Slow Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Published November 3, 2015. Updated December 16, 2020

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Slow Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes – rich and creamy comfort food and a side dish that’s sure to impress!

With slow cooker season in full swing, what better to serve on a cold day than these? They’re perfect for a weeknight dinner yet delicious enough to serve at a holiday party and they’re so easy to make!

Overhead image of mashed potatoes in a slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes

My whole family loved them and I couldn’t get over their delicious garlic flavor. The garlic flavor resembles that of roasted garlic, you’ll notice in the photos below it appears as though it’s become roasted after so many hours of slow cooking.

These potatoes are perfectly hearty and creamy and it’s a forgiving recipe so you can make them just as your prefer.

Showing how to make mashed potatoes in a slow cooker. Diced potatoes and garlic are being added.

What’s the Best Type of Potato to Use?

I like to stick with a waxy potato for slow cooker mashed potatoes, red or yukon gold are both great choices. They yield such creamy mashed potatoes!

How to Make Garlic Mashed Potatoes in the Slow Cooker

  1. Spray a 6 – 7 quart slow cooker with non-stick spray. Place potatoes in slow cooker then pour water evenly over top.
  2. Toss with salt and pepper then add garlic and pour butter evenly over potatoes and garlic.
  3. Cover and cook on high heat 4 – 4 1/2 hours until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork (don’t drain!).
  4. Mash potatoes with a potato masher then add sour cream, heavy cream. Whip with an electric hand mixer until desired texture is reached, while adding in milk to reach desired consistency.
  5. Serve warm with more butter if desired and minced chives.
Potatoes and garlic after cooking in slow cooker.

Mixing milk and sour cream in to mashed potatoes with an electric hand mixer.

Can I Make Them Lighter?

If you want to make them a little lighter you can use mostly milk and light sour cream.

Can I Omit the Garlic?

Not a fan of garlic? You can just omit it for regular mashed potatoes.

Finished mashed potatoes in a slow cooker.

Can I Peel the Potatoes?

If you don’t like peels just peel the potatoes first or if you like some peels then peel half or use larger potatoes so there’s less peel to potato.

Like Them Smooth or Chunky?

And if you prefer your potatoes slightly chunky just don’t whip them very long. You can also adjust the garlic to suit your taste, a little more or less won’t hurt.

Then of course, as with all mashed potatoes I recommend starting with less liquid then add more as you go until they are the consistency you prefer.

Now pass me a heaping bowl of these for dinner and that’s all I need, yum yum YUM. Try them soon! They’re the perfect easy side dish that everyone will love!

Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes | Cooking Classy

What Should I Serve with Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes?

 

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5 from 3 votes

Slow Cooked Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Super easy mashed potatoes! Potatoes are diced into chunks and added to a slow cooker along with garlic and water then cooked. Then you'll mash, and mix in milk and sour cream. Perfect for a lazy weeknight side dish yet delicious enough for a holiday meal.
Servings: 10
Prep10 minutes
Cook4 hours
Ready in: 4 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 lbs red potatoes, cleaned and rinsed (peeled or unpeeled), cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp pepper, or to taste
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic (4 cloves)
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup cream, warmed in the microwave
  • 1/2 cup milk, warmed in the microwave, or as desired
  • Minced chives and butter, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  • Spray a 6 - 7 quart slow cooker with non-stick spray. Place potatoes in slow cooker then pour water evenly over top**. 
  • Toss with salt and pepper then add garlic and pour butter evenly over potatoes and garlic. Cover and cook on high heat 4 - 4 1/2 hours until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork (don't drain!). 
  • Mash potatoes with a potato masher then add sour cream, heavy cream. 
  • Whip with an electric hand mixer until desired texture is reached, while adding in milk to reach desired consistency. 
  • Serve warm with more butter if desired and minced chives.

Notes

  • * If your slow cooker allows excess moisture to evaporate from the slow cooker I'd recommend adding in an extra 1/4 cup of water.
Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooked Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 246 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 37mg12%
Sodium 328mg14%
Potassium 877mg25%
Carbohydrates 30g10%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 435IU9%
Vitamin C 16.1mg20%
Calcium 60mg6%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.