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Our 2021 Thanksgiving Menu and Guide – the make ahead menu.
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Make Ahead Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, the best holiday mashed potatoes. Made simply with sweet roasted garlic, fresh herbs, and salted butter. Each bite is perfectly smooth, creamy, and so delicious. The secret? Cooking the potatoes together with the milk and cream, then adding in roasted garlic cloves for a delicious garlic flavor that isn’t overpowering. This method makes for the creamiest and most flavorful mashed potatoes. They’re perfect for making ahead of time for easy entertaining!
The secret to these potatoes?
Two things… first, the roasted garlic. Roasting the garlic adds just the right amount of garlic flavor that’s delicious but not over powering.
Second, cook the potatoes together with the milk and herbs. This means no boiling the potatoes, no extra steps, nothing fancy. It turns out that creating almost perfect mashed potatoes is actually really easy.
The steps – roast the garlic
Start with the garlic since it takes time to roast in the oven. If you’ve never done it before it really adds a layer of deliciousness to your recipes.
Simply slice the top portion of the garlic head off to reveal the cloves. Then place the garlic on a small piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap the garlic up. Roast for about forty minutes, until the garlic is deeply golden and soft.
Then simply squeeze the cloves out of the garlic skin.
Meanwhile, make the potatoes
Combine the potatoes with the milk and cream in a large pot on the stove. Add the herbs, then cook until the potatoes are tender. This will take about twenty-five minutes or so. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them, BUT, be sure to save the cream – you’ll need it!
Now, 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, a ricer works really well.
Take the mashed potatoes and those roasted garlic cloves and put them right back into the pot. Then add back the cream and also add some butter. Cook until the butter is melted…and that’s it…the most perfectly flavored creamy mashed potatoes!
Honest these are the BEST – classic, but with amazing flavor and texture.
The added bonus is just how easy these are to make…and that you can make them ahead of time. Steps for warming in the oven, slow cooker, or on the stove are listed in the directions!
Looking for recipes to enjoy with mashed potatoes? Here are my favorites:Â
Cider Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions
Creamy Balsamic Mushroom Chicken Marsala
30 Minute Coq au Vin Chicken Meatballs
Lastly, if you make these Make Ahead Roasted Garlic 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!
watch the how-to video:
Make Ahead Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 585 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- extra virgin olive oil
- 4 pounds yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 8 fresh sage leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6-8 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.2. Slice off the top portion of the garlic head to expose some of the cloves. Place the garlic on a piece of foil. Drizzle with olive oil, wrap it up, and bake for 40-55 minutes, until deeply golden and very soft.3. Let the garlic cool, then squeeze out the cloves. 4. Meanwhile, In a large dutch oven, combine the potatoes, heavy cream, milk, sage, and thyme. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat and cook 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.5. Drain the potatoes, reserving all of the cream. Discard the thyme and sage. Press the potatoes and roasted garlic cloves through a potato ricer. Then add them back to the warm pot. Alternately, you can add the potatoes back to the pot and mash with a potato masher.6. Over low heat, add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved cream and the butter. Continue to add more of the cream until your desired consistency is reached. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. 7. If desired, brown a little butter with sage or thyme and swirl into the potatoes before serving. Serve warm and creamy.
To Make Ahead
- In the Oven: Prepare the mashed potatoes as directed through step 6. Spoon the potatoes into a large baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat in the oven, preheat the oven to 325° F. Pour 1/2 cup milk or cream over the potatoes and add 2 tablespoons butter, do not stir. Cover the potatoes tightly with foil and transfer to the oven. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are warmed through. Stir before serving.Slow Cooker: Prepare the mashed potatoes as directed through step 6. Spoon the potatoes into the slower cooker, cover, and keep on low for up to 4 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, turn the heat to low or high, add 1/2 cup heavy cream and 2 tablespoons butter, do not stir. Cover and let the cream warm and the butter melt. Stir before serving.On the Stove: Prepare the mashed potatoes as directed through step 6. Add 1/2 cup cream and 2 tablespoons butter. Place the potatoes over low heat, gently stirring until warmed throughout.Â
Hi! Can you use dry sage instead of fresh?
