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This Make Ahead Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe is truly the best mashed potatoes recipe that you will EVER taste! Made with sour cream, cream cheese, and plenty of zesty garlic flavor, the fluffy, creamy, and cheesy potatoes are an easy prep ahead side dish for any meal!
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Every home cook should have an easy garlic mashed potatoes recipe in her back pocket! They’re a practical option that pairs nicely with almost any entrée, and even the pickiest little eaters love them!
This make ahead option is particularly convenient for potlucks, entertaining, or big holiday meals when you don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen at the last minute. You can assemble them in advance and then just pop them in the oven about 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve them!
How to Make the Perfect Creamy Mashed Potatoes
This simple recipe requires just a handful of basic ingredients: cream cheese, sour cream, cream or milk, butter, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and potatoes!
You’ll start by peeling and chopping the potatoes into quarters. Making them smaller helps them to boil faster and makes mashing them very easy.
Place the potatoes in a big pot and cover with warm water.
Boil the potatoes for about 30 minutes, drain them, and mash them with a potato masher or press them through a potato ricer.
Add the cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Beat with a mixer. Gradually add milk or cream until the potatoes are smooth, light and fluffy.
At this point, you can either serve the mashed potatoes right away OR you can transfer the potatoes to a baking dish and refrigerate for a couple of days. I’ve shared the easy re-heating directions in the instructions below. Gotta love a make-ahead side dish!
Cook’s Tips
- I used white potatoes here, but you can also use russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes. Red potatoes will work, but they’re not my top choice because they tend to yield a less-creamy dish.
- Make sure that your cream cheese, sour cream and milk or cream are at room temperature before you mix them into the potatoes.
- Use chive cream cheese for extra flavor in the mashed potatoes!
- Garnish with chopped fresh chives, green onions, or parsley for a bright, fresh finish to the dish!
These garlic mashed potatoes with sour cream and cream cheese are perfect with just about any main dish.
What to Serve with Make-Ahead Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Garlic and Herb Roast Turkey Breast or Easy Maple-Glazed Roasted Turkey Breast (perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas!)
- Slow Cooker or Oven-Baked Salisbury Steak
- Southern Bourbon-Glazed Beef Tenderloin
- Dump-and-Bake Maple Balsamic Chicken
Make Ahead Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 10 medium (or 8-9 large) potatoes (I used white potatoes here, but Yukon Gold or russet potatoes also work well)
- 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- ½ cup milk or cream, at room temperature (or more or less, as needed)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- Optional garnish: fresh chives or parsley
Instructions
- Peel and quarter potatoes. Cover with warm water and boil until tender (about 30 minutes). Drain really well. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or press them through a potato ricer.
- Add cream cheese, sour cream, ¼ cup of milk or cream, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add more milk or cream, as necessary, to reach the desired consistency. You may not need the full ½ cup, or you might need more than that -- it will depend on the moisture in your potatoes.
- Serve immediately with butter on top, or transfer potatoes to a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
- To reheat: dot with butter and bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees F (or until heated through).
Notes
- I used white potatoes for this recipe, but you can also use russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes. Red potatoes will work, but they're not my top choice because they tend to yield a less-creamy dish.
- Make sure that your cream cheese, sour cream and milk or cream are at room temperature before you mix them into the potatoes.
- Use chive cream cheese for extra flavor in the mashed potatoes!
- Garnish with chopped fresh chives, green onions, or parsley for a bright, fresh finish to the dish!
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
The make ahead mashed potatoes are very similar to my Mom’s Party Potatoes. They are so yummy. The only difference…I put shredded co-jack cheese on top instead of the butter. If you love cheese…it’s DELICIOUS. This is a main side when my husband frieds wall-eye from the deep lakes of Canada.
I so enjoy your blog AND recipes.
Thanks!
I love the idea of adding the cheese to the potatoes. SO GOOD! Thanks, Carol!!!
Hi mind is more of a question then a comment . Or do you have to put the cream cheese and the sour cream in it for the consistency to be able to save it overnight . Thank you and I look forward to your answer I want to do this for Christmas
Hi, Mary! Yes, the cream cheese and sour cream give the potatoes that smooth, creamy texture and flavor — so I wouldn’t skip them. The prepared potatoes should be fine in your fridge for up to 2 days. Enjoy!
Can you freeze make ahead mashed potatoes? If so, what is the procedure?
Hi, Maureen! I’ve never actually tried freezing them myself, but this helpful article from Food Network has some good tips if that’s what you would like to do: https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/recipes/2019/11/can-you-freeze-mashed-potatoes
Hope that helps!
Hi. Can these be re-heated in a slow cooker the next day? Trying to save oven space.Thanks
Yes, I think that would work well! Just keep them covered on the “warm” setting for a few hours and they’ll be great. You can also stir in some extra butter, milk, or cream if they seem a little bit dry, too. Hope you enjoy!