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Make ahead mashed potatoes in a white bowl.
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Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Reduce your Thanksgiving Day stress with Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes. These creamy, fluffy potatoes can be mashed a few days in advance and reheated in the oven or a slow cooker.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 12 servings (1 cup each)
Calories 259kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a Dutch oven or large stockpot, add potatoes and 2 tablespoons salt. Add cold water to cover potatoes by 1 inch.
  • Over medium-high heat, bring to boil and partially cover pot. Cook until potatoes are tender and a fork can be easily slipped into the center, stirring once or twice, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain well, tossing in colander to remove excess water.
  • Wipe pot dry. Return potatoes to pot, add cream cheese, and mash to a uniform consistency. Mix in sour cream, onion powder, and salt and pepper to taste (I like 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper). Fold in egg whites until blended.
  • Transfer to a greased 3-quart baking dish. Drizzle potatoes with melted butter. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • Remove potatoes from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake, covered, for 50 minutes. Uncover potatoes; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until a thermometer inserted into the potatoes reads 165 degrees.

Notes

  1. Potatoes: For the fluffiest, smoothest, and most flavorful mashed potatoes, choose high-starch potatoes like Russet, Idaho, or Yukon gold potatoes.  Waxy potatoes (such as new, red, or white varieties) require more mashing to become creamy which could result in gluey, pasty spuds. Save these for another recipe.
  2. Cream cheese: Reduced-fat cream cheese (sometimes called Neufchâtel) works just as well. Or, substitute half the cream cheese with full-fat goat cheese.
  3. Sour cream: Or substitute crème fraîche.
  4. Egg whites: A couple lightly beaten egg whites help stabilize the spuds. Fresh from the egg or pasteurized from the carton is fine.
  5. Yield: This recipe makes about 12 cups of mashed potatoes, enough for 12 (1-cup) servings.
  6. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  7. Freezing: This recipe has enough fat to protect the potatoes in the freezer for up to 6 months. Wrap tightly in plastic and a layer of aluminum foil, label, and date. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 860mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 406IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg