These make-ahead mashed potatoes are rich, smooth, and easy to serve spoonful after spoonful. They’re a reliable, fuss-free recipe that fits weeknights, weekend dinners, and holiday spreads alike — a genuine kitchen lifesaver.
TL;DR (Quick-Answer Box)
- What it is: A straightforward method for creamy Yukon Gold mashed potatoes using milk and butter, perfect to serve immediately or prepare up to two days in advance.
- Why you’ll love it: A short ingredients list and simple technique produce tender, fluffy mashed potatoes that reheat well — great for busy nights and special meals.
- How to make it: Simmer halved Yukon Golds in salted water until tender, drain and cool slightly, peel, then mash through a ricer or with a masher. Warm milk with butter, season, and stir into the potatoes until they reach the consistency you like.
Featured Review
I like cooking the potatoes with their skins on — they steam nicely and the skins slip off easily after cooking. The mash was fluffy and delicious. To reheat, I microwaved the potatoes briefly, added a pat of butter in the center, and covered the bowl before warming. I served these easy mashed potatoes with smothered pork chops and they were a hit.
Deb L
These mashed potatoes are ideal when life is hectic and you need a comforting side that comes together quickly. They’re simple enough for a busy weeknight yet elegant enough to accompany a special dinner.
Notes on ingredients
- Yukon Gold potatoes – Their naturally creamy texture makes Yukon Golds the best choice here. Russets tend to be starchier and can yield a drier, grainier mash.
- Salt – Regular table salt works well. Kosher salt is fine too; if you use it, taste and adjust because volume measurements can differ.
- Milk – Any milk will work; whole milk gives the richest, creamiest result. For a lighter version, use lower-fat milk, but the texture will be slightly less lush.
- Unsalted butter – Unsalted butter lets you control the seasoning precisely. If you use salted butter, reduce the added salt to taste.
Step-by-step instructions
- Cook the potatoes: Place halved potatoes in cold water, add salt, bring to a gentle boil, and simmer until a knife easily pierces them.
- Cool and peel: Drain and let the potatoes cool just enough to handle; the skins should then slip off easily. If needed, peel with a knife or peeler.
- Mash and finish: Pass potatoes through a ricer or food mill (or mash by hand). Warm milk and butter together, season, and fold the warm mixture into the potatoes until smooth and creamy.
Your Mashed Potato Questions, Answered
Keeping the skins on while the potatoes cook helps prevent them from absorbing excess water and becoming gluey. It’s also faster since the skins usually slip off after cooking, making peeling easier and quicker.
Make the mashed potatoes, cool them, and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two days. To reheat, cover and microwave in short bursts, or place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, partially covered, stirring occasionally and adding a little extra milk or butter if needed.
Leftover mashed potatoes are versatile: form them into cakes and pan-fry, use them as a filling for tacos or shepherd’s pie, or turn them into patties for sandwiches. They make an easy second meal with a little creativity.
Pro tips & troubleshooting
- Add the butter before the milk so the fat coats the potatoes first — this helps keep the mash from becoming gummy.
- If you don’t have a ricer, use a masher or press the potatoes against the side of the pan with a slotted spoon. A brief pulse in a food processor can make very smooth potatoes, but be careful not to over-process.
- This recipe is gluten-free when made with the ingredients listed.
Why Our Testers Loved This
Testers appreciated how quickly the recipe comes together and that the final texture is creamy and fluffy, not gluey. It’s dependable and forgiving.
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Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
David Leite
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and halved
- 1 teaspoon plus 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk, preferably whole
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the top
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
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Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and add cold water to cover them by about 1 inch. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced, roughly 20 minutes.
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Drain the potatoes and let them cool just enough to handle safely.
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Slip the skins off with your fingers; if that’s difficult, peel them. Pass the potatoes through a ricer or food mill and return them to the pan, or mash them with a hand masher.
Tester tip: If you don’t have a ricer or food mill, press the potatoes against the side of the pan with a slotted spoon or spatula.
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Warm the milk in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Stir in the butter, 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste), and the pepper. Add the warm milk-and-butter mixture to the potatoes a little at a time until you reach the texture you want, mixing until smooth.
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Spoon the mashed potatoes into a serving bowl, top with a pat of butter if you like, and serve right away.
Notes
- Storage: Store cooked mashed potatoes in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two days. To reheat, cover and microwave in short intervals until warmed through, stirring once or twice.
- Keep warm: To hold for a few hours, set the bowl of mashed potatoes over a pan of barely simmering water and cover partially. Stir in a little extra milk or butter before serving if needed.
- Dietary: This recipe is gluten-free when prepared with the ingredients listed.
Adapted From
What’s a Hostess to Do?
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Nutrition
Calories: 230 kcal
Carbohydrates: 38 g
Protein: 6 g
Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Sodium: 617 mg
Fiber: 5 g
Sugar: 4 g
Nutrition information is calculated automatically and should be used as an estimate only.
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Only a portion of our tested recipes make it onto the site; this one passed blind testing by multiple home cooks and earned strong praise from testers.
Natalie Reebel
This is my new go-to for simple mashed potatoes. Peeling after cooking saves time and the potatoes turned out creamy and fluffy rather than gluey. I used a masher and warmed the milk in the microwave before stirring it in.
The flavor is comforting on its own, and these potatoes would also be great topped with cheese and bacon.
Carrie S.
This recipe is simply delicious — not overly rich, but satisfying and perfect for busy weeknights. I left the skins on while chopping before boiling, then removed them after cooking; the skins slipped off easily once cooled slightly.
I’ve also used a slotted spatula to mash when no masher was available; results were chunkier but still good. Heating the milk before adding it helps bring the potatoes back to serving temperature.
Shannon Parrish
These mashed potatoes were creamy and comforting. Yukon Golds made a noticeable difference in texture. I blended the ingredients for an ultra-smooth result and will try adding grated Parmesan next time for more depth of flavor.
I followed the peel-after-cooking approach and enjoyed the end result — I’ll make these again.