or food processor - it will activate the starches in the potatoes and make it gluey.
  • To make ahead, transfer to a bowl and cover with cling wrap, pressing onto the potato to remove as much air as possible. Refrigerate up to 2 days until required.
  • On the day of, place the cream and butter in a pot and bring to a boil. Turn the stove off but leave the pot on the stove. Add the potatoes and stir into the cream.
  • If you want to make your potatoes creamier, push them to the side, add more cream/milk, turn the stove on, bring to a simmer then stir.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Serve warm, garnished with chopped chives, a drizzle of olive oil and pepper.

Recipe Notes:

1. You need to use starchy potatoes as they breakdown when cooked, becoming nice and fluffy. The best to use are Russet (common in the US), dutch creams, King Edwards or red delight. However, great all rounders like golden delight, coliban, red rascal and Sebago (popular in Australia) still works great.
I use Sebago which are the brushed potatoes you can get from any supermarket in Australia (ie. the ones with dirt on them). If you are based in the US, a great all rounder to use is Russet which I understand is one of the most widely used potatoes in the US.
2. Half and half is half cream and half milk, available in the US. To make your own, just mix equal amounts of cream and milk.
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

 

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42 Comments

  1. Laura says

    December 4, 2022 at 6:17 pm

    Amazing, perfect method. No impact on taste of the potatoes – saved me so much stress when I hosted Thanksgiving! Thanks Nagi.

    Reply
  2. Debbie says

    December 2, 2022 at 3:08 pm

    5 stars
    My 3rd year using this hack at Thanksgiving. Game changer

    Reply
  3. Debbie says

    November 27, 2021 at 10:35 am

    5 stars
    Best mashed potatoes ever. Actually cooked and put thru ricer the day before.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 28, 2021 at 9:33 am

      Thanks Debbie! Glad you enjoyed them! N x

      Reply
  4. Liz says

    October 25, 2021 at 3:59 pm

    5 stars
    I have made the “Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes (Restaurant Trick)” twice now. Super easy! So great not trying to cook from scratch & time it to coincide with a bbq each time. Tastes marvelous! It’s been a real ‘load off’ finding your recipe – thank you so much for posting it.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 26, 2021 at 11:30 am

      I am so glad you enjoyed it Liz! N x

      Reply
  5. Liz says

    October 18, 2021 at 8:57 am

    Haven’t cooked it yet – but I had a disasterous entertaining weekend & this trick will help enormously! Thank you for publishing. I look forward to seeing more – thank you!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 20, 2021 at 10:10 am

      Better luck next time!! These should help! N x

      Reply
  6. April says

    December 26, 2020 at 12:54 pm

    5 stars
    Super duper yummy!!

    Reply
  7. Tan Bee Aun says

    August 11, 2020 at 11:30 pm

    Hi Nagi, can you tell me how I should store unused boiled butter/cream (for mashed potatoes) mixture?

    Reply
  8. Debbie Chiet says

    November 3, 2019 at 7:06 am

    Hi Nagi. I’m thinking of trying this for Thanksgiving but need at least 5# of potatoes. Yet 2 1/2 times the cream and butter seem like a lot. Should I scale back on either or will it be okay.

    Reply
    • Alastair says

      August 1, 2020 at 1:08 pm

      I made double the recipe and used double the other ingredients, and it turned out perfectly. Making the potatoes like this and refrigerating them meant that they were really stiff and when I put them back on the stove they soaked up the large amount of milk, cream and butter to give it a perfect consistency.

      Also, I didn’t have starchy potatoes, so once they were drained, I tossed them over low heat to get rid of more moisture—rather than just putting them back into the hot saucepan with the heat turned off.

      Reply
  9. Doxdogy says

    October 7, 2019 at 7:57 am

    5 stars
    The mashed potatoes were a home run in our house. I had always used the whipping method with success. But in recent years they turned into a gluey mess. My husband is so happy to have homemade mashed potatoes again.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 8, 2019 at 10:00 am

      That’s so great! Can’t beat great mashed potatoes!

      Reply
  10. J-Mom says

    August 13, 2019 at 3:42 am

    5 stars
    After making the Irish Beef and Guinness Stew, I had to make this. Unfortunately (or is it?), the battery of my scale was dead and I couldn’t measure the potatoes. I probably put in more cream than the recipe called for. Very creamy and yummy.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 13, 2019 at 12:57 pm

      I cook like that some days anyway – I’m glad you enjoyed it though J-Mom!

      Reply
    • TPRING Banks says

      November 16, 2019 at 11:15 pm

      I never knew why mashed potatoes would be so gluey and shiney! Now I know. I always used the blender and no amount of awesome flavor could make up for that texture. I thought I was saving time. Thank you. Recipe was great!! I will never use a blender again.

      Reply
  11. Kaori King says

    September 8, 2018 at 1:36 am

    Hi Nagi,

    I love your mash potato tips and I wondered whether you know if this would work on a large scale, for 50 people for example?

