Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Our Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes recipe is made with Yukon gold potatoes, cream cheese and sour cream.  These baked mashed potatoes are creamy, fluffy, decadent and the flavor is completely addictive!  

Baked mashed potatoes with cream cheese are the perfect potato side dish that you’ll want to make for special occasions and holiday feasts. They’re easy to make and they’re always popular! They can be made the day before the special occasion, so then all you have to do is pop them in the oven and let them bake for 30 minutes before you serve them nice and hot. These potatoes puff up and turn golden on top as they bake in the oven, and they make your house smell amazing.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Rich, Fluffy and Loaded With Flavor.  These loaded mashed potatoes have an amazing combination of flavors. They’re rich and fluffy, and our family makes them for special occasions and the holidays.  
• Easy Meal Prep Recipe. These make ahead mashed potatoes come together in about 30 minutes. The potatoes are then transferred to a buttered baking dish, covered with plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator until you’re ready to reheat them in the oven and wow your guests.
• Great For Sharing. This is a great side dish to serve for Sunday dinners, special occasions and holiday feasts. It also travels well, so it’s good for potlucks too.

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes Recipe Ingredients

• Potatoes. We use Yukon gold potatoes for this recipe. We think they taste better and have a nicer consistency, but you can use russet if you like.
• Butter. Use unsalted butter at room temperature. We season the potatoes with salt, so no need for salted butter. 
• Cream Cheese. Use 1 8-ounce package of full-fat cream cheese.
• Sour Cream. You’ll need 1 cup of full fat sour cream.
• Seasoning. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and sprinkle the top of the potatoes with paprika before baking them.
• Chives.  Garnish the potatoes with snipped chives if you like

For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.

How To Make Mashed Potatoes With Cream Cheese

1. Boil Potatoes. The potatoes are simmered in a pot of water for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are fork tender. Drain the potatoes, reserving 1 cup of the liquid they cooked in. Put the pot back on the stove on low heat and dry the potatoes for 1-2 minutes to remove excess liquids.
2. Mash Potatoes. Mash the potatoes by hand with a potato masher or carefully and slowly with a hand-held mixer. Add a little of the reserved water a little at a time to help you mash the potatoes. 
3. Add Butter, Cream Cheese AND Sour Cream. Add the sour cream, cream cheese and butter and blend in well with a wooden spoon, spatula or gently with a hand mixer, being careful not to over mix the potatoes or they’ll turn gummy on you. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Bake Mashed Potatoes. Butter a baking dish with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Spoon the mashed potatoes into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle paprika over the potatoes and dot with 2 tablespoons butter cut into small pieces. Bake the potatoes immediately OR cover the dish with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator overnight. The next day pull the dish out and either bring it to room temperature (so it won’t have to cook in the oven as long) or remove the plastic wrap and put the dish into a preheated oven. Bake the potatoes for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top, The potatoes puff up a little bit and your house will smell amazing.
5. Garnish With Chives. When the potatoes cool a bit, garnish with snipped chives or parsley if you like.

Tips For Making The Best Baked Mashed Potatoes

• Cut the potatoes into pieces of similar size (roughly 1″ chunks) so they all cook at the same time.
• Drain the cooked potatoes well.
• Dry the cooked potatoes well. After draining the potatoes, put the pot back on the burner over low heat and dry the potatoes 1-3 minutes to absorb all of the liquid. Be sure to turn the potatoes a couple of times so they all get dry and to prevent them from burning on the bottom.
• Use reserved liquids that the potatoes were boiled in instead of milk or cream to mash the potatoes with. Again, only adding enough to achieve desired consistency. Add the liquids slowly a little at a time.

Serving Suggestions

If you’re looking for more side dish recipes to serve with these Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes for a holiday feast, try our Creamed Corn, Sauteed Vegetables, Mixed Roasted Vegetables, Steamed Broccoli, Oven Roasted Carrots, Peas and Carrots, Cold Green Bean Salad and Southern Corn Bread.

Storing And Reheating Leftovers

• Store leftover potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If properly stored, they should last up to 5 days.
• To reheat any leftovers, heat 2-3 tablespoons of butter and a splash of milk to a skillet, add the potatoes and reheat them slowly over low heat until they’re heated through. You can also reheat them in the oven until warmed through.

More Potato Recipes

• Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
• Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
• Mashed Red Potatoes
• Roasted Red Potatoes
• Boursin Mashed Potatoes

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Yield: 8 Servings

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Our Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes recipe is made with Yukon gold potatoes, cream cheese and sour cream.  These baked mashed potatoes are creamy, fluffy, decadent and the flavor is completely addictive!  

Ingredients

• 8-10 large potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 cup reserved water the potatoes were boiled in
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 8-ounce package full fat cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh snipped chives for garnish

Instructions

1. Set the sour cream, butter and cream cheese out on the counter to bring it to room temperature.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the pot and reserve 1 cup of the water the potatoes were boiled in. Return the potatoes to a pot and heat over low heat for 1-2 minutes to absorb all of the liquid left in the pot. Be careful not to burn the potatoes.
3. Mash the potatoes by hand or carefully with a hand-held mixer. Add a little of the reserved water a little at a time to help you mash the potatoes.
4. Add the butter, sour cream, cream cheese and blend in well.
5. Butter a baking dish with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Spoon the mashed potatoes into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle paprika over the potatoes and dot with 2 tablespoons butter cut into small pieces.
6. Preheat oven at 350°F. Bake the potatoes immediately OR cover the dish with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator overnight. The next day pull the dish out of the refrigerator and either bring it to room temperature (so it won't have to cook in the oven as long) or remove the plastic wrap and put the dish into a preheated oven. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top, The potatoes puff up a little bit and your house will smell amazing.
7. When the potatoes cool a bit, garnish with snipped chives or parsley if you like.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 215Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 396mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g

theharvestkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate information, however, this nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. The nutritional information provided comes from online sources and calculations. See full disclaimer on About page.