Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

$2.99 recipe / $0.50 serving
by Beth Moncel
4.41 from 32 votes
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It’s not even Halloween yet, but it’s never too early to start planning for Thanksgiving, so I’m going to throw you this little tip to save for later. There are so many moving parts that go into making sure a Thanksgiving meal is hot and ready all at the same time, and it’s even more challenging when you’re working with just one stove. Recipes like these Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes that can be prepared on the side will free up space on your stove top and, because it requires no babysitting, will leave your hands and eyes free to focus on other recipes. Thanksgiving Day boil-over averted. 😅

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes in the slow cooker with melted butter and a wooden spoon

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Why Make Mashed Potatoes in a Slow Cooker?

Using the slow cooker cuts out the “babysitting the boiling pot” step in the process of making mashed potatoes, which can really free you up to concentrate on the rest of your meal. It also eliminates boil overs, draining the potatoes, constantly checking them with a fork to see if they’re tender, using multiple pots and dishes, and gives you another free burner on your stove top. With slow cooker mashed potatoes, you just add everything to the pot and press a button and go. And if you can’t get to them right when the timer goes off, they’ll be okay!

How Do You Flavor Mashed Potatoes?

I flavored my mashed potatoes with garlic, pepper, butter, milk, and cream cheese, but you can use your tried and true favorite mashed potato add-ins with this recipe. The cooking process will stay the same: 3 lbs. potatoes and about 1.5 cups of broth. Then after they’re cooked, add in whatever you’d like! My All-Purpose Garlic Herb Seasoning is a favorite, but other fun seasoning blends include Everything But The Bagel Seasoning, or even ranch seasoning.

What Kind of Potatoes are Best for Mashed Potatoes?

Russet potatoes are my top choice for mashed potatoes because they have a light, fluffy flesh. You can use red potatoes, but they tend to create a more dense mashed potato.

Can I Make Them Vegetarian?

Absolutely! You can swap the chicken broth listed in the recipe below for vegetable broth. Just be aware that vegetable broth is usually a much darker color, so your finished mashed potatoes may look a little more brown.

What Size Slow Cooker Do I Need?

I’m using a 5 quart slow cooker, but it was only about half full, so you could probably get away with using a 3 quart slow cooker for this recipe.

Slow cooker mashed potatoes in a bowl with a spoon lifting a bite

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Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

4.41 from 32 votes
Slow cooker mashed potatoes are the perfect hands-off method for making rich and creamy mashed potatoes for the Holidays!
Author: Beth Moncel
Close up of mashed potatoes in the slow cooker with melted butter and a wooden spoon
Servings 6 1 cup each
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 3 hours
Total 3 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs. russet potatoes ($1.80)
  • 1.5 cups chicken broth ($0.20)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
  • 1/4 tsp Freshly cracked black pepper ($0.05)
  • 4 oz. cream cheese ($0.40)
  • 1/2 cup milk ($0.25)
  • 1 Tbsp butter ($0.13)
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Instructions 

  • Wash and peel the potatoes, then dice them into one-inch cubes. Rinse the diced potatoes with cool water in a colander to remove the excess starch.
  • Add the cubed potatoes, minced garlic, chicken broth, and some freshly cracked pepper to the slow cooker. Stir briefly to distribute the garlic and pepper.
  • Place a lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for three hours, or until the potatoes are fork tender. You can test the tenderness by lifting the lid just long enough to pierce the potatoes with a fork.
  • Take the lid off the slow cooker and add the cream cheese, milk, and butter. Stir to combine the ingredients and mash the potatoes. For an extra smooth mashed potato, use a hand mixer to briefly whip the potatoes until smooth.
  • Taste the potatoes and add salt or pepper if needed. Serve immediately, or switch the slow cooker to the "warm" setting until ready to serve.

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Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Chef’s Knife
  • White Cutting Boards

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 259.77kcalCarbohydrates: 42.75gProtein: 6.93gFat: 5.58gSodium: 441.73mgFiber: 3.18g
Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.
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Instant Pot Instructions:

  1. Follow steps 1-2 in the recipe above.
  2. Close the vent, choose the manual setting, and set the cook time to seven minutes.
  3. Once finished, use the quick pressure release method until the pressure normalizes.
  4. Follow steps 4-5 in the recipe above.

