Slow-Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Rich, buttery mashed potatoes are definitely in the comfort food hall of fame, making a weeknight dinner or a Thanksgiving celebration feel even more cozy and indulgent. Great mashed potatoes need more than a generous amount of butter though to make them as good as can be. Here's how we make our best-ever slow-cooker version of this iconic side, which not only results in a creamy, butter side, but is as no-fuss and easy as can be:

Rinse away the extra starch:
Food editor and cookbook author Kenji Alt-Lopez taught us to rinse our potatoes before cooking and mashing to remove extra starch and lead to a fluffier final dish. It’s a quick and easy step, worth doing whether you’re cooking your mash on the stovetop or in a slow cooker.

A little boiling water helps:
Bringing water to a boil before adding it to the slow cooker helps the potatoes start cooking a little faster. Low-sodium chicken broth can be used in place of water here. Just skip the measured salt and season the potatoes to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Sliced, not chopped:
While stovetop or pressure cooker mash uses chunks of potato, sliced potatoes will cook more evenly in the mellower heat of a slow cooker. At the end of 4 hours, each slice is perfectly tender and mashes easily.

Parchment is important:
Because the potatoes aren’t fully submerged in liquid, they can oxidize as they steam in a slow cooker. Tucking a parchment lid (called a cartouche) directly over the potatoes helps trap moisture around them. As a result, the potatoes cook more evenly and won’t discolor.

Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below!