How to Reheat Mashed Potatoes Without Drying Them Out
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Ree Drummond is no newcomer to hosting for the holidays. Whether it's a Thanksgiving feast with roasted turkey and all the fixings or a beautiful Christmas dinner, she's learned all the tips and tricks for pulling off a perfect meal for a crowd. One of those hacks? Making as many dishes as possible ahead of time.
Over the holidays, you'll find Ree whipping up her creamy mashed potatoes one or two days in advance. "It will change your life!" she says. All she does is pile them into a casserole dish, refrigerate until the big day, and then reheat them when it's time to serve.
But, how do you reheat mashed potatoes? There are a few different ways, no matter if you're working with potatoes that have been prepped ahead or you're enjoying them as leftovers. Whichever method you choose, you may want to stir a little butter as well as heavy cream or milk into the mash once it's heated through to make it extra smooth and creamy. Here are your options:
Stovetop method
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Return your pre-made mashed potatoes to former glory easily on your stovetop. Simply transfer the cold mashed potatoes to a medium saucepan or Dutch oven, cover them, and heat over low until they're smooth, creamy, and heated through. Make sure you stir them occasionally and keep the heat on low so they don't stick to the pot or worse, scorch.
Oven method
Ree tends to turn to the oven method to get her make-ahead mashed potatoes hot and ready to eat. If you refrigerated yours in an oven-safe casserole dish, set them out on the counter to take the chill off for at least 20 minutes before you pop them into the oven. Ree likes to remove her's from the fridge up to two or three hours in advance so they heat evenly in the oven. When you're ready, bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are hot throughout.
Microwave method
The timing for this method will vary depending on your microwave and the amount of mashed potatoes you're heating up. Put your potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for one minute, then stir. Continue microwaving in 30-second increments until the potatoes are totally warmed through.
How to Reheat Leftover Mashed Potatoes
Good news: You can use any of these methods to reheat leftovers, too. Keep in mind that a little extra butter or giblet gravy on top does wonders to bring your leftover mashed potatoes back to life. Then, after the holidays, learn how to reheat turkey and add your potatoes as a side to round out your leftover. Or better yet, consider all the amazing ways you can repurpose leftover mashed potatoes! In those cases, simply follow the recipe instructions on whether or how to reheat them for best results.
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