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The most perfect, make-ahead Slow Cooker Cheesy Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes. Made simply and easily in the slow cooker with cream, fresh herbs, a little garlic, salted butter, and melty Gruyere cheese. Each bite is perfectly smooth, creamy, and so delicious. The secret? Cooking the potatoes together with the cream. This method makes for the creamiest and most flavorful mashed potatoes. You can make these in the slow cooker, instant pot, or on the stove. They’re perfect for making ahead of time for easy entertaining!
It just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without a double serving of mashed potatoes. For my family, the mashers are just as important, if not more important, than the turkey. But really it’s the meal altogether. You can’t do a turkey without a side of gravy and really good mashed potatoes, you know? It’s classic, and it’s what we all want the most on Thanksgiving Day.
Speaking of Thanksgiving, we’re exactly two weeks out and planning is very much underway! I didn’t intend to share so many Thanksgiving focused recipes this week, but somehow it ended up that way. And you know, I think that’s OK! From what I’ve gathered from you guys, you’re really trying to hammer out your Thanksgiving Day to a T. And I’m happy to be providing some new recipes to do that!
And guys? These mashed potatoes, I think they’re debatably my favorite Thanksgiving focused recipe I’ll be sharing this month. It’s not that they’re some crazy new out-of-the-box flavor, but more the ease of cooking these, and their DELICIOUS outcome. These are hands down, the BEST mashed potatoes I’ve ever shared with you guys.
I know, everyone says everything is the “the best”, but these really are. Let me explain.
The secret is to cook the potatoes together with the cream, the garlic, and the herbs. This means no boiling the potatoes, no extra steps, and nothing fancy. It turns out that creating almost perfect mashed potatoes is actually really easy.
A few years back I had made mashed potatoes and cooked them together with the milk. At the time, I didn’t think much of it. I was just trying to make mashed potatoes the easiest way possible. Adding the milk right to the slow cooker seemed like a great idea. The only thing was, when I shared the recipe with you guys, some of you mentioned your concern for the milk potentially curdling. In fear of the recipe not working for some, I retested it minus the milk. And it’s a great mashed potatoes recipe…but it’s not the best.
Fast forward to today. I’ve learned a lot more about cooking, and I know way too much about the potato. Two things you need to know? Potatoes actually release so much flavor when they boil in water. So when you drain out the water, you’re actually losing a lot of flavor. Second, when making mashed potatoes, water is the thing you want to avoid the most. Excess moisture will give you grainy mashed potatoes, and let’s be real, no one wants that.
And that all brings me to this mashed potato recipe. When I was thinking about what to share this month, for some reason I thought back to those potatoes I had cooked in milk. I remembered they turned out so well for me. They were creamy, flavorful, and so close to perfect. When I thought back to that, I decided to test out something new. Instead of just milk, what if I cooked the potatoes in cream? And…with the herbs and the garlic too?
And in the slow cooker for ease?!
It all sounded interesting, so I went for it, and yeah, I think you’ve guessed the outcome. I got near perfect mashed potatoes, and yes, I am so excited to share them with you guys. Just in time for Thanksgiving.
First things first, you can make these mashed potatoes in the slow cooker, the instant pot, or on the stove. I love the slow cooker best, since I can keep them warm for hours after I’ve made them.
Combine the potatoes with the cream. Add the herbs and a good amount of garlic. Add a parmesan rind if you have one for even more delicious flavor. Then slow cook until the potatoes are tender. You can go low and low for six hours, or cook on high for four hours. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them, BUT be sure to save the cream. You’ll need it!
Now, a new discovery of mine? The potato ricer. it’s key to making ultra-smooth mashed potatoes. Do you have to have a potato ricer? No, a good ole masher works too. But if you want the smoothest mashed potatoes, get a ricer.
Rice the potatoes right back into the slow cooker, then add the cream back, along with butter and melty gruyere cheese. Now cook until the cheese is melted…and that’s it. You’ll have the most perfect, flavorful, and creamiest mashed potatoes.
Honest these are the BEST. Classic, but with amazing flavor and texture.
The added bonus is just how easy they are to make, not to mention the fact that using the slow cooker frees up precious stove-top and oven space. Win, win for Thanksgiving Day!
