Copycat Bob Evans Mashed Potatoes Recipe (Make-Ahead) - Restless Chipotle (2024)

The ultimate comfort food! So rich and creamy, full of amazing flavor, and super quick and easy to make.

Serve with plenty of butter and...better make double - they disappear fast.

🗝️ Key takeaways

• Almost instant classic comfort food without the common additives.
• As delicious at a family weeknight dinner as they are on the Thanksgiving table.
• Easy to make ahead and freeze to use as needed.

There's something about those Bob Evans mashed potatoes at the store. I admit it. I've picked them up and they are so dang creamy!

I was determined to figure it out.

Y'all not only did I figure it out but I topped their recipe with these ultra-creamy southern mashed potatoes - sorry Bob Evans.

Add a scoop of these next to a plate of hamburger steak and gravy for a delicious, hearty meal. So easy you'll want them on regular rotation on your meal plan

🧾 Ingredients

Just 5 simple ingredients make the BEST mashed potatoes ever.

📖Variations

• No milk? Want to go dairy-free? Use chicken stock instead of milk and sour cream. You'll probably need less so be careful. Use olive oil in place of butter. Just be sure to add it slowly because, once again, you'll need less.
• Sprinkle a half cup of grated Cheddar cheese on top.
• Add chopped green onions to the top.
• Try a packet of onion soup mix or dry ranch dressing mixed in.
• Stir half a teaspoon or more of garlic powder or onion powder in with the salt.
• You can make this homemade mashed potatoes recipe with oat milk and non-dairy margarine to keep them vegan. They won't be as creamy.
• These do not have a lot of sour cream flavor. If you love sour cream mashed potatoes stir in more sour cream and less butter. You won't need any milk at all.

Love loaded mashed potatoes?

Add in about 1-½ cups of cheddar, ½ cup crisp cooked bacon that's been crumbled, chopped green onions, and a little extra sour cream.

🔪 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.

1. Wash and cut the potatoes in quarters. No need to peel Yukon Gold unless you absolutely want to.
2. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add a couple of teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until tender.
3. Drain, add butter, sour cream, and a little of the evaporated milk.
4. Mash with a hand-held electric mixer, stand mixer, or hand masher, adding a little milk at a time until you get the perfect consistency. Don't overwork the potatoes. Add salt to taste.

🥫 How to store leftover mashed potatoes

Leftover mashed potatoes are good for about 5 days if they are covered and refrigerated within about 2 hours of cooking. Cover with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Assemble ahead

You can make these creamy mashed potatoes a few days ahead of time, Let them come to room temperature, put them in a casserole dish, and cover tightly with plastic wrap, and store for up to 4 days before heating up and serving.

That makes them great for Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as other holidays because it's one less than that you have to do the day of.

However, keep in mind that those days "count" toward the days you can keep leftover mashed potatoes. So if you make them 4 days ahead of time then you can't refrigerate them another 3 or 4 days and think they'll still be good.

Freeze

Because of the sour cream and the amount of fat in this potato recipe, you can also freeze these in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator the day before you're ready to use.

💭 Things to know

Expert Tip: Mashed potatoes with skin, like these made with Yukon Gold, are real timesavers because there's no peeling. Any thin-skinned potato can be mashed without peeling - red potatoes work, too. The red peels make for more rustic mashed potatoes.

• Cut in small pieces so they'll cook faster.
• Start potatoes in cold water to cover.
• Boil the potatoes in salted water. This will ensure the most flavor.
• Russet potatoes have to be peeled but they do make very fluffy mashed potatoes.
• Yukon mashed potatoes are buttery, rich, and creamy - plus you don't have to peel them. I used Yukon Golds for this recipe.
• Make these on the weekend to enjoy with busy weeknight meals!
• I find it's super easy to mash these with my KitchenAid mixer. I use the paddle attachment and mix at the lowest speed.
• For the absolute creamiest mashed potatoes don't over-mix or overwork the potatoes!
• Finely chop some fresh herbs and sprinkle on top - a little parsley or rosemary looks pretty.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

Who doesn't love side dishes?

• Next time try these fried potatoes! So good.
• Whipped sweet potatoes are sweet and spicy - plus they're a nice change from mashed.
• We love these red skinned mashed potatoes.
• Sometimes you just need a big ole plate of potato salad.

🍽️ Serve with...

Are you kidding me? Creamy southern mashed potatoes are the perfect side dish for everything!!

Here are some of my favorite main dishes to serve sour cream mashed potatoes with...

• Meatloaf
• Smothered chicken
• