You will love this simple and easy recipe for slowly cooked loaded mashed potatoes that simmer for hours in the crockpot! This method is fantastic for weeknight meals and big family holiday gatherings!
Loaded Mashed Potatoes
This slow cooker Loaded Mashed Potatoes Recipe is a family favorite.
They are a perfect side dish complement to so many recipes, and it’s very easy to adjust the quantity to use as part of a normal weeknight meal or multiply to feed a crowd at a potluck or large holiday family gathering. I recommend serving this with Shkmeruli (Georgian Chicken) that has very few ingredients, which are traditionally combined together and baked in a traditional Georgian red clay baking dish, or ketsi. It’s so good!
I’ll share the process of how I create this dish in our home, some additional methods of preparation, and tips on how you can further personalize or change things up!
Should you have any leftover mashed potatoes, consider using them to make these delicious Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes. It is one the the best ways to transform those leftover into a new fabulous meal!
How to make loaded mashed potatoes
Add the potatoes, chicken broth, garlic, butter, salt, and pepper to the greased bowl of a slow cooker.
Place the lid on top and set to cook on low for six hours or high for four hours.
When the cook time is up, use a potato masher to mash the potatoes.
Stir in the milk
Add the cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, bacon, and chives and stir to combine. (Not pictured because I’m allergic to onions and I was eating some of this batch!)
Serve immediately.
What are the best potatoes for mashed potatoes?
I prefer to use Yukon Gold potatoes, yellow potatoes, or red potatoes when I’ll be mashing them.
These types of potatoes yield the best results for me for mashed potatoes without risking texture issues.
Can you put raw potatoes in a crockpot?
Yes, this recipe is for uncooked, raw potatoes that cook in the crockpot or slow cooker.
Can I make mashed potatoes ahead of time and keep in a crockpot?
Yes you can make ahead of time and keep them on the warm setting if your crockpot has that feature.
I have also made the day before and then let them reheat in the crock pot before big holiday meals.
I MAKE SURE to use a crock pot liner and spray it first to help prevent the potatoes from sticking. It makes clean up a BREEZE!
Oven Baked Mashed Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes can also be easily baked in the oven.
To begin, preheat oven to 350°F.
Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray (I use PAM).
Scrub potatoes, then dice into equal size pieces. You can peel them or leave the peel on, it’s personal preference.
Cook in a large pot filled with salted water for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well.
Transfer to mixing bowl then add broth, sour cream, cream cheese, butter, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Using a hand mixer, beat the potatoes until smooth.
Spread in baking dish, dot the top with butter.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until heated through and the top is golden.
Garnish with shredded cheese, diced bacon and green onion before serving.
Instant Vortex Air Fryer Loaded Smashed Potatoes
I start by cooking my bacon in the Instant Vortex Air Fryer first.
Place the bacon in the Air Fryer and set the temperature to 390°F then cook until done.
This takes about 7 minutes to get to our desired level of doneness. You may need to adjust if you prefer yours more or less crispy.
Allow the bacon slices to drain on paper towels then crumble into bits.
While bacon is cooling and draining, place the washed and diced potato cubes in the air fryer at 390°F and let them cook for 10 minutes.
Put the potatoes in a bowl or pan. Add your milk or broth and mash them with a hand masher or a hand mixer, depending on if you prefer smoother or lumpier mashed potatoes.
Place the mashed potatoes back inside the air fryer and top with butter, cream cheese, sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon bits, chives, salt, and pepper then cook for 2 more minutes until the cheese is melted.
Remove and let stand for a few minutes.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Scrub your potatoes.
Peel, if preferred or leave peel on.
Dice Potatoes.
Place the diced potatoes and garlic into the bottom of the instant pot.
Salt the potatoes (about 1 tsp) then cover them with broth.
Place the lid on the instant pot and make sure to set the valve to seal.
Cook on manual pressure for about 8 minutes.
When the timer goes off, turn the instant pot off.
Quick release the pressure from the pot.
Once you confirm the air has released, prepare to add additional ingredients.
Add butter, cream cheese, sour cream, shredded cheese, milk, chives, salt, and pepper.
You can use a hand masher to mash them until they’re smooth inside the instant pot OR transfer to a bowl to mash with a hand mixer to make them smoother.
Tips for Making Mashed Potatoes:
- ALWAYS wash and scrub the potatoes.
- Peeling is a personal preference. Some people love them, others do not.
- Smoothness is also a personal preference. Use a potato masher for lumpier potatoes and a hand mixer for smoother potatoes.
- You can add additional milk, butter, or cream to help make them creamier (or reduce amounts & even omit cream cheese for less creaminess).
- SHRED YOUR OWN CHEESE. Yes, you can use pre-shredded in a pinch (it does work) but freshly shredded tastes so much better and melts smoother.
- CRUMBLE YOUR OWN BACON. Again, pre-packaged works in a pinch, but freshly cooked and crumbled bacon tastes so much better.
- You can safely allow these loaded mashed potatoes to stay in the slow cooker using the warm setting for up to 2 hours. After that they really need to be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- You can add ¼ cup dry ranch seasoning, hot sauce, any other flavoring with the milk, butter, cream cheese, etc to give an extra flavor boost.
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Slow Cooker Loaded Mashed Potatoes
You will love this simple and easy recipe for slowly cooked loaded mashed potatoes that simmer for hours in the crockpot! This method is fantastic for weeknight meals and big family holiday gatherings!
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds red potatoes, cut into one inch pieces
- 1 cup chicken broth (vegetable broth or water work, too)
- 4 tablespoons butter, cubed
- 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
- Salt and pepper (I prefer Sea Salt and use about 1 tsp)
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (you can use more if you prefer them cheesier)
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- 4 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
- ¼ cup chives
Instructions
- Add the potatoes, garlic, chicken broth, butter, salt, and pepper to the greased bowl of a slow cooker or use a crockpot liner sprayed with non stick cooking spray.
- Place the lid on top and set to cook on low for six hours or high for four hours.
- When the cook time is up, use a potato masher to mash the potatoes.
- Stir in the milk.
- Add the cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, chives, and bacon and stir to combine.
- Serve immediately.
Adelina Rosa
Monday 17th of May 2021
YUM! I love mashed potatoes. I never thought to make them in my slow cooker. Thanks for the tip!