To sum it up, these mashed potatoes are really as close to perfect as it gets. Both in the way that they’re cooked and in the way they taste.
I am SO excited to make them again for Thanksgiving. I’m crossing my fingers that these are going to be on all of your Thanksgiving menus! Or maybe even sooner for an easy weeknight dinner side dish. These would be great with pot roast, short ribs, and Coq au Vin.
Also..they’s pretty darn good just by the spoonful! ?
Looking for other easy Thanksgiving potato recipes?? Here are my favorites:
Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole with Sweet ‘n’ Savory Bacon Pecans
Crispy Rosemary Butter Roasted Potatoes
Cheesy Potato Casserole with Buttery Ritz Crackers
Lastly, if you make these Slow Cooker Cheesy Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes, 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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I bought the wrong potatoes. Will this be okay with gold potatoes?
OMG I didn’t mean to give you a 2 star. I’m so sorry.
No worries:)
Hey Devan,
Sure, they will be just fine to use! I hope this turns out well for you, please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
These potatoes were a huge hit . So delicious. Cooking in the milk and cream was a game changer .
Hey Kate,
Happy Monday!❄️🎄 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
My in-laws are big meat and potatoes people and enjoy their gravy. Do you think this would taste good with gravy? If so, have you ever played around with a gravy recipe?
Hey there,
You bet, here you go:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/make-ahead-white-wine-gravy/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
So delicious and easy!
Hey there,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xT
Would canned coconut milk work here as a non-dairy substitute for the whole milk and heavy cream?
Hey Catherine,
Yes, that would work for you. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
Hi!
If I were to make these the night before how would I reheat the mash potatoes?
Hi Kaleese,
Just reheat on low, stir occasionally, and add milk as needed. I hope you love this recipe! xx
I can’t find heavy cream anywhere! Will half and half work?
Hi Taylor,
Of course, whole milk is also great to use! Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Thanksgiving! xx
Ah thank you for this response! I can’t find heavy cream anywhere either!
These were fantastic! I made them this week as a trial run for Thanksgiving and definitely will be making tomorrow! Thank you!
Hi Lauren,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃
Can’t wait to try this for Thanksgiving! This might be a silly question – but is there a trick to draining the potatoes while still reserving the cream?
Hi Lyndsey,
You are just going to put your strainer over a bowl so it can catch the cream. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Thanksgiving! xx
I made these last year for Thanksgiving and people were raving!!!! Not to mention the host was super thankful that it didn’t take up oven or stove space. Making again this year 🙂
Hey Maggie,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃
Is there no issue with the milk curdling when cooked this way? I’m looking forward to trying the recipe out this thanksgiving!
Hey Liz,
I’ve never had this issue:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love it! xT
Sometimes it’s hard to get very flavorful potatoes! These turned out great. The herbs and garlic really come through. I got a lot of compliments on them and would definitely make them again.
Thanks so much Haley:) So glad to hear that this recipe was a winner! xx
I am so excited to make this for thanksgiving! I’m hosting for the first time! I wonder if I could substitute the gruyere for any other kind of cheese? I can’t seem to find gruyere in any of our local grocery stores (living in Hawaii for a year and all stores seem to only carry basic cheeses).
Hey Nadia,
Totally, fontina would be great or really any other cheeses that you like will work:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try!! xx
We’re in Hawaii also and I found a tiny block of it at Safeway!
Looking forward to making this for Thanksgiving! Curious how many batches you think would be ok in a largish Slow cooker. 2? 3? I’m having a huge crowd, 25. Thanks in advance!
Hey Polly,
I would stick with one batch per slow cooker:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Polly,
Did you end up doing more than one batch in a slow cooker? I will have 25 for Christmas and it would help to know what you ended up doing! Thanks!
Made these last Thanksgiving and they’re on the menu for this year! Love love love the fact that they do not take up any stove burner. I’m used to watching my mom rush to get the mashed potatoes done at the perfect time and keep them warm for the dinner table- and they never tasted as good as these. This recipe is a win-win!
Thanks so much Emily!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed last year, thanks so much for sharing your feedback! xxT