You’ve been there. It’s T-minus twenty minutes until dinner is on the table, the turkey is resting, the gravy is trying to separate, and you’re standing over a steaming pot of spuds, sweating while you mash like your life depends on it. It's a mess. Honestly, the last thing anyone wants during a holiday or a big family Sunday is to be tethered to a potato masher while everyone else is already opening the wine.
That’s exactly why Ree Drummond make ahead mashed potatoes became such a viral sensation. She basically gave us permission to stop the last-minute madness.
The concept is simple: make the potatoes a day—or even two—in advance, throw them in a buttered baking dish, and shove them in the fridge. When you're ready to eat, you just bake them until they're hot. But there's a reason some people end up with a dry, clumpy mess while others get that legendary, velvety Pioneer Woman texture.
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It isn't just about the timing. It’s about the fat.
The Science of the "Make Ahead" Magic
Most mashed potatoes turn into a brick in the fridge. You know the type. You try to reheat them the next day and they’re grainy, stiff, and just... sad.
Ree’s recipe works because it is essentially "fortified" with a massive amount of dairy. We aren't talking a splash of 2% milk here. We’re talking about an 8-ounce package of cream cheese, a cup and a half of butter, and half-and-half.
That high fat content acts as a stabilizer. It prevents the potato starches from retrograding—that's the fancy science term for when starches get hard and crystalline after cooling. By surrounding the starch molecules with fat from the cream cheese and butter, they stay supple. Even after 48 hours in the cold, they're ready to melt back into silk.
Choosing Your Spuds (Don't Mess This Up)
If you use waxy red potatoes for this, you’re gonna have a bad time. They'll get gummy.
Ree usually leans toward Russets, but if you want to level up, go for a 50/50 split of Russets and Yukon Golds. The Russets provide that classic fluffy architecture, while the Yukons bring a natural buttery flavor and a "creamier" structural integrity that holds up better during a reheat.
How to Nail the Ree Drummond Method
First off, peel five pounds of potatoes. Cut them into chunks that are roughly the same size so they cook evenly. If you have some tiny bits and some giant honkers, the small ones will turn to mush before the big ones are even tender.
- The Boil: Throw them in a pot of cold water. Don't start with boiling water; you want the potato to heat up gradually so the outside doesn't fall apart while the inside is still raw.
- The Steam Off: This is the step everyone skips. After you drain them, put the potatoes back in the hot, dry pot for a minute or two over low heat. Shake them around. You want that excess steam to escape. If you trap that water inside, your potatoes will be watery instead of creamy.
- The Mash: Use a hand masher. Seriously. Ree is a big proponent of the "elbow grease" method. Using a food processor or a blender will turn the starch into wallpaper paste. It's a disaster.
- The "Everything" Step: While they’re still hot, mash in 1.5 sticks of salted butter, an 8-ounce block of room-temp cream cheese, and about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of half-and-half.
One thing people get wrong? The salt. Potatoes are like sponges for salt. Ree uses Lawry’s Seasoned Salt in her classic version, which adds a bit of that "pioneer" savory kick. If you use plain salt, you’ll likely need more than you think. Taste a spoonful. If it tastes "flat," add another pinch.
Storage and the Reheat Strategy
Once your mash is smooth, spread it into a buttered 9x13 baking dish. Smear the top flat and, if you're feeling extra, dot it with a few more pats of butter.
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Cover it tightly with foil. This is crucial—you don't want the potatoes picking up the "fridge smell" of that leftover onion or half-empty tuna can.
Pro Tip for Reheating:
Don't take them straight from the fridge to the oven. If you do, the edges will burn before the middle even gets lukewarm. Take the dish out of the fridge about 2 or 3 hours before you plan to eat. Let it come to room temperature on the counter.
Then, bake at 350°F for about 20–30 minutes. If you want a bit of a crust, take the foil off for the last 10 minutes. If you want them pure and soft, keep the foil on the whole time.
Why People Think They've Failed
Sometimes you'll pull the dish out and see a little liquid pooled at the bottom. Don't panic. That’s just the butter and cream cheese doing their thing. Give the potatoes a good stir before you put them in the serving bowl. They’ll soak that liquid right back up and look better than they did when you first made them.
Another common complaint: "They're too rich."
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Yeah, they're rich. That’s the point. These aren't "everyday" potatoes. These are "the family is coming over and I want them to weep with joy" potatoes. If you're looking for a low-cal side, keep moving. But if you want a side dish that can be prepared on a Tuesday for a Thursday feast without losing an ounce of quality, this is the gold standard.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Inventory your dairy: Make sure your cream cheese is actually at room temperature before you start; cold cream cheese leads to "lump city."
- Check your dish size: A standard 9x13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish is perfect for a 5-pound batch of potatoes.
- Prep the day before: Aim to make these exactly 24 hours in advance for the best balance of flavor development and freshness.