Rustic Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Simple. Quick. Creamy. Delicious. These are just a few of the words that define these rustic make-ahead mashed potatoes!

On practically every Christmas Eve, Jorge and I make mashed potatoes for the whole family. Since we're known for making a variety of recipes and since we seem to nail the mashed potato recipe, we can't seem to get out of this task we love so much!

I can tell you that I've been making this recipe for about five years at practically every holiday party, and it's been a hit every time! The best part? I always make this recipe the day before, which saves me a lot of time and stress during the holidays.

As we're approaching Christmas and Thanksgiving, I decided to try the recipe again, to photograph it and post it on Big Cravings, so you and your family can enjoy these delicious mashed potatoes too!

Trust me, you won't want to make another recipe!

This recipe is truly special, seriously! It's simple, quick to make, and truly delicious, thanks to the excellent balance I found in the ingredients I use. I'll explain it clearly, okay?

• I use Yukon Gold potatoes because they're the best. They're naturally buttery, with a rich golden color and a slightly sweet, earthy flavor. They make mashed potatoes naturally creamy, without using a lot of butter.
• The texture of my recipe is balanced! These aren't completely smooth mashed potatoes (I hate that because it reminds me of store-bought ones!), they're a rustic mash with a little chunk, so they feel hearty and homemade.
• The flavor is delicious! Many recipes I see online (especially on TikTok) use butter and milk for flavor. This is something you should avoid! My recipe uses garlic, sour cream, and heavy cream, which makes the mashed potatoes more flavorful, richer, and tangier than traditional recipes!

Believe me, using one or two extra ingredients, like garlic, sour cream, and heavy cream, makes all the difference. Many people try to simplify their potatoes to make them easier to make, but end up ruining everything and ending up with flavorless mashed potatoes.

That's not what we want, average mashed potatoes, is it? So, don't waste any time and check out my recipe below! I photographed the entire step-by-step process so you can make it without any hassle!

First of all, what you will need

To make this delicious holiday side dish that everyone loves, you'll need a few simple ingredients, such as:

For the mashed potatoes:

• 2.2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes - Unpeeled and roughly chopped into 1-2” pieces. I don't recommend using any other type of potato, because Yukon Gold potatoes are the "secret" to this recipe.
• ½ tbsp finely chopped garlic - Perfect for adding flavor. The finer the garlic, the better.
• ¼ cup full-fat sour cream  - The sour cream makes the potatoes smoother and help with moisture. It's mandatory, seriously!
• ½ cup heavy cream - Many people substitute heavy cream for milk, but I don't recommend it! Heavy cream adds a luxurious, buttery flavor that milk can't match.
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened - Ideal for adding flavor and creaminess, and for giving mashed potatoes a smoother texture. Use high-quality butter.
• 1 tsp pink Himalayan salt or kosher salt - Yes, you read that right, we're not using "traditional" salt, and you know why? Because these mashed potatoes aren't traditional… This will be the last mashed potato recipe you’ll ever need!
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper - It is irreplaceable, because in addition to adding flavor, it enhances other ingredients flavor as well.

As garnish:

• 1 tbsp melted butter - It seems unnecessary, but it's not! I ALWAYS like to add melted butter on top because it gives that "Instagram" glossy finish to mashed potatoes.
• 1 tbsp chopped chives - I love adding chopped chives not only for the flavor, but for the color contrast it gives! It makes the plating much prettier, and that counts, don't you think?

That's all you need! I'll be honest with you, I don't recommend removing ANY of the ingredients, because this recipe is good, special, and better than all the others because it has all of these ingredients.

Let's make the rustic mashed potatoes recipe!

Now that you know the ingredients needed to make these delicious mashed potatoes, let's move on to the step-by-step instructions I prepared with so much love for you!

Start by cutting the potatoes into chunks, as you can see in the image below. Add water, covering them completely, and cook them. Usually 15 to 20 minutes is more than enough. I like to take a fork and stick it in the potatoes; if you can stick the fork in well, they're cooked.

Are the potatoes cooked? Perfect! Remove them from the heat and drain them. Return the potatoes to the pot. Immediately add garlic, sour cream, heavy cream, butter, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to combine and melt the butter. 

Now is my favorite part! Use a potato masher to gently combine all the ingredients until silky but slightly chunky (or completely smooth, if preferred). But please, don’t overmix! Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed. 

Transfer the mashed potatoes to a serving bowl. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with chives. Serve and enjoy!

As you've seen, it's a very simple and quick recipe. We just need to bake the potatoes and then lightly combine everything. In no time we will have everything ready to serve our guests during the festive season!

Let's Make Mashed Potatoes Ahead of Time?

I'm sure many of you chose my recipe because we can make it ahead of time, right? Well, I'll give you some tips to make sure everything goes smoothly. Nobody wants to reheat spoiled meals, right?

First of all, you must make the recipe normally with all the ingredients, just as I taught you above, just don't add garnish, obviously. Once you have the mashed potatoes ready, I recommend letting them cool and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

To reheat, place the mashed potatoes in a shallow container and cover with foil. Warm them in a 325°F (165°C) oven for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through. If they seem too thick, I usually add ½ teaspoon milk and stir to make the mashed potatoes smoother and creamier.

And there you have it! Your mashed potatoes are ready to serve for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any holiday season!

My tips for storing mashed potatoes!

Se te sobraram mashed potatoes, não te preocupes! Felizmente, isso acontece-me com regularidade, pelo que sei perfeitamente quanto tempo devemos manter as mashed potatoes refrigeradas antes que se estraguem.

• First of all, you need to let the mashed potatoes cool before putting them in the refrigerator. I ALWAYS follow this golden rule; it applies to practically all foods.
• I usually keep mashed potatoes in the refrigerator for 2 days, in a sealed container or with plastic wrap on top. According to the USDA, cooked potatoes, including mashed potatoes, can be safely stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
• Unfortunately, we can't freeze mashed potatoes. Potatoes with cream and butter don't freeze well; they can turn grainy. So don't even try!

If you’re a potato lover like me, you might also enjoy my sweet potato pancakes.

These are simple tips, but they're ones you can and should follow. I learned some of these deadlines the hard way! You know when you open the fridge and that sour smell hits you? Well, I've been there a lot!

I truly hope you loved this recipe! I'm sure you did, but I always get anxious when I post it because I don't know how my followers will react!

I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments below.