Hi Jill,
Yes, that would be just fine to do! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Just halved the recipe to do a trial run before Thanksgiving! Didn’t have sage, but otherwise followed the recipe as was written and they came out DELICIOUS! and easy too! highly recommend- thanks Tieghan!
Also, it’s one of the first Thanksgiving where our family is apart, and we’re all making these potatoes for the first time!! We can’t wait 🙂
Hi Cossette,
Thanks so very much for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
can this be frozen
Hey there,
I’m not so sure how I feel about freezing mashed potatoes, I probably wouldn’t recommend it:) xTieghan
Can the potatoes be made a day ahead for the crockpot reheating option? Or should they really just go straight into the crockpot for the 4-hours on low? I’m so excited to try this!
I have this same question!
Hi there,
I have the make ahead instructions for the slow cooker listed above:) I hope you love the recipe. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
I can’t wait to make these! If I’m doubling the recipe and using one of the reheating methods- should I be doubling the amount of cream and butter added as well? So 1 cup heavy cream and 4 tablespoons butter?
Thank you so much!
Hi Nik,
If you are doubling the recipe, you will want to double everything. I hope you love the recipe! Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Thank you! The answer to the questions is obvious now that I take a moment to calm down and think lol. These turned out AMAZING by the way. I easily doubled the recipe and mashed them with a masher vs the ricer- still turned out creamy and full of flavor. So excited to serve these at dinner tomorrow!
Hi Nik,
I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for trying it out! Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Finally a different and delicious way to make mashed potatoes !!
Miki x
https://www.littletasteofbeauty.com/
Thanks so much!
I made these ahead of time tonight!!! Omg the roasted garlic smells out of this world! The recipe tasted amazing, can’t wait to serve tomorrow! Happy thanksgiving xoxo!
Hi there,
I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for trying it out! Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
These were SO easy and like Teighan says, the roasted garlic is a must!! Such an easy step that adds such a flavor packed layer of deliciousness! Follow the recipe to a T!!
Hey Morgan,
Awesome! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
No Dutch oven.. how would I prepare?
Hi Nikki,
You can use a slow cooker or any large pot. I hope you love the recipe. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Do you think there’d be any issue with swapping out the whole milk for buttermilk? Thanks!
Hey Lauren,
Yes, buttermilk should be totally fine for you to use. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Did the make ahead and reheat in oven option – maybe the star of the show
Thanks so much for making the recipe! xTieghan
Hi! Just to clarify, do you add the butter and cream if making ahead or wake until you reheat them? Or do add more cream and butter when reheating?
Thanks!
Mary
Hey Mary,
You will follow all of the directions fully through step 6 and then add additional butter and cream as noted in the reheating instructions. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Will this work with the skin on?
Hey Shelby,
You definitely won’t get a smooth consistency that you want in mashed potatoes, but yes it will work. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hi! Can I prep these through step six on Sunday to warm & serve on Thanksgiving day? The Thanksgiving make ahead menu says to prep mashed potatoes on Sunday, but can only refrigerate three days. Just want to make sure I am not making too early!
Hey Hannah,
Yes, that would be fine to do. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
What’s the recipe for cooking this in an Instant Pot?
Hi Rory,
I would not recommend using the instant pot for this recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
So in your Slow Cooker Cheesy Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes recipe, you have an instant pot option (pressure cooking). What would be the difference between these recipes that you don’t recommend instant pot for this recipe?
Thanks!
Karen Ford
Hi Karen,
Honestly, based on that recipe it seems as though people have issues with a “burn” notification on the instant pot. I’ve not experienced this and I don’t know why it happens for some, but I would rather the recipe work flawlessly for my followers, especially on Thanksgiving. I would stick with the slow cooker or stove top for this recipe:) xTieghan
Is this recipe easy to double?
Hey Kristen,
You bet, just make sure your cooking vessels are large enough. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Very excited to try this recipe!! Do you mind sharing any tips and timing to make 24 servings?
Hey Monica,
You can go to the servings and adjust them, the ingredients will automatically adjust for you. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan