Make Ahead Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a classic side dish that everyone in the family is sure to love. That means they’re perfect for freezer cooking! And since you can easily freeze mashed potatoes, it’s a great idea to cook a big batch and toss them in the freezer so they’re ready for your next busy weeknight dinner.

With this flavourful recipe for garlic mashed potatoes, you’re going to want to reheat this make ahead side dish for dinner every night!

Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Ingredients:

• 12 large potatoes, cubed or peeled and cubed
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
• chives or parsley
• salt, pepper to taste

Assembly instructions:

1. Cook the potatoes until they’re soft.
2. Mash the softened potatoes, adding butter in bits as you mash.
3. Stir in the sour cream, garlic cloves, chives, salt and pepper.
4. Allow the mashed potatoes to cool, then scoop the potatoes into a freezer bag.
5. Flatten the bag and store it in the freezer until ready to eat.

Cooking instructions:

1. Thaw the potatoes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Transfer the ingredients to the dish and cook until heated through, around 20 minutes. 

(Find slow cooker and stovetop cooking instructions below.)

Can You Freeze Mashed Potatoes?

Freezing mashed potatoes is so easy, which means they make a great side for freezer cooking. Just prepare your favourite mashed potato recipe, then allow the potatoes to cool completely. After that, transfer the cooked and cooled potatoes to a freezer safe dish or freezer bag and pop them in the freezer.

How Long Can You Store Mashed Potatoes in the Freezer?

Frozen mashed potatoes will stay good for up to two months, so make sure to use them up before the expiration date comes. To ensure you enjoy all of your garlic mashed potatoes before they go bad, make sure to write the date you placed them in the freezer on top of the bag for easy reference.

How Do You Reheat Frozen Mashed Potatoes?

There are a few different ways to reheat your mashed potatoes. But in most instances, your frozen potatoes need to be thawed before they’re reheated.

To thaw your frozen potatoes, transfer them from the freezer to the refrigerator at least 12 hours before you plan to cook them. After that, you can use these different cooking methods for reheating your garlic mashed potatoes:

• Oven. My favourite way to reheat these garlic mashed potatoes in the oven. Simply transfer the potatoes to a baking dish and reheat them at 350° until they’re warm.
• Stovetop. Another quick way to warm up your potatoes is on the stovetop. Transfer the thawed potatoes to a medium saucepan and cook over low heat until they’re warmed through, stirring often.
• Slow Cooker. While you need to thaw your potatoes before reheating them in the oven or on the stovetop, you can place your frozen potatoes directly in the slow cooker. Cook the frozen potatoes on low for two hours or until the potatoes are warmed through. Stir the potatoes well before serving.

An important note: If the reheated mashed potatoes seem too runny, it usually means they need to cook longer. 

In the video below, see how to create homemade gravy for the freezer to serve on top of your mashed potatoes! 

Other freezer side dishes:

• Honey Maple Glazed Carrots
• Butternut Squash
• Garlic Bread

Print

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: mashed potatoes

Ingredients

• 12 large potatoes cubed or peeled and cubed
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• chives or parsley
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

1. Cook the potatoes until soft.

2. Mash the softened potatoes, adding butter in bits as you mash.

3. Stir in the sour cream, garlic, chives, salt and pepper.

4. Allow the mashed potatoes to cool, then scoop the potatoes into a freezer bag.

5. Remove excess air and seal.

6. Flatten the bag and store it in the freezer until ready to eat.

Cooking instructions:

1. Thaw.

2. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Transfer the ingredients to the dish and cook until heated through, around 20 minutes.

Slow Cooker Instructions

1. Cook from frozen in the slow cooker on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

2. Stir well before serving.

Stovetop Cooking Instructions

1. Thaw.

2. Cook in a medium saucepan on low heat until they're warmed through, stirring often.