Make-Ahead Creamy Baked Mashed Potatoes

Name: Make-Ahead Creamy Baked Mashed Potatoes
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks; 2 cups half-and-half; ¾ cup unsalted butter, plus more for the dish; 4 cloves garlic, smashed; 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more for the water; 4 oz cream cheese, softened; 1 large egg yolk; ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper; ½ tsp flaky sea salt, for finishing; 3 tbsp thinly sliced chives

A deep casserole of mashed potatoes with a pale-gold surface, a soft custardy interior, and a faint sheen of melted butter. The mash is rich with butter, garlic, and cream cheese, tangy enough to keep it from tasting flat, and it reheats without ever going gluey or dry. It is the make-ahead side that actually tastes better on day two.

25 minPrep

55 minCook

12Servings

Ingredients

12 servings

4 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cups half-and-half 484g
¾ cup unsalted butter, plus more for the dish 170g
4 cloves garlic, smashed 12g
1 ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more for the water 9g

4 oz cream cheese, softened 113g
1 large egg yolk 17g
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper 1g
½ tsp flaky sea salt, for finishing 2g
3 tbsp thinly sliced chives 6g

Steps

Step 1

Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Put them in a large pot with the smashed garlic, add cold water to cover by 1 inch, and stir in kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a strong simmer and cook until a knife slides in with no resistance, 15 to 18 minutes. Do not drain.
- 4 clovesgarlic, smashed
- 1 tbspkosher salt, plus more for the water
Step 2

While the potatoes cook, combine the half-and-half and the butter in a small saucepan and heat over low until the butter melts and the mixture steams; keep it hot. Reserve the remaining ¼ cup butter for the top.
- 2 cupshalf-and-half
- ½ cupunsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Step 3

Scoop the potatoes and garlic out of the pot with a slotted spoon into a large bowl, then add 1 cup of the hot cooking water and mash with a potato masher until mostly smooth. Add the hot half-and-half mixture, the cream cheese, egg yolk, kosher salt, and the pepper, and whisk or mash until creamy and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and adjust: it should be a touch under-salted, since the flaky salt goes on at the end.
- 4 clovesgarlic, smashed
- 4 lbrusset potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 cupshalf-and-half
- 4 ozcream cheese, softened
- 1 largeegg yolk
- 1 ½ tspkosher salt, plus more for the water
- ½ tspfreshly ground black pepper
Step 4

Heat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread the potatoes in the dish, smooth the top, and dot with the reserved ¼ cup butter. If making ahead, cool, cover, and refrigerate up to 3 days.
- ¾ cupunsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Step 5

Bake uncovered until the edges bubble and the top is pale gold, 30 to 35 minutes (add 10 minutes if cold from the fridge). If the top browns too fast, tent with foil. The mash should be soft and spoonable, not stiff.
Step 6

Let rest 5 minutes, then scatter with the flaky salt and chives and serve straight from the dish. Leftovers keep 4 days; reheat covered at 325°F with a splash of half-and-half.
- 3 tbspthinly sliced chives
- 2 cupshalf-and-half