Creamy Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes — 🥔⏰🙌🏻 Make your life easier by preparing your mashed potatoes in advance! This is an EASY recipe that uses just 5 ingredients! Great for holiday dinners and busy weeknights alike! Learn all my tips and tricks for preparing CREAMY mashed potatoes up to three days in advance, plus how to reheat them so they stay PERFECT!

A bowl of mashed potatoes with butter on top, surrounded by bowls of cranberry sauce and gravy, with salt and pepper shakers in the background.

Whether you’ve got a turkey or ham roasting or pie dough to roll out, and guests to entertain, it’s easy to forget about the pot of potatoes you’ve got simmering on the stove. Next thing you know, you’ve got water-logged, gloopy mashed potatoes on your hands.

This year for the holidays, make a big batch of creamy mashed potatoes up to three days before your big meal so you can get out of the kitchen earlier and enjoy more time with your loved ones.

A bowl of mashed potatoes topped with gravy, surrounded by cranberry sauce, sliced turkey, and stuffing.

This make ahead mashed potato recipe uses my Classic Mashed Potatoes as a jumping off point, but I employed a few tricks of the food blogging trade to ensure the potatoes reheat perfectly every time.

Keep reading for detailed instructions on how to make mashed potatoes in advance and how to reheat them so they don’t lose their delicious texture!

Hint: You can’t just toss them into a slow cooker or nuke them in the microwave!

Gravy being poured over a bowl of mashed potatoes, with salt and pepper shakers in the background.

Ingredients for Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Making mashed potatoes in advance doesn’t require any special ingredients — it’s all about technique!

Gather the following FIVE pantry staples:

Russet potatoes – see FAQs for other potato varieties you can use
Unsalted butter
Half and half – whole milk will work in a pinch, but the potatoes won’t be as rich and creamy and I found that heavy cream made them too thick. If you don’t have half-and-half in your area use 3/4 cup whole milk + 3/4 cup heavy cream = 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
Kosher salt – if you only have table salt, use less to achieve the same level of saltiness
Freshly ground black pepper

Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

Ingredients for mashed potatoes: a bowl of cubed potatoes, three sticks of unsalted butter, a measuring cup of cream, a small dish of salt, and another of pepper on a textured surface.

How to Make Mashed Potatoes in Advance

Preparing mashed potatoes ahead of time is very similar to a making traditional mashed potatoes. Below is an overview of the recipe steps:

A spoonful of mashed potatoes with a pat of butter in a bowl.

A plate with mashed potatoes topped with gravy and a serving of Brussels sprouts.

To assemble:

Add the potatoes to a large pot, cover with water, then drain.
Cover the rinsed potatoes with water, salt the water with 1 teaspoon salt, pop on the lid, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain well.
Warm the butter and half and half in a small saucepan over medium heat, with salt and pepper to taste.
Turn the potatoes out into a colander and rinse the drained potatoes under cold water. Drain well before proceeding. Add the melted butter mixture.
Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or potato ricer (whichever you prefer!). Do NOT use an electric mixer or food processor.

A pot filled with cubed potatoes submerged in water on a textured surface.

A saucepan containing melted butter with a swirling pattern on the surface, placed on a textured countertop.

To store and reheat:

Let the mashed potatoes cool to room temperature, then transfer to a 9×13-inch baking dish or similar casserole dish that’s about 3 quarts.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
When ready to eat, remove from the fridge and let rest on your counter for 15 minutes while your oven preheats to 350F.
Add extra half and half and butter to the top of the mashed potatoes but do NOT stir.
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Then stir before serving. If desired, add gravy, or garnish with chives, parsley, rosemary, a sprinkling of Parmesan, etc.

A white oval dish filled with creamy mashed potatoes on a textured surface.

Bowl of mashed potatoes topped with a pat of butter, on a textured surface with parsley nearby.

My Secret for the Best Mashed Potatoes

In multiple recipe tests for these perfect make-ahead mashed potatoes, I realized that rinsing the potatoes before AND after boiling them helps them stay creamier during the reheating process. That’s because the extra rinse removes excess starch and prevents them from being gluey and overly thick once reheated.

