Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes are the ultimate potato side dish for our Thanksgiving or holiday table! This creamy dreamy mashed potato casserole means I don’t have to be trapped in the kitchen every holiday. I love that I can prep it days ahead of time then pop it in the oven on the day of–it’s so easy!
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What’s in This Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes Recipe?
If you’re looking for some Thanksgiving dishes you can make ahead of time, then these easy baked mashed potatoes are exactly what you need. Creamy ingredients, simple seasonings, and an optional topping make delicious potatoes.
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes are the best for fluffy mashed potatoes with a creamy texture.
- Butter: Softened butter adds richness, moisture, and flavor. We also add cubes of butter on top, which gives them a browned and buttery finish.
- Cream Cheese: Softened cream cheese adds a really creamy texture.
- Half-and-Half: Use half-and-half (or whole milk) for an extra splash of moisture.
- Seasonings: We like to use Lawry’s seasoned salt for the best flavor, but you can also use regular salt and pepper. Add in some dried chives if you like!
Variations
These make ahead mashed potatoes are essentially a casserole that you can prep ahead of time, then bake and serve. So it’s easy to add some other ingredients into the mix without any extra steps. Add in bacon crumbles, green onions, minced garlic, caramelized onions, or anything you might usually throw on top.
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How to Store and Reheat
After the mashed potatoes have been cooked and dinner has been eaten, store leftover make ahead mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.
How to Freeze
Freeze make ahead mashed potatoes tightly covered in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
These make ahead mashed potatoes pair perfectly with make ahead gravy, Thanksgiving turkey, and all the rest of your Thanksgiving side dishes!
Notes from the Test Kitchen
If you’d like to add a topping to these make ahead potatoes, mix 4 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter, ½ cup of breadcrumbs, and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese, and sprinkle on top before baking. This topping can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored separately from the potatoes in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
5-Star Review
“Best potatoes!! Tasty and creamy.” – Margarette
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes Recipe
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Ingredients
- 5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature and divided (1½ sticks)
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature (1 brick)
- ½ cup half-and-half or whole milk
- ½-1 teaspoon seasoned salt or kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried chives optional
Recommended Equipment
- 8×8-inch Baking Pan
Instructions
- Spray a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray and set aside for now.
- Peel the potatoes, remove any eyes, and cut them into 3-inch cubes.5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- Steam (or boil) the potatoes just until fork tender, but not falling apart, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Drain the water and place the potatoes in a saucepan; mash the potatoes for one minute over medium-low heat to remove the excess moisture/steam from the potatoes. Remove potatoes from heat.
- If the saucepan is large enough, leave the potatoes in the pan, and add ½ cup of butter, cream cheese, half-and-half, and seasonings. (If the saucepan is too small, place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl to mash.) Mash the potatoes until they are light and fluffy. Season to taste.¾ cup unsalted butter, 8 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup half-and-half, ½-1 teaspoon seasoned salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried chives
- Spoon potatoes into the casserole dish and bake immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F.
- Cut the remaining ¼ cup butter into smaller pieces and scatter them around the top of the potatoes.
- Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until potatoes are hot.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- This dish can be made up to two days in advance. If making the potatoes ahead, remove them from the fridge 2-3 hours before cooking. Add an additional 10-15 minutes to the baking time.
Nutrition Information
How to Make Mashed Potatoes Ahead of Time Step by Step
Prep the Potatoes: Spray a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray and set aside for now. Peel 5 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes, remove any eyes, and cut them into 3-inch cubes. Steam (or boil) the potatoes just until fork tender, but not falling apart, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain the water, and place the potatoes in a saucepan. Mash the potatoes for one minute over medium-low heat to remove the excess moisture/steam from the potatoes, then remove the potatoes from the heat.
Season the Potatoes: If the saucepan is large enough, leave the potatoes in the pan, and add ½ cup of unsalted butter, 8 ounces (1 brick) of cream cheese, ½ cup of half-and-half, ½-1 teaspoon of seasoned salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and ½ teaspoon of dried chives. (If the saucepan is too small, place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl to mash.) Mash the potatoes until they are light and fluffy. Season to taste.
Portion the Potatoes: Spoon potatoes into the casserole dish and bake immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
Top the Potatoes: When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F. Cut the remaining ¼ cup of butter into smaller pieces and scatter them around the top of the potatoes.
Bake the Potatoes: Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until potatoes are hot.
These potatoes can be cooked, mashed, and prepped for cooking up to 2 days ahead of time.
This recipe boils, mashes, and mixes the potatoes, so they’re ready to cook. If you simply want to prepare potatoes to make traditional mashed potatoes on the day of, you can peel and cut them, then submerge them in water (in the fridge) overnight.
This make ahead mashed potato casserole needs 40-45 minutes to bake in the oven at 375°F. If you cook them straight from the fridge, you might need to add 10-15 minutes.
Even though this recipe was designed to be made ahead of time, you can absolutely bake them right after prep and enjoy them immediately.
Thank you for such a large number of recipes. Delicious desserts is what you need for a good holiday!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Sam!
If I can get a jump start on dinner, I’ll do it! These make ahead mashed potatoes are PERFECT for that, and this recipe is delicious! These mashed potatoes come out thick and smooth and so tasty. I’m talking steakhouse quality mashed potatoes here! They are easy to make too, and this recipe makes a lot. Perfect if you’re having company for dinner because you can assemble it the day before and bake it when you’re ready. Who wants to spend the entire time fussing in the kitchen when you have guests? Not this girl! If you’re not having company, there’s nothing wrong with leftover mashed potatoes! I took the leftovers and made a shepherd’s pie with it. YUM!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Christine!
Best potatoes!! Taste and creamy.
I’m SO happy to hear you loved them, Margarette!
I LOVE THIS!!!! Is it possible to make ahead and then throw into my crockpot to warm?
I think that would work! Haven’t tried it that way but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Just stir often to make sure it stays creamy and mixed together.