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Make Ahead Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, the best holiday mashed potatoes side dish. 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 to make-ahead of time for easy entertaining, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas!
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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 Yukon gold 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. You will definitely want these along with your turkey and gravy!
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:
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
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.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Could I sub half and half for the cream and milk or just for the cream?
Hey Sarah,
Sure, you could use that in place of the cream. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Thanksgiving! xx
Hi! I’m warming the potatoes in the crock pot – should I use any of my remaining reserved cream/milk from when I boiled the potatoes or would you recommend using new cream when reheating? Thanks!
Hey Kiri,
You are probably going to most if not all of that cream so you will want to follow the reheating instructions and use new cream:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
For make ahead – should I save an additional half a cup (aside from step 6) to use for reheating in the oven? To clarify.. I’m doing step 6 PLUS adding extra milk/cream next day to reheat? Also, is it still half a cup if I’m making 5 pounds of potatoes? Thanks!
Hi Angelina,
All of the instructions for reheating are in addition to the recipe being fully made:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Thanksgiving! xT
I want to make these for my family dinner next week. Since I will use a potato river, do I still need peel the potatoes? Or can I just let the ricer separate the skin?
Thanks! Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi Anna,
You will want to peel the potatoes:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I made these last year for Thanksgiving and they were a huge hit! My huge bowl of potatoes that I brought was wiped clean 🙂 Can’t wait to make them again this year! 😘😘 Thank you!!
Hey Jessica,
Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend!❄️
How many does this typically serve?
Hi Jeanie,
This recipe will make 8 servings. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
If I am using a 5lb bag of potatoes, how much should I increase the liquid by?
Also for the make ahead slow cooker – is the 1/2 cup heavy cream and butter ahead before eating in ADDITION to the 1 1/2 cup reserved cream?
Yes, that is correct:)
Hey Corrianne,
I would increase the liquids by 1/2 cup. Please let me know if you have any other questions!! xT
I don’t see the instapot directions, but you used an instapot in your video. Is it better on the oven? If instapot works just fine how long do you pressure cook the potatoes for?
Hey Carlyn,
Yes, I probably wouldn’t recommend using the instant pot, I would stick with the slow cooker or stove top recipes:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Question – I have made potatoes using the ricer before and they always have a weird, kind of lumpy texture. I tried using this method w the milk and it still happened. The potatoes are nearly fall-apart cooked when I strain them. Any suggestions re: what I might be doing wrong?
Hi Erica,
Are you mixing them after using the ricer? Is it possible they are over mixed? That could be the issue! xT
Do you think I could substitute coconut milk for the cream and milk? And ghee for the butter? I’m making it for someone who is dairy free.
Also wondering the same. Maybe even unsweetened almond milk?
Sure, that would work for you!
Hey Amber,
Yes, I think that would work well for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Hello, what about putting the potatoes in a stand (or hand) mixer to mash them instead of a ricer? Or will that whip them too much? Thanks!
Hey Sarah,
That will work well for you, just be careful not to over mix. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
These look so delicious… can they be frozen and then baked?
Thanks so much Kathy!! Sure you could freeze these:) I hope you love the recipe!! xx
Hello. ☺️ Just wondering if you have tried freezing and reheating the recipe? Your post inspired me to think further ahead then the week of. Thanks!
Hi Josephine,
I have never tried freezing these, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for you! Let me know how the recipe turns out, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
What if you can’t get sage leaves?
Hi Sally,
Another herb that you enjoy like rosemary and thyme would be great to use! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Hello! If making ahead and wanting to heat up in crockpot or stovetop, can you refrigerate for up to three days as well (like the oven instructions)? Hope this makes sense, thank you!
Hi Allison,
Yes, go ahead and follow the instructions for make ahead:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
When using the Instant Pot did you do a natural or quick release after 15 minutes?
Hey Vailima,
I did a quick release:) I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan