Next Post
Our 2021 Thanksgiving Menu and Guide – the make ahead menu.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Make Ahead Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, the best holiday mashed potatoes side dish. Made simply with sweet roasted garlic, fresh herbs, and salted butter. Each bite is perfectly smooth, creamy, and so delicious. The secret? Cooking the potatoes together with the milk and cream, then adding in roasted garlic cloves for a delicious garlic flavor that isn’t overpowering. This method makes for the creamiest and most flavorful mashed potatoes. They’re perfect to make-ahead of time for easy entertaining, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas!
The secret to these potatoes?
Two things… first, the roasted garlic. Roasting the garlic adds just the right amount of garlic flavor that’s delicious but not over powering.
Second, cook the potatoes together with the milk and herbs. This means no boiling the potatoes, no extra steps, nothing fancy. It turns out that creating almost perfect mashed potatoes is actually really easy.
The steps – roast the garlic
Start with the garlic since it takes time to roast in the oven. If you’ve never done it before it really adds a layer of deliciousness to your recipes.
Simply slice the top portion of the garlic head off to reveal the cloves. Then place the garlic on a small piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap the garlic up. Roast for about forty minutes, until the garlic is deeply golden and soft.
Then simply squeeze the cloves out of the garlic skin.
Meanwhile, make the potatoes
Combine the Yukon gold potatoes with the milk and cream in a large pot on the stove. Add the herbs, then cook until the potatoes are tender. This will take about twenty-five minutes or so. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them, BUT, be sure to save the cream – you’ll need it!
Now, the potato ricer…it’s key to making ultra-smooth mashed potatoes. Do you have to have a potato ricer? No, a good ole masher works too. But if you want the smoothest mashed potatoes, a ricer works really well.
Take the mashed potatoes and those roasted garlic cloves and put them right back into the pot. Then add back the cream and also add some butter. Cook until the butter is melted…and that’s it…the most perfectly flavored creamy mashed potatoes!
Honest these are the BEST – classic, but with amazing flavor and texture. You will definitely want these along with your turkey and gravy!
The added bonus is just how easy these are to make…and that you can make them ahead of time. Steps for warming in the oven, slow cooker, or on the stove are listed in the directions!
Looking for recipes to enjoy with mashed potatoes? Here are my favorites:
Cider Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions
Creamy Balsamic Mushroom Chicken Marsala
30 Minute Coq au Vin Chicken Meatballs
Lastly, if you make these Make Ahead Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
watch the how-to video:
Make Ahead Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 585 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- extra virgin olive oil
- 4 pounds yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 8 fresh sage leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6-8 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.2. Slice off the top portion of the garlic head to expose some of the cloves. Place the garlic on a piece of foil. Drizzle with olive oil, wrap it up, and bake for 40-55 minutes, until deeply golden and very soft.3. Let the garlic cool, then squeeze out the cloves. 4. Meanwhile, In a large dutch oven, combine the potatoes, heavy cream, milk, sage, and thyme. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat and cook 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.5. Drain the potatoes, reserving all of the cream. Discard the thyme and sage. Press the potatoes and roasted garlic cloves through a potato ricer. Then add them back to the warm pot. Alternately, you can add the potatoes back to the pot and mash with a potato masher.6. Over low heat, add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved cream and the butter. Continue to add more of the cream until your desired consistency is reached. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. 7. If desired, brown a little butter with sage or thyme and swirl into the potatoes before serving. Serve warm and creamy.
To Make Ahead
- In the Oven: Prepare the mashed potatoes as directed through step 6. Spoon the potatoes into a large baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat in the oven, preheat the oven to 325° F. Pour 1/2 cup milk or cream over the potatoes and add 2 tablespoons butter, do not stir. Cover the potatoes tightly with foil and transfer to the oven. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are warmed through. Stir before serving.Slow Cooker: Prepare the mashed potatoes as directed through step 6. Spoon the potatoes into the slower cooker, cover, and keep on low for up to 4 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, turn the heat to low or high, add 1/2 cup heavy cream and 2 tablespoons butter, do not stir. Cover and let the cream warm and the butter melt. Stir before serving.On the Stove: Prepare the mashed potatoes as directed through step 6. Add 1/2 cup cream and 2 tablespoons butter. Place the potatoes over low heat, gently stirring until warmed throughout.
This post was originally published on November 3, 2021
Hi, can you put the instructions for making these with an instant pot? Thank you so much!
I would love to have the directions for cooking in the instant pot as well please!
Hi there! Yes, I will be adding soon! 🙂 xxTieghan
I want to try the slow cooker way but it says prep until step 6 before putting in slow cooker. Seems like I’m cooking twice. Can you confirm directions for slow cooker? Thx!
Hi there! Yes, prepare until Step 6 for the slow cooker 🙂 The will be nice and creamy and delicious! xTieghan
We always use an electric hand mixer to ‘mash’ our potatoes and don’t own a ricer or masher. Do you think that would work with this recipe? I’d hate to have them end up gluey and grey. Thank you.
Hi there! Yes, a hand mixer should work great! 🙂 xTieghan
Do you think it’s possible to make these even farther ahead and freeze them?
Yes, definitely! xTieghan
Hi, would it be possible to use plant based milk?
Hi there, yes that would work fine! 🙂 xTieghan
Do you have a recommendation for a plant based milk?
I like to use full fat oat milk ☺️
how would I cut down this recipe for 2, not 8 servings ??
would like to try this, but it’s just me and hubby.
thanks!
Hi there! I would just half it 🙂 xTieghan
When reheating the next day, is the 1/2 cup cream and 2 tablespoons butter in addition to what was already added in step 6 the previous day?
Hey Lala,
Yes, that is correct. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This looks amazing. Do I need to worry about the milk/cream scalding? Thanks for all the great tips!
Hi there! If you’re cooking on the stove top I would keep a close eye on it, but I don’t usually have problems when I make them in an Instant Pot! 🙂 xTieghan
How long would I cook the potatoes in the instant pot??? Would I follow the recipe just the same??
According to the Instagram stories she said if you use an instapot cook for 15 mins on low pressure!
Do you have instructions for making these in an instant pot? Thanks!
Genius!!! While everyone has their favorite mashed potatoes, your method for reheating will be the hint that carries on for generations. I will be trying your recipe for the potatoes. I assume using milk to cook provides a richer mashed potatoe.
Thanks so much! I hope you love these potatoes! xTieghan
Can these be refrigerated then placed in the slow cooker and or the stove top to warm? It only states refrigeration in the oven method, these sound fabulous!
Yes, it can be refrigerated before all of the reheating options.
Hi there! Yes, that should work just fine! xTieghan
Could these be made using the IP method in the Cheesy Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes recipe? And…should I have any concerns about it being kept on warm for 5-6 hours instead of four? Just wondering if doing so would overlook something critical food safety-wise.
For dairy free, is it possible to sub coconut milk for both the cream and whole milk? Or would it make the potatoes too watery?
Hi there! That should work just fine! xTieghan
What a stunning meal! Very impressive and well done! Thanks for the inspiration!
Hey there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, so glad you enjoyed this recipe! xTieghan
I’m asking a “DUH” question here. Any reason the dish can’t be frozen and then brought to room temp before reheating? I am going to make this dish but anything I can do the week ahead would really help. Thanks as always “T”! ~Bec
Hi there, that should work just fine! xTieghan
While my basic mashed potato recipe is different, I have frozen them in the past.
Do you know how many cups of cut potatoes you are using? Google says 1# is 2.25 cups. Does 10 cups sound correct?
Hi there, yes that sounds correct! xTieghan