Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream| NeighborFood

Take a break from the stove and let the slow cooker do all the work with this easy recipe for Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes. These pilllowy mashed potatoes soak up butter like a dream and have just a hint of tang thanks to a generous addition of sour cream.

These Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes are easy enough for a weeknight, but fancy enough for a holiday dinner. Serve them alongside the Best Easy Meatloaf, Shredded Beef, or Amish Chicken and Noodles for a classic comfort food dinner.

Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream

There are two camps of people when it comes to holiday menus: those who want everything exactly the same each year and those who love to experiment.

Early in our marriage, I loved experimenting, but the older I get, the more I find myself longing for the recipes I grew up eating year after year.

A classic Oven Roasted Turkey. My sister-in-law’s deviled eggs. My Aunt Florence’s Overnight Butterhorn Rolls. Baked Stove Top Stuffing (Yes, I will die on this hill. Stove Top Stuffing is great).

And, of course, mashed potatoes. My mom’s sour cream mashed potatoes are my gold standard, but this year I was hoping to find a way to make them that didn’t add to the chaos around the stove on Thanksgiving day.

After a round of experimenting, I was THRILLED to find you can make rich and creamy mashed potatoes in the crock pot. This recipe is a dream for the holidays, but it also makes weeknight mashed potatoes a cinch.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• Make-ahead friendly– Whether you want to make your mashed potatoes three days ahead of time or the morning of Thanksgiving, we’ve got all the tips and tricks to make it easy.
• Less active cooking time– Let the slow cooker work its magic while you attend to all the other stuff on the list.
• Stays hot!– Perhaps the best thing about making mashed potatoes in the crock pot is that they’ll keep warm for up to 2 hours, so they’re hot and ready whenever you are!
• Extremely delicious– This is the standard I like to hold for all of our recipes, and these Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes are no different. They’re fluffy and rich, with plenty of milk, butter, and tangy sour cream.

Key Ingredients

• Potatoes– I use Russet potatoes, but Yukon Golds are another great choice.
• Chicken broth– I almost always use low sodium chicken broth, but you can use whatever broth you have on hand.
• Salt– Potatoes need a lot of salt! We add salt to the crock pot while the potatoes cook, but don’t be afraid to add more at the end to your tastes.
• Whole milk– We find these are rich enough with milk, but feel free to substitute half and half or heavy cream if you prefer.
• Sour cream– The not-so-secret ingredient. The extra fat from the sour cream makes these so creamy and adds a tangy flavor we all love! I recommend using full fat sour cream.
• Butter– I use salted butter, but unsalted butter works just as well. If you use salted butter, make sure to incorporate it before adding any additional salt.
• Chives– Sour cream and chives are such a lovely, fresh flavor combination and I adore adding them to mashed potatoes for a boost of flavor and color.

How to Make Mashed Potatoes in the Slow Cooker

Step 1: Cook the potatoes. Add the chopped potatoes to a large slow cooker, along with the chicken broth and teaspoon of Kosher salt. Cover and cook on high for 4-4 ½ hours, or until potatoes are fork tender.

Step 2: Drain. Carefully drain any excess broth from the potatoes, then return them to the slow cooker, keeping it on the warm setting.

Step 3: Combine and mash. Roughly mash the potatoes with a potato masher until they’re broken up into smaller pieces, then add the milk, sour cream, and pats of butter. Continue to mash, letting the potatoes soak up all the liquid, until your desired consistency is reached.

Step 4: Adjust seasonings and serve. Add salt, if needed, then top with more butter and chives and serve.

Tips and Variations

• Keep it hot. The potatoes will best absorb the milk, butter and sour cream if they are warmed or at room temperature. Keeping the crock pot on the warm setting also helps all the ingredients get fully incorporated.
• Make them extra creamy or rustic. We don’t mind a few lumps in our mashed potatoes (it makes them feel homemade!), but if you prefer, you can use a ricer or check out these tips for making creamy mashed potatoes without a ricer.
• Don’t over-beat. If you decide to use a hand mixer or beater, take care not to overdo it as potatoes can become gluey if they’re overworked. We don’t recommend using a food processor or immersion blender for this reason.
• Substitute cream cheese. Swap the sour cream for 8 ounces of very soft cream cheese, if you prefer.

FAQS

Can I double this recipe?

I use a 6 quart crock pot, and it is not quite big enough to hold a double batch of mashed potatoes. You could definitely 1.5x the recipe if you’re feeding a crowd. Use the servings slider in the recipe card below, and it will automatically adjust the ingredient amounts for you.

Can I peel and chop potatoes in advance?

Yes! I like to do this step the day before to save myself some time. To keep chopped potatoes from browning, fully submerge them in a large bowl of cold water. Cover with a lid or saran wrap and keep refrigerated. You can do this up to 24 hours in advance.

How many servings is 5 lbs of mashed potatoes?

A 5 lb bag of potatoes will make enough mashed potatoes to feed up to 10 people.

Can I use different kinds of potatoes?

Yes. Yukon golds also work great for mashed potatoes, as does a mix of Russet and Yukon Gold potatoes.

More Fantastic Potato Side Dishes to Try

If we’re not making mashed potatoes around the holidays, we’re probably making these Easy Cheesy Potatoes!

If you want something a little fancier, try our Herbed Potatoes Anna or Lemon Rosemary Melting Potatoes.

• 5 pounds russet potatoes (scrubbed, peeled, and chopped into 2 inch chunks)
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt (plus more to taste)
• 1/2 cup whole milk (warmed)
• 1/2 cup salted butter (at room temperature, plus more for serving)
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream (at room temperature, see note)
• handful chives (snipped, for serving)

• Place the potatoes, chicken broth, and salt in a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4-4.5 hours, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Carefully drain off any excess broth, then return the potatoes to the crock pot.

• Keep the crock pot on the warm setting. Give the potatoes a quick mash with a potato masher, then drizzle in the milk, continuing to mash. Add the butter and sour cream, stirring it into the potatoes, and allowing them to soak up all the liquid, mashing a bit more, if needed.

• Taste and season with additional salt, if necessary. Stir in chives, then top with a few extra pats of butter. Cover the slow cooker, allowing the butter to melt on top before serving. The potatoes can be kept on the warm setting for up to 2 hours.

• If you want your mashed potatoes to be creamier, you can beat them with a hand mixer. Just be careful to not over beat, as potatoes can become gluey.
• These have a pronounced sour cream flavor (which we love!). If you prefer, start by using 1 cup sour cream, then add the rest if desired.
• We find these are PLENTY rich, but if you really want to go all out, feel free to substitute the milk with half and half or cream.
• Leftover potatoes keep well stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Reheat potatoes in the microwave, oven, or crock pot, adding an extra splash of milk and a bit more butter to keep them creamy.

Keyword crock pot mashed potatoes, mashed potatoes with sour cream, slow cooker mashed potatoes

Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 353mg | Potassium: 1071mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 521IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 2mg