Restaurants make mashed potatoes ahead by boiling and mashing potatoes with butter and salt, then holding them plain (no dairy) and finishing by folding them into simmering cream or milk just before serving to restore texture and heat, preventing dryness or glueyness. The key is keeping the liquid separate until service, then using hot liquid to revive the chilled potato base for a fresh, creamy result.
It might come as a surprise to learn that mashed potatoes can actually be made a few days ahead of serving. Not only is this a welcome time saver during busy holidays such as Thanksgiving, but your spuds will turn out creamier and fluffier when prepared in advance.
Fine dining places, they make a fresh batch of potato mash every day before service. Casual places, they make a mash every couple of days and cool it after prepping, then they reconstitute it and hot hold it for service and pitch what was reheated at the end of the day.
Reheating mashed potato in the oven
You can cook and mash the potatoes up to two days ahead of time, and reheat them in the oven when you're ready to eat.
Chilling mashed potatoes ahead improves creaminess because the starches firm up then relax during reheating. You can make them up to 3 days ahead or freeze for 2 weeks without losing texture. Reheat in a 350°F oven about 30–40 minutes and add cream or butter if dry.
Get ahead mash
Cookery assistant Sophie: You don't have to mash the potato at the very last minute - to get ahead, mash your potato without adding butter or milk then leave it covered in cling film in the fridge and simply add butter and milk to reheat when you want to serve it.
Slow cooker method
Just as you can make mashed potatoes in a slow cooker, you can reheat them that way, too. Simply add them into your machine, cover, and set to low. Warm through for two to three hours, stirring occasionally and adding milk, cream, or butter to add moisture if necessary.
"Hold your mashed potatoes in a bain-marie, or water bath, with a lid on top [and] they stay for hours—days really," Ray said in an interview with Allrecipes while promoting her partnership with Home Chef. The method is oh-so-simple.
This make-ahead mashed potato recipe is a game changer for holiday hosts. Cooking Thanksgiving dinner can feel like a game of Tetris, but this method lets you make mashed potatoes up to 2 days ahead without compromising their velvety texture or rich flavor.
Mashed potatoes, like other starchy dishes that are made with dairy (think creamy casseroles, macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes), can develop a dry, gluey texture when reheated for too long, or at a temperature that's too high.
The lack of potential gut-irritants makes them an ideal performance food, even for the most sensitive-stomached runners. Potatoes can easily be incorporated into your diet as performance foods in three ways: pre-race dinner, pre-race breakfast, and mid-run fuel.
Ray takes her pot of potatoes and sticks it on top of a bigger pot filled with simmering water, although a dedicated double boiler with a lid would also work. She covers the potato pot sitting on top with a lid, sets the burner to low, and manages to keep the potatoes fluffy for hours with minimal effort.
Wrapping your potato in a wet paper towel before baking it in the microwave helps steam the potato, and aids in even heating so it won't dry out while cooking.
Unfortunately, the palatability of reheated potatoes is inferior to freshly cooked potatoes partly due to the retrogradation of the potato starch occurring during cold storage, freezing and thawing.
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.
The most common mistake when making mashed potatoes is overworking them with a blender, food processor, or mixer, which releases too much starch and turns them gluey or pasty instead of fluffy. Other frequent errors include using the wrong potatoes, not salting the cooking water, starting potatoes in boiling water, and adding cold butter/milk.
I use half-and-half: it gives the potatoes the perfect creamy texture and rich flavor. To substitute half-and-half, you can use heavy cream or whole milk. Whatever you use, start with a little and add more as needed.
A ricer or food mill is the secret tool restaurants use to get that smooth and creamy texture without any gluey starch. It makes the biggest difference and it is actually so fun to use. Your holiday potatoes will never be the same after this!
Rinsing off the potato starch both before and after cooking ensures fluffy, not gluey, mashed potatoes. Folding butter and whole milk in gently creates a rich yet airy consistency without turning the potatoes dense, thanks to careful handling.
Starch is released when potatoes are mashed, smashed, or whipped, and, if too much starch is released, the potatoes are gummy and unappealing. Limit the amount of time you handle the potatoes, mashing or whipping only until the potatoes reach the desired consistency.