Try These Other Mashed Potato Recipes:

How to Make Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes – Step by Step Photos

Diced potatoes on a cutting board

Start by washing and peeling 3 lbs. of russet potatoes. Dice the peeled potatoes into one-inch cubes.

Diced potatoes in a colander

Rinse the cubed potatoes well in a colander. This removes the excess starch which can make your mashed potatoes gluey instead of fluffy.

Chicken broth being poured into the slow cooker with potatotes

Add the cubed potatoes to a slow cooker along with 2 cloves of garlic (minced), 1.5 cups of chicken broth, and some freshly cracked pepper. Stir briefly just to distribute the garlic and pepper. 

testing the potatoes tenderness with a fork

Cover the slow cooker, then cook on high for three hours, or until the potatoes are tender. You can test their tenderness by removing the lid just brief enough to see if a fork can be easily inserted into the potatoes.

Cream cheese and milk added to the potatoes in the slow cooker

Add 4oz. cream cheese, 1 Tbsp butter, and 1/2 cup milk to the hot potatoes. Stir with a spoon to combine the add-ins with the hot potatoes. The potatoes should be so tender that they begin to mash as you stir. You can continue to stir with a spoon for a chunkier mashed potato, or…

Creamy mashed potatoes in the slow cooker with a spoon, close up

Use a hand mixer to briefly whip the potatoes until smooth. 

Side view of mashed potatoes in the slow cooker with melted butter

Finally, taste the mashed potatoes and season with salt or pepper if needed. Depending on what kind of broth you use, you may want to add salt.

Close up of mashed potatoes in the slow cooker with melted butter and a wooden spoon

And that’s it! Soft, silky, flavorful slow cooker mashed potatoes without any “heavy lifting”. You can serve the potatoes right away or switch the slow cooker to the “warm” setting to keep them warm until you’re ready to serve dinner.

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  1. I love these I make them all the time. Lately Iโ€™ve been doubling the recipie and you definitely need to cook on high at least another hour,longer if you peek at it like I do
    Happy thanksgiving everyone! ๐Ÿฆƒ๐Ÿ’—

  2. The end product was too liquidy for me and the flavor was just OK. There was none of the usual creaminess from the cream cheese because of all the liquid, so it seemed like adding it was a waste. I love many of your recipes, but this one didn’t work out.

  3. Killer way to make mashed potatoes without the need for a boiling pot. Mine came out super creamy, with a good flavor. Definitely using this as my future mashed potato recipe.

  4. Made these tonight and they were amazing!! Just curious if this could be doubled for a bigger group? Would you Increase the time?

    1. I haven’t tried a double batch so I don’t know for sure, but I would think that having more ingredients in the pot would make it take longer to come up to temperature, so the cooking time will probably need to be increased at least some.

  5. Can mashed potatoes be frozen? I have a lot of potatoes that will go bad, soon. Iโ€™ve already made and frozen several kinds of potato soup with them. Thank you!ย 

    1. I like to freeze mashed potatoes, but some people find that they can detect a texture change in frozen mashed potatoes. I can not tell the difference, so I do freeze them. :) You might try with a small portion first to see if you notice the difference.

  6. Delicious and so easy!! My husband says this recipe makes the best mashed potatoes he’s ever had.

  7. Okay, I had to try again because I knew it wasnโ€™t possible that it was a bad recipe and had to be user error. And…love it! I let them cook longer and probably got the amounts better (my scale is out of battery so I had no idea of weight and had to eyeball). I didnโ€™t measure the rest and added sour cream but my husband said they were the best mashed potatoes heโ€™s ever had. So, yeah, theyโ€™re good. I donโ€™t see myself boiling potatoes again! Hiย 

  8. I flubbed this one. I think the potatoes needed much longer or I got the proportion wrong or something. There was a ton of liquid left and the potatoes were still hard. So, learn from my experience, allow more time in case itโ€™s needed and test the potatoes before putting in the butter, cream cheese and milk!ย 

  9. I’ve always put cream cheese in my mashed potatoes. They are so good. Never thought to cook the potatoes in the crock pot. Cooked exactly as stated in recipe and turned out PERFECT. Definitely doing this more often, not just on holidays.

  10. My grandmother’s secret ingredient in her mashed potatoes was cream cheese! I usually put the mashed potatoes in the slow cooker to stay warm. Never thought to cook them there too. Good way to free up a burner.

