These no-boil slow cooker mashed potatoes are a great way to make homemade creamy mashed potatoes during Thanksgiving and Christmas while saving precious stovetop and oven space for the main dishes.
This recipe shines during Thanksgiving and Christmas when the stovetop and oven are full of turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole and sauces. The slow cooker makes it so you can still enjoy homemade mashed potatoes when space is at a premium during these stressful cooking days.
Because it’s a no-boil method, you don’t need to boil the potatoes in advance or add any broth to the slow cooker. Just toss your peeled and cut raw potatoes in the slow cooker, add some melted butter and slow cook for 4 hours.
Adding sour cream makes it creamy and rich so you don’t need to add any milk or heavy cream later. It’s a simple, foolproof method and a great hands-off way to get mashed potatoes on your holiday table so you can focus on the main culinary attractions. And if you have any leftovers, make them into mashed potato puffs! So let’s start cooking.
SLOW COOKER MASHED POTATOES RECIPE TIPS
- Cutting the potatoes – Cut the potatoes into 1″ chunks because the smaller the pieces, the faster they cook.
- Garlic – I used garlic powder for this recipe but you can use 3-4 fresh garlic cloves and mince them for a stronger garlic texture and flavor.
What Potatoes to Use
I used Yukon gold potatoes for this recipe but you can also use red potatoes. I choose to peel my skins but you can leave them on if you prefer your mash with potato peels.
Recipe Notes:
I haven’t tried this recipe using russet potatoes but from what I’ve read, russet potatoes tend to turn brown in the slow cooker and aren’t a good fit for this method of cooking.
- Mashing them up – You can mash them directly in the slow cooker if you don’t have a non-stick insert or a potato masher that’s safe for non-stick cookware. If your slow cooker model does have a non-stick insert and you have a metal potato masher, transfer everything to a large mixing bowl and mash it up there to protect your insert.
- Longer cooking times – I’ve heard you can slow-cook mashed potatoes for 6-8 hours on low but might turn a little brown if your slow cooker runs too hot. My potatoes that were touching the edges of the slow cooker started turning a little brown at about the 4-hour cooking mark, so if you decide to go low and slow, keep an eye on it.
- Prep in advance – If you’re short on time, you can peel and dice the potatoes the day before. Store them in water in the fridge up to 24 hours in advance to prevent them from browning.
- Keep them warm – Once cooked, you can keep the mashed potatoes warm for up to 3 hours in the slow cooker before serving.
Customize It!
- Make it creamier – If you want creamier mashed potatoes, add a little milk or heavy cream during the mashing stage.
- Make it richer – Add some cream cheese to add more flavor and make it richer.
- Load it up – Make some loaded mashed potatoes by adding some bacon bits, and cheddar cheese.
And that’s about it! Let me know how you liked them, what substitutions you made and what you paired your mashed potatoes with in the comments below.
Enjoy your holiday feast and try out some other holiday recipes of mine like sweet potato casserole, carrot souffle, mashed potato puffs, or sweet potato stacks.
MORE POTATO RECIPES TO TRY
- Mashed Potato Puffs
- Loaded Mashed Potato Balls
- Garlic Parmesan Sweet Potato Stacks
- Crispy Garlic Parmesan Smashed Potatoes
- The Best Creamy Potato Salad
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Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 1x
Description
These no-boil slow cooker mashed potatoes are a great way to make homemade creamy mashed potatoes during Thanksgiving and Christmas while saving precious stovetop and oven space for the main dishes.
Ingredients
- 5 lb. Yukon gold/red potatoes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 8 oz. sour cream
- Fresh parsley or chives to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut into 1″ chunks.
- Mix the potatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, melted butter, and salt and pepper to taste in a 6 qt. slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.
- Add the sour cream and mash the potatoes until smooth and creamy.
- [Optional step] Fold with parsley or chives before serving.
- Dish and serve hot.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Make it creamier – If you want creamier mashed potatoes, add a little milk or heavy cream during the mashing stage.
- Make it richer – Add some cream cheese to add more flavor and make it richer.
- Load it up – Make some loaded mashed potatoes by adding some bacon bits, and cheddar cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 4 hours
Comments & Reviews
Just a question: how do you prevent the potatoes going black/brown if they aren’t covered with water when cooking? I have never slow cooked potatoes on their own before – perhaps the other ingredients stop the browning effect?
Peeled potatoes turn brown because of oxidation aka when it is exposed to air. That’s why you fully submerge it when boiling and any exposed parts of the potatoes turn brown. Since the slow cooker is a vacuum-sealed vessel, no air is allowed to enter which explains why it does not brown even without being fully covered in water. Hope this helps!