    I’m concerned about the mash heating up enough and wondered if you have an advice for this or would it to just be to follow the method in your blog?

    It’s quite a special occasion so I need to get it right and I’m not sure whether it’s something I can practice without having to waste a whole load of mash!

    Look forward to hearing from you.

    Many thanks

    Kaori

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 10, 2018 at 8:43 pm

      Hi Kaori! I’m sorry I haven’t tried it but in all honesty, for that much, I would just microwave it and mix in milk to loosen it up 🙂 N x

      Reply
  12. Devanshi says

    June 10, 2018 at 4:58 am

    Hi Nagi,

    Could you please tell me the gram or ml measurements where it says cups? Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 11, 2018 at 8:50 pm

      Done! 🙂

      Reply
  13. Dan says

    June 3, 2017 at 7:58 am

    Hi Nagi

    For mashing the potatoes first, you said never use a food processor, but I’m wondering if it is still ok to use a potato ricer to get them perfectly smooth?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 3, 2017 at 9:07 am

      YES definitely Dan! Food processor is just too powerful, agitates the starch and makes it really horribly gluey 🙂

      Reply
  14. melli says

    January 22, 2017 at 6:39 am

    5 stars
    Hi nagi what do you mean by half and half or milk? Im sorry non native english speaker here.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 23, 2017 at 7:46 am

      Hi Melli! I should have added a note 🙂 It’s half cream half milk and sold that way in the US. Here in Australia I mix my own (if cooking for company) or just use milk (for every day purposes). N x

      Reply
  15. Carolyn says

    December 17, 2016 at 9:29 am

    I realize this is an old post, but thought I’d ask and see if I got a response! 🙂 These potatoes sounds great and I love that I can largely make the day or 2 before. But, when you heat the cream/butter, turn off burner, add potatoes and mix… do the potatoes get truly warm? I just want to be sure I will be serving my guests delicious warm potatoes (and not having to place individual plates into the microwave to warm up).
    Thanks! Hope I get a response!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 18, 2016 at 6:48 pm

      Hi Carolyn! It truly does 🙂 You need to use a decent size pot, not a tiny saucepan. The mash gets heat from the cream and pot. And if need be, just turn the stove on for a bit – minimum time necessary. And the mash gets hot/warm, not piping hot like it was freshly made. N x

      Reply
  16. JULIA says

    August 11, 2016 at 10:29 am

    Hi Nagi. Can you freeze the boiled mashed potatoes then defrost and add butter etc?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 11, 2016 at 8:27 pm

      Hi Julia! To freeze mashed potato, add the butter and cream THEN freeze it 🙂 It freezes much better that way! Then freeze in bags to save space, and reheat in the microwave 🙂

      Reply
  17. Mark Ikemeier says

    June 16, 2016 at 1:17 pm

    Your recipe for mashed is very good. I however, enjoy adding cheese, cheddar or American preferably. It adds a unique flavor profile and opens a wide choice of palate flavors.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 16, 2016 at 9:03 pm

      I hear you Mark. Adding cheese into mash is the BEST!!!!

      Reply
  18. Mechelf says

    November 26, 2015 at 2:10 am

    I can’t wait to try this! Make ahead is great, it eliminates the need for mother-in-law to supervise?

    Reply
    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      November 26, 2015 at 7:25 am

      BA HA HA!!! That’s RIGHT!!!

      Reply
  19. Mila Furman says

    November 24, 2015 at 8:20 am

    Sadly for our wastelines that is the trick 🙂 But nothing is as good as perfectly creamy mashers!!!!

    Reply
    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      November 25, 2015 at 6:18 pm

      I know, right? Cream cream more cream, butter butter more butter….so GOOD!!

      Reply
  20. Patti Leathers says

    November 24, 2015 at 3:03 am

    If you mash the taters with sour cream and cream cheese instead of most or all of the milk(and, of course, butter), you can refrigerate them for a couple of days and reheat them in the oven. Yummy.

    Reply
    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      November 24, 2015 at 7:57 am

      Oooh…..I have heard about the cream cheese trick too 🙂 I haven’t tried that myself yet but I think I will!

      Reply
      • Mila Furman says

        November 24, 2015 at 8:25 am

        Nagi it’s true!!! My creamy dreamy mashers have cream cheese and sour cream in it… I think it’s THE BEST combo.

        Reply
        • Nagi | RecipeTin says

          November 25, 2015 at 6:18 pm

          Can’t believe I haven’t tried it yet….

          Reply
      • Patti Leathers says

        November 24, 2015 at 8:52 am

        It’s yummy….a bit of tang. Don’t forget the sour cream and butter….lots of all three!

        Reply
    • Maureen says

      November 26, 2019 at 6:39 am

      I would like to try cream cheese & sour cream not sure how much to add in & is this in place of the half n half ?

      Reply
      • Patti Leathers says

        November 26, 2019 at 12:16 pm

        I just mix globs in and sample as I go. Obviously I could never write a cookbook!!

        Reply

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