    1. Yep, after the potatoes cook in the broth you can pretty much add whatever you normally like to add to your mashed potatoes. :)

  11. What happened to the Instant Pot directions? I was hoping to compare the two but I don’t see them except in the comments. Thanks!

    1. Sorry, I just added them back into the post, just below the recipe. :)

  12. If I was to make this in an instant pot (have a 3 qt one). what setting should I use and for how long?

    Please & Thank you!

  13. Canadian Thanksgiving is this coming weekend, so this timing is amazing. Thank you so much for re-upping this, as I wouldn’t have thought to try making this in the slow cooker.

  14. Hello

    I am using an Instant Pot but had already started by using Slow Cook on high heat for four hours. Will they still turn out ok?

  15. Can I use 5-6 red potatoes instead of 3lbs of potatoes russets ? Trying this for first time for I just got a crock pot as a gift

  16. This recipe has made me not dread making mashed potatoes anymore! Followed to the letter, the potatoes will begin to โ€œmashโ€ when you stir in the add-ins at the end of cook time – I sometimes donโ€™t even use the beaters to whip them – itโ€™s not necessary unless you want super smooth potatoes. Prepared as written, theyโ€™re delicious and will pair well with just about anything. You can easily make these your own by switching up add-ins at the end. Thanks for sharing this!

  17. Iโ€™ve made this recipe before and it was awesome! I want to make it again this year but was wondering if you could substitute milk with unsweetened soy milk, almond milk or coconut milk. We donโ€™t keep regular milk on hand because we donโ€™t drink it.ย 

  18. No idea how this almost has a 5-star rating, these were horrendous. The mashed were so bad that in comparison, instant mashed potatoes taste better. I followed this recipe to precisely what it said, and I made no changes. What a waste of time.

  19. Was looking forward to these mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving Day, but the potatoes never softened in my Crockpot. Followed the simple instructions so Iโ€™m not sure what possibly could have gone wrong. The diced russet potatoes were still hard even hours after the 4 hour cooking time. It was disappointing. Guests definitely missed the traditional mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving.ย 

  20. Very yummy recipe. I cooked the potatoes in the pressure cooker and it couldn’t have been easier. As much as I love Yukon good potatoes, I don’t think they worked well. They were to each and didn’t result in fluffy mashed potatoes. I cooked two more russet potatoes and added that to the mix, which helped. Everyone thought they were fantastic!

  21. Made this tonight. I always mix celeriac with my potatoes when I make mashed potatoes…Well, I did it here and the change…did not work so well…I guess there is much more water in celeriac, so version of the recipe (without even adding the milk) is basically a soup. A really, really tasty soup, so we’re still happy!. I will try this again (without any changes) for sure. It was still really easy! Thanks!

  22. Hi Beth!

    Longtime fan! I had a question– do you know if these mashed potatoes freeze well? Thing is, I LOVE mashed potatoes but, just like you, I hate peeling and cutting potatoes. My plan is to double the recipe and have leftovers frozen for a quick side whenever I need it.

    Any thoughts?

    1. I think they freeze fine, but some people really dislike the texture of potatoes after they are frozen and thawed. It’s funny though, because I can never tell any difference, but for some people it’s a deal breaker. :P

  23. OK so love this recipe of all the slow-cookermashed. My question is if I have to double recipe how much time incooker. Yes I know to double ingredients but not sure of cook time.

  24. OMG. WINNER!!!

    We had these this week as a “test” as I prepare for Thanksgiving. We will be having these (made in the Instant Pot…my new favorite thing). It will help make Thanksgiving easier, but these are also the easiest, tastiest mashed potatoes I’ve ever made. And mashed potatoes are my ‘thing’

    1. Hmm, I’m not sure for this one. I don’t often use dairy substitutes, so I’m not sure what would work here.

      1. My son is lactose intolerant, so I will make these potatoes with Lactaid whole milk and Earth balance vegan”butter”.

  25. These always come out perfectly! Today I was making them with bacon wrapped steaks that I didn’t want to keep bacon wrapped. I cooked the bacon separately, crumbled it and added it to the potatoes. Best idea ever!