While you could add extra half-and-half to thin them out, the texture was still just thicker and less desirable. Rinsing twice is just the way to go here and takes mere seconds.

A white ceramic dish filled with mashed potatoes topped with a pat of melting butter.

Recipe FAQs

What are the best potatoes for mashed potatoes?

Starchy potatoes like Russet or Idaho potatoes are my top choice for making mashed potatoes – in advance or otherwise. I’ll sometimes use half Russet potatoes and half Yukon Gold potatoes for more buttery mashed potatoes but because Yukon golds are waxier, they aren’t ideal as the sole potato choice for mashed potatoes.

Do I need to peel the potatoes before boiling them?

If using Russet potatoes, you need to peel them before boiling. If using Yukon Gold, you can leave the more delicate skins on or peel them — your choice, although I personally would peel them.

How long should potatoes be boiled?

Boil the potatoes in the pot of water until they’re fork tender. I dice them into 1-inch chunks and they usually take 15 to 20 minutes. If your potatoes are cut into larger pieces or left whole, they’ll take much longer to boil.

Why is the half-and-half mixture heated before being added to the potatoes?

Warming the butter and half-and-half helps the mixture absorb more easily into the warm potatoes. It also prevents the warm potatoes from seizing up or becoming gluey, which is what happens when you add cold milk and butter to hot potatoes.

should I add cream cheese to the mashed potatoes?

I know lots of recipes call for it but I promise you don’t need it for my recipe. While mashed potatoes aren’t exactly health food, they’re at least a bit healthier without adding cream cheese, and more budget-friendly too since it’s one less ingredient to buy.

How can I prevent gluey mashed potatoes?

You’ll need to warm the half and half mixture, as stated above.

You should also rinse the potatoes before and after boiling them. This helps remove any excess starch, which can lead to a gluey texture. By rinsing the potatoes twice, you’re setting yourself up for creamy and fluffy mashed potato success!

Lastly, mash the potatoes until they reach your desired consistency and no further. Overmixing will create gluey mashed potatoes. This is also why you should not use a hand mixer, food processor or any small electric device that would whipping them vigorously.

How can I prevent dry mashed potatoes?

The make ahead mashed potatoes are topped with additional butter and half and half just before being reheated, which helps keep them moist and creamy. For added insurance against them drying out, reheat the potatoes covered, and no hotter than a 350F oven, which is a fairly modest oven temp, and will prevent them from drying out.

A wooden spoon holding creamy mashed potatoes with gravy above a bowl of the same dish on a table.

A bowl of mashed potatoes topped with gravy, next to a gravy boat and pepper shakers.

Need Gravy Recipes?

Need a quick and easy gravy recipe? Try my Easy Chicken Broth Gravy. It uses store bought chicken broth (or turkey broth) so if you don’t have pan drippings – or you don’t want to deal with separating them, all you need is a stick of butter, store bought broth, and some seasonings!

For a more traditional gravy, my Easy Perfect Gravy recipe uses all those flavorful pan drippings from your roasted turkey, combined with broth, to make a rich and luscious gravy that’s foolproof!

And for the mushroom lovers, my Easy Mushroom Gravy has another layer of fantastic flavor from a variety of mushrooms and onions. It’s really a show-stopper that takes gravy to another level!

Storage Instructions

In the fridge: Store completed cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 4 days. Mashed potatoes will last 5 days total in the fridge, so if you made them 3 days before reheating and serving you should keep that in mind when storing the leftovers.

In the freezer: Store airtight for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat.

Reheating: To the mashed potatoes, add 1/2 cup half-and-half + 2 tbsp butter, don’t stir it in, cover with foil, and heat for 20-25 mins in a 350F oven.

