Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes Recipe for Thanksgiving - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

FAQs

What is the best method to pre cook mash potatoes and reheat later? ›

Add a teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to help keep the potatoes from oxidizing and let them cool then cover tightly and refrigerate. Reheat (microwave, crock pot, oven, stovetop) till slightly warm and then add in the liquids (milk, chicken broth, even a little water to rehydrate can work).

If you'll be cooking the potatoes in the next few hours, you can leave them submerged in water at room temperature, Tiess says. If it will be longer than a few hours, place them in the refrigerator. Peeled, sliced, submerged, and refrigerated potatoes should be cooked within 24 hours.

You can make the mashed potatoes a few hours before dinner, and then keep them warm on the stovetop. When you should start cooking: A couple hours before dinnertime.

Put the lid on your mashed potato pot and gently place the pot inside the simmering water bath. Leave the stove on and allow the water to simmer for as long as you need it to keep your potatoes warm. Not only will the water bath keep your potatoes warm, but it will also keep them light and fluffy.

Check One Thing Off Your Thanksgiving To-Cook List with These Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes. The most perfectly light, velvety mashed potatoes you'll ever make—two days ahead of time. Ring the alarm, I have a hot (potato) take! There's no better way to screw up a perfectly good potato than to boil it and then pulverize it ...

As soon as you peel the potatoes, you'll want to place them into a bowl of water so they're fully submerged, and then store the bowl of potatoes and water in the refrigerator. The water will seal off the potatoes from the air, so the chemical reaction can't occur. Pretty smart.

Make-ahead mashed potatoes are a great option for the holidays. You can do nearly everything — boil, peel, and mash; stir in milk and salt — up to two days ahead. Before serving, reheat. Adding butter at the last minute makes them taste freshly mashed.

How to Peel and Slice Potatoes Ahead of Time to Reduce Holiday Stress. With some smart strategies and advance planning, you can clean, peel and chop potatoes the night before or morning of your dinner party, so your spuds will be ready to go when you need them for mashing, baking, Hanukkah latkes and more.

Plan on 1/3 to 1/2 pound potatoes per person for your feast.

Peel potatoes using a vegetable peeler. It's best to leave them whole, but you can go ahead and cube or dice them if you want — just don't slice them too thin. Fill a bowl with cool water, submerge the potatoes, then cover with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator overnight.

Can you reheat mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving? ›

Reheat on the Stovetop

"I almost always make my mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving the day ahead because they're actually very easy to reheat," says Riley Wofford, a food stylist and recipe developer. Wolford's go-to method is reheating the side dish on the stovetop.

Restaurants prepare the potatoes ahead by boiling and mashing just the potato, then just before serving, it is mixed into boiling cream (or milk or even broth or a combination thereof) to reheat it and make it nice and creamy.

The lowest setting of your slow cooker will keep the potatoes nice and warm without drying them out. If you notice that they are getting a little dry, loosen them up by stirring in an extra splash of milk or cream or a few tablespoons of butter.

It's not just that mashed potatoes can be made ahead; they actually end up creamier and fluffier when prepared in advance. When mashed potatoes chill, their starches firm up, and when reheated gently, they relax into a mash with an even silkier texture.

Restaurants prepare the potatoes ahead by boiling and mashing just the potato, then just before serving, it is mixed into boiling cream (or milk or even broth or a combination thereof) to reheat it and make it nice and creamy.

Move the potatoes to a baking dish: Heating the potatoes in an even layer allows them to warm up faster with less drying out. Add more cream and butter: More moisture and fat are the two secret ingredients to reheating any leftovers. For potatoes, reach for half-and-half or broth and butter.

Make-ahead mashed potatoes are a great option for the holidays. You can do nearly everything — boil, peel, and mash; stir in milk and salt — up to two days ahead. Before serving, reheat. Adding butter at the last minute makes them taste freshly mashed.