  26. I made these today in my Crock Pot and made rice meatballs with sauce in my second Crock Pot. It’s so hot here even with the house closed up and the air conditioner on, it’s still hot. This was so great to have mashed potatoes to serve my meatballs and sauce over. I made green beans also, but the kitchen stayed nice and wasn’t overheated and sticky using the Crock Pots. These potatoes tasted wonderful. I made them exactly as the recipe stated and this one will go into my keeper binder. Thank you.

  27. I’ve made these numerous times in my Instant pot and they always come out amazing. I add garlic to mine, and often use sour cream or yogurt in the place of cream cheese since I don’t have that in my fridge often. I also like to add Parmesan and chives. Yum.

  28. I’ve made these twice now and they’re great! Like some of the other commenters, I was skeptical as to the advantage of making mashed potatoes in the slow cooker. It really is so much easier though! No draining, and I can walk away and do other chores/study without coming back to check on them. It seriously takes about 10 minutes of active work–wash, dice (I don’t peel the potatoes), pour in the liquid and turn it on. And the potatoes mash up perfectly with a fork as you mix in the dairy goodness at the end. Love it! Thanks for another great recipe!

  29. Made this recipe the other night using tiny golden potatoes that Aldi had on sale (3lbs for 99 cents). My wife and daughter say that this is the only way that we should do spuds from now on!

    Thanks, Beth!

    BTW, empty Better Than Bullion jars make the best spice jarsever.

  30. I made this recipe tonight in my Instant Pot and I am IN LOVE. I do own a potato masher, but my husband prefers a really smooth potato so I normally whip with my hand blender. That wasn’t necessary with this recipe! The masher worked wonders!

    The best part? I had a head of cauliflower that I wanted to use up so I subbed 1/3 of the potatoes for cauliflower. It was amazing, and my SUPER PICKY kids didn’t notice the difference. I am also out of fresh garlic, and trying to do a no-spend January so I used garlic powder. Still amazing!

  31. These mashed potatoes were amazing! This recipe would be so easy to double to feed a crowd. Your recipes never disappoint!

  32. I’m still wondering about the slow cooker advantage–you still have to peel, dice, etc. All of this can be done with a saucepan–I tend to dice the potatoes very small–about 1/2″ dice, barely cover with water, and simmer until very soft. I could as easily use broth and milk from the beginning, saving myself the trouble of draining off the water and adding hot liquid–and with a bit less liquid in the pot, be sure to stir a couple of times during cooking on low heat. It would still only take about 30 minutes of cooking time, and I always use my mixer in the process. I have a 4 burner stove with an oven–plenty for a complicated meal, and the counter space used up by an appliance tends to be more of a problem for me than actual cooking space.

    1. It’s really a personal preference thing. :) For me I like knowing that I can completely walk away and not think about it. And if I use the pressure cooker setting on my Instant Pot it only takes about 10 minutes. If I only had the slow cooker option, it would still be helpful on busy days or during the holidays when there are a million things going on. If stove top is easier for you, that’s cool too! :)

  33. Just wondering, what size slow cooker do you use when you aren’t using the Instant Pot?

    1. I think they would, although some people find the texture of frozen potatoes to be unappetizing (they get slightly more grainy).

    2. I haven’t tried this recipe buy regular mashed potatoes freeze and reheat easily. Put the frozen potatoes [already mashed with milk and butter and then frozen] in a bowl and microwave for 4-5 minutes. They are watery and grainy when you start thawing, but stir them good and cook 2-3 more minutes more. Keep stiring and cooking until they are thickened and creamy. the extra water will cook off and your potatoes will be just like new. I got this idea after seeing frozen mashed potatoes in the grocery store and I though, why not? Now I make a huge soup pot full of potatoes and freeze them in dinner size portions. We can have mashed potatoes anytime!

  34. This was REALLY good. Added some chopped parsley for some color and extra flavor. However I had to let it cook for 6 hours on high using a regular manual Crockpot before it was tender enough to mash.

  35. Thank you so much for including the directions for the Instant Pot. I love that contraption. Thank you so much for that life changing link!

    Your pictures are awesome and just what I need.

    Cheers,
    Ursula

  36. It’s not super budget friendly but Trader Joes makes a delicious frozen mashed potato bag. It’s coins you can remove to get the portion you desire and add in bacon water cream cheese etc. microwave for two min and done. I get it as a special treat a bag is about 6$. Ouch.