Mashed potatoes with gravy in a bowl and on a fork; text overlay reads

Close-up of mashed potatoes being served with gravy, with text reading

What to Serve with Mashed Potatoes

A bowl of mashed potatoes with a pat of butter on top. Text overlay reads,

Two bowls of mashed potatoes, one plain with butter, the other with gravy. Surrounded by brussels sprouts and condiments. Text:

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Add the potatoes to a large stockpot, cover with water, and then drain to remove some of the starch. Do not skip this step. This helps create a fluffier mashed potato texture because you’re removing some starch.
Add fresh water to the pot, about two inches above the potatoes, cover the pot with a lid, and bring to a boil. Tip – I like to add 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the water for better flavor later on, but it’s optional. Once the water begins to boil, remove the lid and boil the potatoes for 15-20 minutes over medium-high heat, or until the potatoes are fork tender and done.
While the potatoes are boiling, in a separate small saucepan, add the butter, half-and-half, salt, pepper, and heat over medium heat to melt the butter. Set aside until the potatoes are done. Tips – Make sure just to get the butter melted, don’t boil it or allow the heat to get too high. You don’t want to boil the dairy proteins in the half-and-half. I recommend using half-and-half. Not whole milk, nor heavy cream. Half-and-half is perfect here. If you don’t have half-and-half, you can make it by combining 3/4 cup whole milk with 3/4 cup heavy cream, and now you have 1 1/2 cups half-and-half.
When the potatoes are cooked, drain the remaining cooking liquid. I find it easiest to just flip the potatoes into a colander over the sink and allow the cooking water to run out.
If they’re not already in one, place the potatoes into a colander and briefly rinse them under cold water after draining. Shake the excess moisture off. Do not skip this step. This helps create a fluffier mashed potato texture because you’re removing some starch.
Transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl and pour the melted butter mixture over the potatoes.
Using a potato masher (or potato ricer, or even just a large fork), mash the potatoes. Do NOT use an electric appliance like a mixer, blender, food processor, etc. Do this by hand for the best texture otherwise the potatoes could turn gummy or gluey.
Transfer the potatoes into a 9×13-inch baking dish or similar sized casserole dish and allow the potatoes to cool completely. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate the potatoes for up to 3 days.
Reheating – When ready to reheat the mashed potatoes, remove the dish from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes while the oven preheats to 350F.
Add ½ cup of half-and-half and 2 tablespoons of butter to a small saucepan, heat over medium heat to melt the butter, and lightly warm the half-and-half.
Pour this mixture on top of the mashed potatoes, do NOT stir it in. Just let it sit on top.
Cover the casserole dish tightly with the foil and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the mashed potatoes have heated through. Stir, fluff, and serve warm.

Make-Ahead Tips:

Cooling: Allow the mashed potatoes to cool completely before covering them and storing them in the refrigerator.
Freezing Option: These mashed potatoes can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Let them cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before following the reheating instructions as outlined in the recipe.

Reheating Tips:

Adding Moisture: Make sure to add the half and half and butter during reheating as outlined above to mashed potatoes from drying out. Just allow it to pool on top.
Room Temperature: Letting the mashed potatoes sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before reheating helps them reheat more evenly.
Low and Slow: Reheating at 350F helps prevent the potatoes from drying out. Even if you’re short on time, I do not recommend using a hotter oven temp.

Storage:

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-4 days. This means that if you made the potatoes 3 full days in advance, you really should consume them on day 4. You could potentially stretch this to 5 days but use your judgment. If you know you’re going to freeze them, freeze them as soon as you can, meaning don’t wait until day 4-5 to decide you’re going to freeze them.
With leftover potatoes that I have in the fridge, I reheat individual servings in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or as needed. If they seem dry, a pat of butter or splash of half-and-half will help rectify that.
It’s generally not recommended to reheat mashed potatoes multiple times. Each time food is reheated, it increases the risk of bacterial growth, so if you are going to reheat them, reheat only what you’ll consume and not the entire batch of leftovers.

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 423kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 80mg, Sodium: 425mg, Potassium: 851mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 913IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 76mg, Iron: 2mg

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

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Ahead Creamy Mashed Potatoes