We’ve all been there. You’ve followed the best tips for cooking mashed potatoes, you have the main dish ready, and you’re rushing to set the table — all while your potatoes are losing heat quickly. Getting all the components of a meal onto the table at the same time is tricky. Add a dish that seems to refuse to stay hot — like mashed potatoes — and it gets even harder. Mashed potatoes are notorious for losing heat quickly (and drying out in the process), and it can be tough to get them to the table and keep them hot at the same time.
Thankfully, there’s a simple solution. Follow your normal method of making mashed potatoes (add butter at just the right time to make them even better), then transfer them to a slow cooker set to warm until it’s time to eat. This makes it easy to keep the temperature consistent, ensuring that they’re still piping hot when they hit the table. Be sure to keep the lid on your slow cooker, as this will help your potatoes retain moisture. You can dish out mashed potatoes from the slow cooker onto plates, or, if you’re eating family style, place the entire slow cooker on the dinner table to ensure they stay as warm during dinner.
Other ways to keep mashed potatoes warm before they hit the table
If the slow cooker method isn’t the right fit for your dinner, no worries — you’ve got options. Keeping mashed potatoes warm in the oven can be a great method, but you’ll want to be sure that you add some extra liquid so that they don’t dry out (make your mashed potatoes taste like heaven by swapping half-and-half for water during and after cooking). Place your potatoes in the oven, uncovered, for an hour or so at 350 degrees Fahrenheit — the extra moisture will evaporate and you’ll be left with rich, hot potatoes that are ready to serve.
You can also try creating a makeshift double boiler to keep your mashed potatoes warm while you’re wrapping up the rest of the meal. Simmer a pot of water, and place your bowl of mashed potatoes over the water. Cover with a dish towel, and stir every 15 minutes. Keep an eye on consistency — you might need to add some extra liquid to prevent your mashed potatoes from becoming too thick.