  37. Made this tonight and we all loved it! Best part is it fed 5 people including seconds and I still have some left to put in the fridge. I had to use vegetable broth but it was delicious. When feeding a big family it’s always good to have side dishes that don’t come from a package or a a box because those get expensive. Thanks again Beth!

  38. I only peel my potatoes when I make them for other people; we love the skins on them.

  39. Great idea! For Christmas, my mom and I were responsible for making 10 pounds of mashed potatoes which required a LOT of time and effort and we ended up having to do them in two batches since not all of the potatoes would fit in the pot. I love the idea of cooking them in the slow cooker and will have to try it next time I make mashed potatoes!

  40. I like how there’s no need to drain the mashed potatoes. Adding cream cheese sounds super creamy and delicious.

  41. Ohhhh yummmm! I love mashed potatoes. Your addition of cream cheese looks like a great idea for extra creaminess and flavour :)

  42. I once actually mashed potatoes with a dinner fork and they turnedout very smooth and creamy. I was surprised. I also love to use buttermilk and sour cream with a bit of butter to finish off off in my mash for that special flavor.

    1. PS – You’ve also got me lusting after an Instant Pot! I just haven’t justified the purchase yet.

      1. Daricelynn, the instant pot was a game changer for me. I’m a busy mom of 3 boys (soon to be 4) and I cannot tell you how much I adore my instant pot. It’s the best purchase I made all last year,

        Laura

  43. Why do people leave starred reviews if they’ve never actually made it? It makes no sense and misleads people that would actually like to see the reviews for a recipe. That being said, I’m excited to try this! I also love mashed potatoes but am always reluctant to make it for all the reasons you mentioned.

  44. I recently read an article about adding a raw egg yolk to mashed potatoes. I know some people are skeeved at the idea of raw eggs, but I like to live on the edge. :P (The heat from the potatoes is supposed to cook the egg to a safe temp). It seriously made THE best (and prettiest) mashed potatoes that I have ever eaten in my life – won’t ever make them any other way.

    1. That sounds SO good! I love egg yolk. It reminds me of a mix between butter and cheese. Creamy and delicious!

  45. I find this post super interesting for multiple reasons. Every time i have had slow cooker mashed potatoes they are dried out and, well, kinda blah. The second reason is that i never seem to have the hard time making regular mash that you seem to lol. I once, finally, remembered to buy a potatoe masher and I have never seen it again. Never even got it out of the bag, it just vanished – bag and all. As a note, when i make mashed potatoes, i use a big pot and don’t peel. I simply cube up the potatoes and boil on low/med while I do whatever i want (a load of laundry, the rest of the meal, watch reruns of the commish, etc) about a half hour or so. Then, using a plastic slotted spoon I drain as much liquid as possible then mash with the spoon, in the pot, add garlic, butter, seasoning, cheese, bacon, milk/cream, whatever my heart desires and viola! Of course I would much rather clean a pot than my slowcooker if i don’t have to, so this works for me. As for the potatoes in these pictures – they look nom, nom, nom!

  46. If you’re draining your potatoes after boiling, you’re adding far too much water. So said my high school home ec teacher. We were taught to add as little water as possible because you’ll mash that flavor back into the potatoes.

    On a pedantic note, using a hand mixer results in whipped potatoes, not mashed.

    As for potato mashers… search for “Best Manufacturers Waffle Head Potato Masher” on Amazon. Fully stainless steel, made in the USA, Prime ordering. It’s not a unitasker because it also mashes your Not Refried Beans and the bananas for your baked oatmeal (the recipe that first drew me to your blog). I actually use mine for “not potatoes” more than I do for potatoes :)

  47. We LOVE your recipes! My husband and I have been cooking nothing but budget bytes recipes all month. I’ve definitely seen a savings in our weekly grocery bill. I got an instant pot for Christmas. It has already cut down cooking times so much! My first thought was, how can I convert these budget bytes recipes for my Instant pot to save time AND money?! Thanks for an instant pot friendly recipe :)

  48. I rarely make mashed potatoes because of all the steps involved. I just made the cheesy gnocci skillet from your last post. This simple way to make mashed potatoes has me wondering if I can make my own gnocci from home grown potatoes.

