Description
This Million Dollar Mashed Potatoes recipe offers a creamy, rich twist on classic mashed potatoes, cooked slowly in a crockpot for maximum flavor and tenderness. Combining russet potatoes with butter, chicken broth, and cream cheese, it creates a luscious side dish perfect for family dinners and special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes and Broth
- 5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 cups chicken broth
Dairy and Seasonings
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Add the peeled and cut russet potatoes and chicken broth into the slow cooker. Dot the top with cubed unsalted butter to infuse flavor as it cooks.
- Cook Potatoes: Cook the potatoes on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours until they are very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Drain and Mash: Once cooked, strain off the cooking liquid, reserving it for later. Use a hand masher or potato ricer to mash the potatoes to your preferred smoothness.
- Add Cream Cheese and Seasonings: Pour half of the reserved cooking liquid over the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle garlic powder and dot the mashed potatoes with cubed cream cheese. Cover and set the slow cooker to the warm setting for 20 to 30 minutes until the cream cheese softens fully.
- Stir and Adjust Consistency: Stir the softened cream cheese into the mashed potatoes, adding more reserved cooking liquid as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
- Keep Warm and Serve: Keep the mashed potatoes warm on the slow cooker’s warm setting for up to one hour before serving. Enjoy as a deliciously creamy side dish.
Notes
- You can adjust the cream cheese quantity to make the potatoes creamier or lighter.
- Using chicken broth adds flavor, but vegetable broth works well for a lighter taste.
- Reserve the potato broth carefully; it can be used to adjust consistency without watering down flavor.
- For a smoother texture, use a potato ricer instead of a hand masher.
- Season gradually with salt and pepper to suit your taste preferences.
