Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

By
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen is a journalist, quick-cooking and slow-cooking expert, and accomplished cookbook author with over 30 years of experience in testing and developing recipes.
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Updated on 12/8/22
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Slow cooker mashed potatoes in a bowl on a wooden board

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 5 hrs
Cool: 20 mins
Total: 5 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Yield: 8 to 10 cups

These delicious mashed potatoes are made and served in the slow cooker. They have a great consistency—creamy and smooth—and a wonderful flavor, too

Potatoes made this way are perfect when you are entertaining, especially for large meals like on holidays and special occasions. Having one course done and waiting for you is an excellent way to make hosting, cooking, and feeding a large group a lot easier. These potatoes get their creamy taste from cream cheese and sour cream.

If you would like, you could sauté a chopped onion and some minced garlic in 1/3 cup butter until tender. Once cooked and cooled, add it to the sour cream. If you plan to add these fresh bits of onion and garlic, then be sure to omit the onion powder and garlic powder as indicated in the recipe.

Keep the potatoes delightfully and safely warm in the crock pot on the serving table for up to two hours.

"I often use my slow cooker to keep mashed potatoes warm, especially when I'm busy with other holiday dishes. This recipe does it all, from cooking the potatoes to mashing and keeping them warm for serving." —Diana Rattray

Slow cooker mashed potatoes in a bowl
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Ingredients

  • 5 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 1 cup chicken broth or water, more as needed

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste

  • 1 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Add the potatoes, broth, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper to a slow cooker, cover, and set on high for 4 to 5 hours or until the potatoes are very tender.

  3. Mash the potatoes to your desired texture—completely smooth or with some lumps—and beat in the cream cheese, sour cream, and butter.

  4. Cover the slow cooker again and let cook for 1 hour more on low heat. Taste and add more salt as needed.

  5. At this point the potatoes can be held in the slow cooker for up to 2 hours on the Keep Warm setting. As the potatoes sit they will thicken and may need a splash of broth right before serving to loosen them.

  6. Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl, or serve them directly from the crock pot at the table.

Tips

  • For easier clean up, try using a liner in your slow cooker.
  • For smoother mashed potatoes, remove them from the slow cooker and put them through a ricer. Return them to the slow cooker and mash as directed.

Recipe Variations

  • To make dairy-free potatoes, you can omit the sour cream, cream cheese, and butter, or use dairy-free alternatives.
  • For vegan mashed potatoes, use vegetable broth to cook the potatoes and use vegan cream cheese, sour cream, and butter. Thin with vegetable broth or cashew milk, as needed.
  • Instead of cooking the potatoes in the slow cooker, use your own favorite recipe for mashed potatoes and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. About 5 hours before serving time, take the mashed potatoes out of the refrigerator and let them stand at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Transfer them to a lightly greased slow cooker and cook on low until hot, 3 to 4 hours. Stir the potatoes every 30 minutes or so and add milk or cream to thin as needed.

How to Store Leftover Mashed Potatoes

  • To reheat leftover mashed potatoes, transfer them to a baking dish. Add some broth or cream—about 2 tablespoons for each cup of mashed potatoes— to loosen them up a bit. Dot with a few teaspoons of butter and cover the baking dish with foil. Heat in a preheated 350 F oven until they reach an internal temperature of 165 F, 25 to 35 minutes.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
399 Calories
18g Fat
51g Carbs
8g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 399
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 24%
Saturated Fat 11g 53%
Cholesterol 52mg 17%
Sodium 392mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 51g 19%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 19mg 95%
Calcium 90mg 7%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 1316mg 28%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)