    1. Yep! Gnocchi are pretty simple to make and if you make a big batch, you can actually freeze them so that you don’t have to do all the work each time. I don’t have a recipe for potato gnocchi (I made ricotta gnocchi, or gnudi, once though). If you google it I’m sure you’ll find a ton of good recipes for it. :)

    1. Yeah, it’s amazing. It’s really 7 minutes once it comes up to pressure, but that process only takes about 5-10 minutes. This thing is amazing!

  49. First off, I adore your blog. I’ve been reading it for literally years and about 90% of our favorite recipes are your’s. Thank you for making our meals healthy!

    Re: Mashed potatoes. My dad grew up on a potato farm in Northern Maine, so we’re VERY serious about mashed potatoes in our family. Rule one is that there’s no reason to peal them. Ever. There’s nutrition in the skin and they mash up just fine with the skin on. My Grammy talk me to just take some potatoes (fresh, russets are best), cut off bad spots, and boil them in salted water until soft. Mash with butter, salt, pepper, and a little milk (or half and half if you have it). Perfect mashed potatoes every time! I actually still have my Grammy’s potato masher and think of her every time I use it.

    1. My son and his wife also do not peel the potatoes and i thought the finished product would not look appealing – i was wrong. They looked fine and tasted great!

    2. I agree. I usually don’t peel them either because I kind of like the extra color and texture. This time I wanted that classic mashed potato look with a uniform color and texture, so I did peel them. Normally, though, I’m a peel girl! :)

  50. Another really easy method, which avoids peeling, dicing and boiling the potatoes, is to simply bake them in the oven. Then all you have to do is cut them open and scoop out the insides into a bowl and mash them up with your milk, butter, salt and pepper. Just make sure you prick the potatoes with a fork before putting them in the oven, otherwise they can explode. A potato ricer makes it even easier, especially if the potatoes you are using are small enough to fit into it. All you do is bake the potatoes then put them into the ricer (skin on, no peeling needed). The skin will remain in the ricer, and the perfectly smashed potato insides will come out of it. You just need to give it a few stirs to blend it with the milk and butter and seasonings and it’s done. No lumps whatsoever.

  51. I admit that I’m intrigued, but to me the worst part of mashed potatoes is the peeling & chopping, so I’m not convinced.
    Also, my mom “mashes” her potatoes with a hand mixer. It’s way easier, but honestly I prefer the texture a potato masher gives. This is what I love about cooking…so many ways to do something right!

  52. My hubby got me an instant pot for Christmas (you know, I ordered it on my credit card, wrapped it, put a tag on it, let him know his shopping was done…) and I am really enjoying it! Just made hummus this morning from dried chickpeas (could never get them to cook fully by boiling at this altitude) and am looking forward to making something with black-eyed peas for New Year’s!

  53. Have you tried this with Yukon Gold potatoes? I love making mashed potatoes with them because you don’t need to peel them. I hate peeling potatoes!

  54. My nod to laziness when cooking potatoes is leaving the peels on. Why waste all that nice fiber and nutrition?
    This could be handy when cooking for a crowd, and I need the burner.

  55. Looks delicious, but I can’t see where this is any easier than cooking the potatoes in a saucepan. What am I missing? It is the identical steps as the regular method, and takes hours longer, and I’d rather wash a saucepan than my slow cooker.

    1. I don’t know, for me it just seems easier because I hate babysitting the boiling water and it always seems to boil over, which makes a big mess. It’s definitely a lot of perception, but for me it seemed a lot easier. :) (plus, when I use my Instant Pot it’s super fast)

  56. I love your blog and have been following for years – most of your recipes and tips are awesome! But this one has me stumped. All you’re really skipping is the “keep an eye on the pot” and draining steps. Perhaps freeing up a saucepan and burner? I agree that having a potato masher (unitasker, as Alton Brown would call it) is pointless if you have a hand mixer. For me, taking 8x as long to cook the potatoes is a bigger inconvenience.

    1. For me, this works – I love to maximize my use of the slow cooker, so that I can leave whatever is in there cooking while I’m out for 8 hours in class or at work.

    2. Yep, freeing up the pot and burner, and I can go do other things and not even think about it when cooking. That’s huge for me. It always seems to boil over no matter how closely I watch it and that starchy water is such a mess. No colander to clean up afterwards, and the potatoes seemed SO much softer this way, which made the “mashing” process effortless.