Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic are the perfect easy side dish. Super creamy, buttery and super simple to make right in the slow cooker! Best of all, there’s no preboiling required!

The slow cooker helps to make things easier during the holidays when you’re planning that big Thanksgiving or Christmas feast. This Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Cornbread and stuffing are among our favorites. Just toss everything into the pot and in a few hours, your dish is ready without any babysitting.
These Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic also show up a lot around here. This recipe is perfect for those days when you don’t feel like peeling or boiling a gazillion potatoes.

HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER MASHED POTATOES:
- Start by washing and drying your potatoes. Then cut them into quarters. No need to peel them – leaving the skin helps to build flavor and prevents the gummy texture.
- Place the potatoes in the slow cooker along with the salt, pepper, oregano, roasted garlic and water.
- Once the potatoes are nice and soft, add the butter and using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until they are fluffy. Add the sour cream along with milk and continue mashing until smooth. We like ours with a little bit of chunks but feel free to make yours as creamy as you like.
- Adjust salt to taste and keep on warm until ready to serve. It’s best to eat right away, but if you’re eating them later and the potatoes get dry, add the reserved water to loosen them.
- We like to leave ours with a few chunks but feel free to make them creamier if you li
HOW LONG DO YOU COOK POTATOES IN THE SLOW COOKER?
CAN I MAKE SLOW COOKER POTATOES AHEAD OF TIME FOR MEAL PREP?
Absolutely! Instant Pot potatoes are a great make ahead dish. You can make a batch on your Sunday or Monday meal prep and then mash or dress them with whatever seasonings or sauce you like to add to meals for the week.

HELPFUL TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST MASHED POTATOES:
- Use the right kind of potatoes – Russet and Yukon Golds have a high starch content and are perfect for making the creamiest and fluffiest mashed potatoes. Don’t use waxy red potatoes since they won’t break down and you’ll end up with lumpy mashed potatoes
- Leave the skins on when cooking – this helps to avoid a gluey texture and contributes to the overall flavor. Unpeeled potatoes absorb less water and help to preserve the starch
- Don’t over-cook – test your potatoes with a knife, once they are tender, drain the liquid so they don’t get too mushy
- Use a potato masher and do not over-mash – using a potato masher allows you to control how well you mash them. Over mixing with a hand mixer or an immersion blender causes the starch in the potatoes to break down and turn gummy
- Season well and taste constantly – add enough seasonings such as salt, pepper, garlic & herbs for an extra layer of flavor. Taste as you go to ensure that the flavor in your mashed potatoes did not dilute and really stand out
- Add butter first before liquid and creams – this helps to coat the starch so your potatoes remain firm before adding the cream and liquid for silkier and creamier mashed potatoes
- Do not add all the cream or liquid all at once – fold in cream and liquid a little at a time and stop once you have reached the desired consistency

Slow Cooker Garlic Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Garlic Rosemary Tri-color Potatoes
Butternut Squash Cornbread Stuffing

- 3 pounds Russet potatoes (unpeeled) , cut into quarters
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt , plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper , plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cloves chopped roasted garlic
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup plain Greek or Skyre yogurt full fat or 2% work better
- 1 - 2 tablespoons milk , (I used almond milk) or more as needed
- grated Parmesan for topping optional
- chopped parsley for topping optional
Cut your potatoes into quarters and place them in the slow cooker along with the salt, pepper, oregano and roasted garlic.
- Cook for 2-3 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low, or until potatoes are tender. (Mine usually take about 2.5 hours)
- Once potatoes are tender, add the butter and mash with a potato masher until fluffy. Add sour cream and milk and continue mashing until smooth.
Adjust seasonings as needed. Serve warm with more butter, grated Parmesan, and chopped parsley if desired.
Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic -
Love that you made this in the slow cooker!
Justine | Cooking and Beer -
This is such a great idea! Looks amazing, Kelly!
Zainab -
Ahhhh you are a slow cooker genius!!This looks perfect!
Ashley -
I can get behind anything that helps make side dishes easier! Love the roasted garlic too!
Ami@NaiveCookCooks -
Kelly such a genius idea!! This looks so creamy and delicious!