By Becky Hardin
Published Aug 22, 2023
Crockpot Mashed Potatoes are one of the easiest and best side dishes for any dinner or holiday. These slow cooker mashed potatoes are the perfect easy Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter side dish. So much flavor and none of the fuss. Creamed potatoes for the win!
What’s in this Crockpot Mashed Potatoes Recipe?
This garlic mashed potatoes recipe is a special version of a classic and they are oh-so creamy! They are cooked with whole roasted garlic to soak up all the flavor possible. Just look at all that garlic and butter. Mmmm!! I’m in love with these crockpot mashed potatoes!
- Potatoes: I like Yukon Gold potatoes for their buttery flavor and texture. Russet or Idaho potatoes also work well!
- Garlic: Adds all that roasty, toasty, garlicky goodness!
- Chicken Broth : Adds moisture and flavor to the potatoes.
- Salt + Pepper: Enhances the natural flavor of the potatoes.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and moisture to the potatoes.
- Milk: Adds richness to the potatoes and helps make them silky smooth.
Pro Tip: Bring the milk to room temperature (or slightly warm it) to help it combine more easily!
Variations on Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
- For dairy-free mashed potatoes, use dairy-free butter, milk, and cream! You can also use some of the starchy cooking liquid from the potatoes in place of the milk or cream.
- For cheesy mashed potatoes, add ½ cup of your favorite cheese!
- For loaded mashed potatoes, add cheese, chopped cooked bacon , and chives.
- For ranch mashed potatoes, add a packet of ranch seasoning .
- For herby potatoes, feel free to add some of your favorite chopped herbs.
Yes! Making slow cooker mashed potatoes is so easy because you can set everything up, let them cook, and forget about them for a while. Just throw the potatoes in and they’ll take a few hours to cook.
There’s no need to boil potatoes before cooking them in the crockpot!
If you add the butter first, it will infuse the potatoes with rich, buttery flavor. If you add it at the same time as the milk, the potatoes will absorb the milk and not the butter, leading to a less buttery tasting dish.
You can add cold, room temperature, or melted butter to the potatoes. It really doesn’t matter!
I prefer to use room temperature or slightly warmed milk, as this will help keep the potatoes nice and hot!
Yes! Add the milk a little at a time; otherwise, you may end up with runny or gummy potatoes!
The great thing about these potatoes is that once they’re done cooking, you can turn the heat down low to keep them warm until everyone is ready to eat. Even better if you made these ahead of time, you can let them warm in the crockpot while the rest of the food is being made.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover crockpot mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat or in the microwave on high for 1 minute.
How to Freeze
Scoop 1-cup mounds of mashed potatoes onto a lined baking sheet and freeze uncovered until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag to store for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these slow cooker mashed potatoes with Thanksgiving turkey and classic Thanksgiving side dishes , Easter dinner , or Christmas dinner . Or add them to a simple weeknight meal, like Swedish meatballs , Cracker Barrel Meatloaf , Crockpot pork chops , or beef tenderloin .
5-Star Review
“Thanksgiving is way gone, but these mashed potatoes still sound delicious! genious idea making them on the crockpot, they look so creamy and tasty! love this” – Albert Bevia
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- ▢ 1-2 bulbs garlic the top ¼ cut off
- ▢ ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper optional
- ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick)
- ▢ ¼-½ cup milk
Optional Garnishes
- ▢ Chopped fresh chives or parsley
- ▢ Unsalted butter
Video
Instructions
- Spray a crockpot with cooking spray and set it to high heat.
- Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Rinse the potatoes under cold water (this removes some of the starch). 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- Transfer the potatoes to the crockpot and nestle the garlic on top of the potatoes. Drizzle the chicken broth on top and sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper. 1-2 bulbs garlic, ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 3-4 hours, or until potatoes are tender.
- Remove and mash the garlic. Add the garlic and butter to the potatoes and mash the potatoes until smooth. Try not to over mix the potatoes or they will turn gummy. Mix in the milk to the desired consistency. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¼-½ cup milk
- Garnish with chopped chives or parsley and pats of butter if desired. Chopped fresh chives, Unsalted butter
Equipment
- Crockpot
Becky’s Tips
- Cut the potatoes as evenly as possible so that all of the chunks cook at the same rate.
- For extra smooth potatoes, pass them through a ricer before mashing.
- Heat the dairy before adding it to your potatoes to help it combine more easily.
- Avoid overmixing your potatoes; otherwise, they will come out gummy.
- Don’t add all of the dairy at once. It’s easier to mix it in slowly, and this will prevent overmixing.
- Nutritional information does not include optional garnishes.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Mashed Potato Recipes We Love
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Colcannon
- Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
- Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with Bacon
- Easy Mashed Potatoes
- Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
- Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
- Fried Mashed Potato Balls
Crockpot Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1-2 bulbs garlic the top ¼ cut off
- ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper optional
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick)
- ¼-½ cup milk
Optional Garnishes
- Chopped fresh chives or parsley
- Unsalted butter
Instructions
- Spray a crockpot with cooking spray and set it to high heat.
- Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Rinse the potatoes under cold water (this removes some of the starch). 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- Transfer the potatoes to the crockpot and nestle the garlic on top of the potatoes. Drizzle the chicken broth on top and sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper. 1-2 bulbs garlic, ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 3-4 hours, or until potatoes are tender.
- Remove and mash the garlic. Add the garlic and butter to the potatoes and mash the potatoes until smooth. Try not to over mix the potatoes or they will turn gummy. Mix in the milk to the desired consistency. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¼-½ cup milk
- Garnish with chopped chives or parsley and pats of butter if desired. Chopped fresh chives, Unsalted butter
Video
Notes
- Cut the potatoes as evenly as possible so that all of the chunks cook at the same rate.
- For extra smooth potatoes, pass them through a ricer before mashing.
- Heat the dairy before adding it to your potatoes to help it combine more easily.
- Avoid overmixing your potatoes; otherwise, they will come out gummy.
- Don’t add all of the dairy at once. It’s easier to mix it in slowly, and this will prevent overmixing.
- Nutritional information does not include optional garnishes.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
