The easiest mashed potatoes ever, these Crockpot Mashed Potatoes are perfect for feeding a crowd! Free up the stove top to make this easy mashed potato recipe.
Slow cooker potatoes make things so much easier! For another crockpot favorite, try these Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes.
I am a potato lover, raising a family of potato lovers.
In fact, I think my kids may love them more than me. Especially when they are mashed.
So we take our mashed potatoes seriously. I have a favorite mashed potato recipe, but I couldn’t help but make a version that is perfect for any holiday, or when you need to serve a crowd.
These Crockpot Potatoes make about 9 cups of potatoes, which means you have plenty for a larger group. And I especially love that all of the cooking and mashing takes place in the slow cooker – so less dishes, and your stove is kept free for other items!
Ingredients
- Potatoes: There a several different kinds of potatoes you can use. Read the section below to decide what kind is best for you.
- Chicken Broth: This will not only help the potatoes cook, but it gives them some extra flavor, as well. To keep it vegetarian, just swap in vegetable broth, or even water.
- Butter: You will use half of the butter for cooking the potatoes, and the other when you are mashing them.
- Garlic: You can leave this out if you don’t want a garlic flavor in your potatoes, but I love the little extra something that it brings.
- Milk: This is for mashing the potatoes. I use 2% milk because that is what I keep on hand, but you can use any milk you want – even dairy free.
- Sour Cream: This just brings in some creaminess for the mashed potatoes.
- Salt and Pepper: I cannot tell you how important salt and pepper are to these potatoes. You will season to taste, but I always end up having to add a lot more salt and pepper than I expect. Make sure to taste and adjust as needed.
How to Make Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
STEP 1: Prep the potatoes by peeling (if you are peeling them) and cutting them into 2-inch pieces. Place the potatoes in a slow cooker, then add the chicken broth, 1/4 cup of the butter, and the garlic. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.
STEP 2: Once the potatoes are very tender, add the sour cream, 1/2 cup of the milk, and the remaining butter.
STEP 3: Use a potato masher or a hand held mixer to mash the potatoes until they are as smooth as you’d like. Add more milk, as needed. Make sure to taste for salt and pepper, and season to taste.
Tips and Tricks
- You will want to stir the potatoes every 1-2 hours to make sure that they cook evenly.
- Once the potatoes are mashed, you can leave them in the slow cooker on the warm setting until ready to serve. You may need to stir them again before serving.
- For richer potatoes, feel free to add more sour cream and/or butter.
- I know I’ve already said this, but make sure that you season well with salt and pepper. The salt and pepper really can make or break the recipe.
Best Potatoes for Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
I have made these potatoes with both russet and Yukon gold potatoes.
Russet Potatoes: if using russet potatoes, you will want to peel them first. For me, the russet potatoes took much longer to cook than Yukon gold, so you may want to add in a little extra time. You also want to make sure the potatoes are super tender before mashing, or you might end up with lumpy potatoes.
Yukon Gold Potatoes: Yukon gold are my favorite for these mashed potatoes. I have tried them with the skins and without, and both are delicious. It just depends on what you want. If you want a more traditional mashed potato, peel the potatoes first. Or leave the peels on for a more rustic mashed potato.
More Mashed Potatoes
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
My Favorite Mashed Potato Recipe
Blue Cheese and Walnut Mashed Potatoes
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Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 lbs potatoes*
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup butter divided
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2-1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the potatoes into 2 inch pieces. Place in a 6 quart slow cooker.
- Pour the chicken broth over the top. Cube 1/4 cup of the butter, and drop the cubes over the top. Sprinkle the garlic over the top, then place the lid on the slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 6-8 hours, stirring every 1-2 hours to make sure the potatoes cook evenly.
- When the potatoes are very tender, remove the lid. Add the sour cream and the remaining 1/4 cup of butter. Add 1/2 cup of the milk. Mash the potatoes until as smooth as desired, adding more milk if needed. Season generously with salt and pepper, adding as much as needed to taste.
- The potatoes can be served right away, or left on the warm setting until ready to serve.
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