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Easy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes: The Best Thanksgiving Side

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These crockpot mashed potatoes are creamy, buttery, and stress-free—perfect for freeing up stovetop space on Thanksgiving. Just chop, dump, and let the slow cooker do the work for a crowd-pleasing side dish.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 5 lbs Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (low-sodium)
  • 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream, warmed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 2–3 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened

Instructions

  1. Prep the potatoes: Wash, peel, and cut potatoes into 1-inch uniform chunks.
  2. Layer in the crockpot: Place potato chunks in a 6-quart crockpot. Add cubed butter, minced garlic (if using), broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Do not stir.
  3. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 ½ hours, until fork-tender.
  4. Add cream cheese: When potatoes are tender, add softened cream cheese and let sit for 2-3 minutes.
  5. Mash or mix: Use a potato masher or hand mixer to mash potatoes right in the crockpot. Start on low speed if using a mixer.
  6. Add warm milk: Slowly pour in warmed milk or heavy cream while mixing until smooth and creamy. Adjust salt to taste.
  7. Keep warm: Switch crockpot to ‘keep warm’ setting for up to 2 hours. Stir in a splash of warm milk or butter before serving if needed.

Notes

Cut potatoes uniformly for even cooking. Warm the milk or cream before adding to avoid gluey texture. Do not over-mash to prevent gummy potatoes. For Thanksgiving, start potatoes 4 hours before serving and keep warm in crockpot.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot mashed potatoes, slow cooker mashed potatoes, Thanksgiving side dish, easy mashed potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes

Find it online: https://jollyfork.com/easy-crockpot-mashed-potatoes-the-best-thanksgiving-side/