Yahoo Lifestyle This Is the Best Way to Keep Your Mashed Potatoes Warm and Fluffy
Don't worry, it won't take up precious oven space!
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
I could eat a whole bowl of mashed potatoes, fresh off the stove, anytime. If that were my entire dinner, I’d be just fine.
Of course, that wouldn’t exactly be a proper meal. And if you’re hosting Thanksgiving or another holiday feast, mashed potatoes are just one part of a much bigger spread. If your holiday cooking looks anything like mine, mashed potatoes are always ready long before the rest of the meal.
No matter how hard I try, nothing is ever ready at the same time. Managing multiple recipes, each with its own ingredients and steps, is stressful. So, when your mashed potatoes are done but the rest of the dishes are still in progress, what’s the best way to keep them fluffy, hot, and flavorful?
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The Best Way to Keep Mashed Potatoes Warm
No matter how you prepare your mashed potatoes, preserving their texture, flavor, and creaminess is essential—especially if you still have more cooking to do.
Your first instinct might be to keep the potatoes on the stove or pop them in the oven at a low temperature or the "warm" setting. While that can work, it often dries out the potatoes more than you’d like.
Instead, pull out your slow cooker, set it to low, and transfer the finished mashed potatoes inside. They’ll stay warm and moist without losing their creamy texture. In fact, they might even improve after sitting in the slow cooker for a while.
To keep them extra rich, add a couple of slices of butter on top before covering the slow cooker with its lid. If needed, just before serving, use a whisk and a few splashes of heavy cream to fluff them back to perfection.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
What If My Slow Cooker Is Already Occupied?
If your slow cooker is busy with another recipe—or you don’t have one—there’s another reliable way to keep mashed potatoes warm without drying them out: use a bain-marie.
This restaurant trick is used to keep ingredients warm over several hours without receiving direct heat—the main cause of dried-out potatoes.
To set up a bain-marie, fill a large pot with a small amount of water and bring it to a simmer. Place your pot of mashed potatoes inside the larger pot and cover. The indirect heat will keep your prized potatoes warm and creamy for hours.
No room for one pot inside the other? Transfer the mashed potatoes to a heatproof bowl, cover it, and rest the bowl on top of the simmering pot. The steam will have the same effect.
With these tricks, your mashed potatoes will stay warm, creamy, and ready to serve—no matter how hectic your holiday kitchen gets. And you can focus on finishing the rest of your meal without worrying about what is arguably the star of holiday side dishes. Need some inspiration? Check out a few of our top-rated mashed potato recipes sure to be a hit with your holiday crew.
Our Best Mashed Potato Recipes
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