Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Creamy, dreamy mashed potatoes made start to finish in the slow cooker? Believe it! These slow cooker mashed potatoes are easy as can be and SO tasty!

The Monday before Thanksgiving, and I know you probably have a lot better (busier?) things to be doing than checking food blogs.

But I couldn’t leave you hanging without sharing this fabulous, straightforward and easy recipe for slow cooker mashed potatoes.

Lately, my go-to mashed potato recipe has been these amazing Instant Pot mashed potatoes.

After I posted that recipe, I had a lot of requests to pretty please get a slow cooker version up for those that don’t have an Instant Pot.

I heard you! I did.

And although it took me almost nine months to fulfill that request, I think it will be worth the wait.

Come to find out, slow cooker mashed potatoes are just as delicious as Instant Pot mashed potatoes!

Something magical happens as those starchy potatoes slow cook in a mixture of milk and broth.

I mean, I’m sure the butter and other add-ins don’t hurt anything at the end either, but still, slow cooker mashed potatoes are where it’s at.

For reference, I used an 8-quart slow cooker, and it’s probably bordering on the large side (unless you make a double batch; pictures just show a single batch).

A 5- or 6-quart slow cooker would work, too – maybe even slightly better based on size.

I have not used the slow cooker function on my Instant Pot, because while I love the pressure cooking aspect of that machine, I think the slow cooker functionality is lacking (based on some very hit and miss results).

Slow cooker mashed potatoes are so low maintenance!

You throw the main ingredients for these mashed potatoes in the slow cooker, let them cook away, and then mash them up (no need to even drain!) with butter, a little cream cheese, and some additional milk, if needed.

It’s ok if the tips of the potatoes not covered in liquid brown a little while cooking.

It’s ok if that milky mixture caramelizes a bit around the edges of the pot.

Really, it’s ok.

The whole mixture is mashed up to glorious potato perfection, which means you can let go of perfection, and enjoy the fact that mashed potatoes have never been easier to make.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Dutch Baby {i.e. Baked German Pancake!}
Two Years Ago: Make-Ahead Buttermilk Dinner Rolls
Three Years Ago: Yummy Fresh Cranberry Salsa
Four Years Ago: Slow Cooker Turkey with No-Fuss Gravy
Five Years Ago: Tortellini Sausage Soup

Yield: 8-9 servings

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 3-4 hours

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Ingredients:

For Potatoes:

• 4-5 pounds russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse, kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (I use low-sodium)

For Mashing:

• 1/3 cup milk, if needed
• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened (or 1/4 cup sour cream)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Grease the insert of a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Add the potatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, milk, and broth. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours until the potatoes are very tender.
2. Uncover the slow cooker, take out the garlic cloves, and add the additional 1/3 cup milk (if needed – if the potatoes already look plenty soft/liquidy, don’t add this or add it gradually), butter, and cream cheese. Mash until creamy. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. 
3. Cover the slow cooker and turn the heat to low or warm until ready to serve (up to an hour).

Notes:

The potatoes won’t be completely covered with liquid, but that’s ok. It’s even ok if the tips of the uncovered potatoes discolor just a bit. Depending how hot your slow cooker cooks or how long you cook the mashed potatoes, the milk mixture may brown/caramelize around the edges of the slow cooker insert. You can scrape this part out of the slow cooker before mashing; I’m lazy and just mash it up all together. Delicious!

The potatoes may be able to stay in the slow cooker on “warm” longer than an hour, but that’s the longest I’ve kept them hanging out before serving.

All images and text ©Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Recipe Source: mashup of this recipe and this recipe plus my own adaptations

Disclaimer: this post contains a few Amazon affiliate links.