How to Reheat Mashed Potatoes (3 Simple Ways that work!)

on Nov 16, 2022, Updated Nov 21, 2024

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You can totally reheat mashed potatoes! And here are 3 foolproof was to reheat mashed potatoes to make them as good as new!

a picture of mashed potatoes with text overlay

Come holiday season, we make mashed potatoes by the bucket. So naturally, I end up with leftovers very often 😂

But it’s no problem at all, because you can easily reheat mashed potatoes – and no they don’t taste dry and lumpy.

Here are 3 easy and foolproof ways you can reheat mashed potatoes, along with tonnes of tips on how to retain the texture and flavor ❤️

Looking for another way to use up mashed potatoes? Try these fun & cheesy Leftover Mashed Potato Ham Cakes!

Jump to section: How to Reheat Mashed Potatoes

Double Boiler Method
Microwave Method
Oven Method
Richa’s Top Tips
Watch How To Make Mashed Potatoes
More Mashed Potato Recipes 🥔

Double Boiler Method

Add water to a saucepan and fill it with 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the flame to low and allow the water to simmer.
Add mashed potatoes along with a tablespoon of butter and cream to a heatproof bowl. Ensure the bowl is large enough to sit on the rim of the pan. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil.
Place the bowl over the pan. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring the potatoes once halfway through. You can allow it to heat for longer depending on how you like it.

Microwave Method

Add mashed potatoes to a microwave safe bowl with a lid. Add a tablespoon of butter and cream to the bowl and cover the lid.
Microwave for 1 minute at the pre-fixed setting (on my microwave it is HIGH).
Remove the bowl and stir to combine. Cover and microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval. Continue to microwave until it is reheated.
Total time taken in my microwave was 1 minute + three 30 second intervals = 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
This time may vary depending on the power of your microwave so remember to keep an eye on it. You can add more butter and cream if you feel like the potatoes are getting too dry.

Oven Method

Preheat the oven to 170C.
Add mashed potatoes to an ovenproof dish. Level it out using the back of a spoon. This will help reheat the potatoes evenly.
If the mash is dry, add a tablespoon of melted butter and cream and mix it well. Cover the dish with aluminum foil. You can even add 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable broth instead.
Bake for 20-30 minutes at 170C.

Closeup of a spoonful of creamy mashed potatoes

Richa’s Top Tips

These methods have been tested for 2 cups of mashed potatoes. Double or triple the butter and cream if you have additional mash.
If you are making mashed potatoes ahead of time, you can freeze or refrigerate them. Let them cool completely and transfer them into a freezer friendly ziplock bag and freeze.
Frozen Mashed Potatoes stay good in the freezer for up to a month, after which they start to separate and bringing them back to their creamy consistency won’t be possible.
Be sure to transfer frozen mashed potatoes to the refrigerator one day before serving. This will allow them to thaw on their own.
If you’re making mashed potatoes ahead of time, it is ideal to make them more runny and creamy than normal. This will help keep the potatoes moist even after reheating.
However, if your mashed potatoes are dry or thick to begin with, add some more cream or melted butter before you reheat it.
You can make a fresh seasoning for the potatoes by sauteing some chopped garlic in melted butter. Add cold mashed potato and reheat according to the instructions.
Bring in more flavor to dull mashed potato by stirring in some sour cream, grated parmesan or crushed black pepper or all of them! Some other additions that I really love are cooked bacon bits for bacon mashed potatoes, caramelized onion and gruyere for french onion mashed potatoes, grated cheddar for cheddar mashed potatoes, brown butter etc. Adding some finely chopped chives is also a great option!