Make ahead mashed potato is a discovery for me, how about you?
Make ahead recipes are not new but they are popular for a good reason. Let’s take a look at how you can make the creamiest most incredible mashed potato with bacon and cheese a day or two in advance and enjoy them as much as if they were made today.
Here is how!
1. Plan ahead.
Making anything ahead of the time you need it, requires a bit of planning. Not all of us are good at planning, however, this idea will have you organising like a pro!
Reasons to plan ahead:
Think about getting home late and having half the dinner ready. Perhaps you have people coming over for a meal and are very time-poor on that day. Maybe it’s a family holiday like Christmas or Easter and you want more time to enjoy just sitting with everyone rather than peeling and mashing potatoes. This little hack will give you a few extra moments when you need them
As my grandmother used to say. A stitch in time saves nine
2. Is mashed Potato good when made ahead?
You bet it is. My hack for mash will surprise you. It’s light and fluffy and will be perfect for making ahead and kept for up to 3 days before reheating. Ensure they are chilled and covered and will be kept in the best condition.
Why hoard potatoes for later?
Think about that cheese and bacon cozying up together then slow cooking in the oven until oozy and melty before the top foil or cover is ripped off and the cheese and bacon becomes golden and bubbly. Should I stop?
Just serve it with a salad and a roasted or pot roasted chicken and you have dinner.
3. Trust me I can fit everything in
Starting the meal prep with the best intentions has happened to us all. The next minute everyone is hungry and can’t wait for dinner.
The dinner deal:
We have all slaved over a hot stove to find that by the time dinner is ready too many snacks have been consumed. There are piles of cereal bowls in the sink and the biscuit tin is empty. Make time to prep these potatoes by planning to start the task a bit earlier than normal or when you have extra time. With a big meal like Christmas or a family celebration coming up, save yourself from stressful moments and haul someone else into the kitchen to help do some extra preparing ahead. Ever heard of meal prep days? because we overestimate how long things will take.
See1. Plan ahead
4. The very best way to make mashed potato.
A fork? NO
A potato masher? MAYBE
A potato ricer ABSOLUTELY
Incredible every time mashed potato. Just a few dollars away!
Solution: A potato ricer is the best way to make mashed anything. You won’t need one with changeable disks or any other fancy bits and pieces. Just head straight here or here. Ricers break up all the lumps better than a masher while aerating and lightening. Never make mashed potatoes in a food processor because it makes the potatoes stretchy and very sticky.
My top tip for mashed potatoes is that you may be surprised that you do not need to add kilos of butter and cream to make great mash. We cannot possibly eat this kind of mashed potato regularly. I most often make mash with just milk and a medium amount of butter. Salt is what takes mashed potatoes to another level. Salt brings out the flavour of potatoes. A sprinkle of white pepper is also great.
You will find the secret of this dish is that the mash is relatively light and fluffy before we add the bacon, cheese, and sour cream. If you want a delicious mash for every day, hold the cream and sour cream add only milk and some butter, and stir till light and almost softer than you feel necessary. The potatoes will soak up the milk and you will have the perfect everyday fluffy mash.
A. Boil the potatoes and add butter and milk after ricing
B. Once the potatoes are mashed and creamy, they are loaded into a baking dish and spread with the leftover sour cream. Top the dish with cooked bacon and grated parmesan cheese.
C. Reheating needs to be done by using a lid if you have one. If not, tent with foil so the foil doesn’t touch the top of the potato and cheese mixture. You could also add the cheese after it is heated but I like the flavour to penetrate!
Once the potato is heated through the foil is removed and the whole dish is put back into the oven to get bubbly and delicious.
What to eat with this Mashed Potato?
One Pot Chicken with Mushrooms 
Slow roast lamb with black tahini 
Make ahead Creamy Mashed Potato with Bacon and Cheese
Ingredients
Method
- a. Oven temperature 200 C/ 390 F. b. Prepare a dish. It could be a 20 x17 cm (8x7in) approx. Or if you have a round or square casserole with a lid this will be ideal too! c. Bacon will be cooked and cooled in this recipe so cutting bacon and even cooking and cooling while the potatoes are cooking, d. Cut up butter and leave it to come to room temperature for easy meltinge. Grate the cheese
- Put the even sized cut and peeled potatoes into a pot and just cover with cold water. salt the water well. Cook the potatoes until soft when a fork is inserted. Drain well to get rid of all water. A sieve is best. Extra water is not wanted here (no flavour and makes potatoes sloppy and hard to rice)
- Use a ricer to smash the potato. Add the butter and mix in until melted. Add the cream and milk and 100 gm of sour cream and mix well. The potatoes will be soft and easy to stir.
- Pour into a dish approximately 20 x 17 cm (8 x 7 in) or a dish approximately this with a lid if you have one. Spread the potato flat and sit for a couple of minutes to cool a bit. Spread the remaining sour cream over the top of the potatoes by putting puddles of it all over and spreading it with a flat knife
- Cut the bacon into small pieces and saute it in the olive oil. Drain and cool and sprinkle over the top of the potatoes and cover with grated cheese. Now you can set the potatoes aside, covered for up to 3 days.
- Wrap the potatoes in foil. Make sure the foil is tented and doesn't touch the cheese. Set the oven to 200C / 390F. Bake the parcel for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake a further 10 minutes to melt and colour the cheese at the top
Notes
Made this for a party…everyone loved it! Very quick and simple to make. Really love reading your post Tania.
Thank you. Glad you liked it!