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My go-to, make-ahead Crockpot Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions. Made simply and easily in the crockpot with cream, salted butter, onions, and melty Gruyere cheese. Each bite is perfectly smooth, creamy, and so delicious. This method makes for the creamiest and most flavorful mashed potatoes. You can make these in the crockpot, instant pot, or on the stove. They’re perfect for making ahead of time for easy entertaining!
I just could not do Thanksgiving without perfect mashed potatoes. After all, they’re everyone’s favorite side dish, right? My brothers are mashed potato fanatics. They say the only reason they love turkey and gravy is thanks to the forkful of mashers they add with each bite.
And while I definitely have other mashed potato recipes on the site, this is the family favorite. The crew really loves a cheesy, buttery potato with just the right amounts of onions. Not overpowering, but just right.
These are their perfect potatoes. I think I got the ratios just right! They’re now labeled as “fire” mashed potatoes.
Clearly, we love these potatoes.
After many years of trying all the ways to cook my mashed potatoes, I’ve decided that using the crockpot is my favorite. When in a time crunch, I use the instant pot or stove, but the crockpot is my ideal cooker.
I do mine a little differently than most.
Here are details
Most recipes for potatoes in the crockpot don’t have you cook the potatoes in water, then drain. They’ll tell you to cook in milk or broth. But I just don’t find that to work as well.
I add the potatoes to the crockpot, add water, add garlic, and salt, then cover and let them slow cook for a few hours or up to all day.
Once the potatoes are fork-tender, I drain them and add them back to the dry, but still hot crockpot bowl. I set the crockpot to low, then cook onions. The key is to allow the potatoes to sit in the hot crockpot to dry off. Reducing the moisture gives you even creamy, tastier potatoes!
While the potatoes sit, I make the onions.
A lot of mashed potato recipes call for onion powder. But I wanted to add a little more of a fresh onion flavor that wasn’t overpowering, but just right.
I love using caramelized onions for an onion flavor that’s more mellow.
I first caramelize them down in a bit of butter. Then I like to add some wine to help them caramelize a little faster. Next, just a little fresh thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Plus lots of butter, which is key for any good potato dish.
When it comes to mashing the potatoes, I don’t do anything fancy, just mash them with a masher and call it a day. But you do you, if you love a super smooth, whipped potato, try using a potato ricer instead.
Once I have the potatoes mashed, I add cream, sour cheese, the carmelized onions, butter and melty gruyere cheese. Continue letting the potatoes cook until the cheese is melted. And that’s it, you’ll have the most perfect, flavorful, and creamiest mashed potatoes.
Classic, but with amazing flavor and cheesiness.
Serve these up warm with a little added sage for color.
I’m excited to not only share this recipe with you guys but also with family and friends. My brothers have all agreed, these are one of their favorite potato dishes.
When you win over the brothers, all is good!
The next question is, what will you be pairing these cheesy potatoes with? The obvious answer for Thanksgiving is turkey. But come December, over here it will be my roasted beef tenderloin.
Looking for other easy Thanksgiving sides?? Here are my favorites:
Crispy Parmesan Thyme Sweet Potato Stacks
Sweet Potato Casserole with Sweet ‘n’ Savory Bacon Pecans
Easiest No-Boil Brie Mac and Cheese
Lastly, if you make these Crockpot Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crockpot Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 521 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 2 cups water
- 2-4 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter
- 1-2 yellow onions, thinly sliced or chopped
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 8 sage leaves
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 – 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups shredded gruyere cheese
Instructions
Crockpot
- 1. In the bowl of your crockpot, combine the potatoes, water, garlic, and salt. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours, until the potatoes are fork tender. Set the crockpot to low or warm. 2. Drain the potatoes, then add them back to the crockpot. Let sit, uncovered while you caramelize the onions. 3. Melt together 4 tablespoons butter and the onions in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and continue to cook another 5 minutes until the onions are deeply caramelized.4. Add 4 tablespoons butter, the thyme, and sage, and season with salt and pepper. Cook another 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.5. Mash the potatoes with a masher. Add the cream and sour cream, adding more cream until your desired consistency is reached. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. Stir the onions in with the butter and cheese, cover, and cook another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and creamy. Keep the potatoes covered, on warm, for up to 4 hours.
Instant Pot
- 1. In the bowl of your instant pot, combine the potatoes, water, garlic, and salt. Cover and cook on high pressure for 14 minutes. Release the steam, drain the potatoes, then add them back to the instant pot. 2. Set the instant pot to warm. Let sit, uncovered while you caramelize the onions. 3. Melt together 4 tablespoons butter and the onions in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and continue to cook another 5 minutes until the onions are deeply caramelized.4. Add 4 tablespoons butter, the thyme, and sage, and season with salt and pepper. Cook another 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.5. Mash the potatoes with a masher. Add the cream and sour cream, adding more cream until your desired consistency is reached. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. Stir the onions in with the butter and cheese, cover, and cook another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and creamy. Keep the potatoes covered, on warm, for up to 4 hours.
Stove
- 1. In a large dutch oven, combine the potatoes, 6 cups water, the garlic, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the potatoes, then add them back to the pot.2. Finish as directed through step 3.
Hey Tieghan,
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. I am sure all the food you made was delicious and amazing!! These potatoes were an absolute hit for Thanksgiving!! I loved them and my mom told me several times how great they were. She doesn’t even like mashed potatoes and absolutely thought these were phenomenal!! Thanks so much for the recipe. By the way I bought another Pumpkin Smash candle today. I forgot to tell how great they are well done so glad you created one. I am a pumpkin lover through and through so thank you so very much!! Hope you have a great week 🙂
Hey Mike,
Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Thanks so much for ordering the candle:) xx
Made these mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving and it was a MAJOR hit! I served it to my in-laws that are pretty picky and like pretty plain dishes and even they were going back for second! I found that 1 and a half onions was the perfect amount for us in this recipe! Will definitely be making again for Christmas dinner!
Hey Sarah,
Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xx
The best! Made these for Thanksgiving 2.0 This recipe will be on repeat.
Hey Jami,
Happy Sunday!!⛄️ I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xxT
Hey Tieghan! Love love love your recipes!!! Any main dish of yours that you suggest serving these with? Thank you 🙂
Hi Haddie,
You can really serve these with anything you like, I intended for them to be for Thanksgiving, but they would also be great with any of these:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/coffee-rubbed-prime-rib-roast-roasted-garlic-gorgonzola-butter/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/skillet-cranberry-roasted-chicken-and-potatoes/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/white-wine-braised-short-ribs/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Just wondering if these were made ahead of time and then froze/reheated for a later date would they still be just as amazing as fresh?
Thanks!
Hi Chelsea,
I don’t love freezing mashed potatoes:) You could make up to 3 days in advance and keep in the fridge though. I hope this helps! xx
Thank you! This was an amazing recipe! My family loved it yesterday! Definitely making it for Christmas.
Hey Daisy,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for giving it a try! Have a great weekend:)
Thank you!! My roasted garlic and rosemary mashed have been my champion for 20+ years but your recipe spoke to me and everyone adored it! I had about 4 bites and everyone ate (or took home) the rest! This is a brilliant recipe!
Hey Chris,
Happy Sunday!!⛄️ I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xxT
Hello again, I printed the recipe and we shopped for some of the items; my husband made it as part of our dinner for Thanksgiving and it came out nice; it was good and we’re still alive as testimonials. I took a pic of this to share but don’t see how to place this as proof that we tried the recipe. No matter; I am slower in all that I do in a world where it is Expedia ten folds and us relics need not abide or bother. Thank you for sharing!
Hi there,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for giving it a try! Have a great weekend:)
I made these yesterday for Thanksgiving…they turned out amazing! My family was obsessed. Will only make mashed potatoes this way from now on. Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Hey Sonia,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for giving it a try! Have a great weekend:)
Delicious and a perfect solution to cold mashed potatoes. Most importantly the technique for caramelized onions was so easy. I’m going to put them on everything all the time.
Hey Kathleen,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for giving it a try! Have a great weekend:)
These were the favorite in my thanksgiving meal! They were extremely flavorful. I used a food mill to get the potatoes extra smooth. Made them in my pressure cooker and kept them on warm like she suggested. Once the turkey was out I put them in a casserole dish and added a Parmesan layer and broiled it in the oven. They turned out incredible!
Hey Dayaris,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for giving it a try! Have a great weekend:)
I’ll never make mashed potatoes the old school way again. Not only were these easy, and didn’t require stove top space (other than the few minutes for the onions) but they were AMAZING. So fluffy, buttery and the onions added such great flavor. Everyone loved them and there were many comments about these being the only mashed potatoes that don’t need gravy.
I could go on about how incredible these are – but you just really should try them.
Hey Kristen,
Thank you so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! xx
These turned out amaaaazing!
Hi Brett,
Thank you so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! xx
Great recipe! I did it for the first time today. Caramelizing the onions took me 25-mins, instead of the 10-mins indicated. I substituted Greek yogurt for the sour cream and it turned out really good. Just added salt to taste. I cooked 5 pounds of gold potatoes, but now that seems like a lot, so only using half for the 8-adults I’m feeding. Will see how much is left and cook accordingly next time!
Hi Elaine,
Thank you so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! xx
Best recipe. Seriously. The caramelized onions are the bomb.
Hi Koril,
Thank you so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! xx
If French onion soup and mashed potatoes had a baby this would be it! Yum! Definite keeper.
Hi Leah,
Thank you so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! xx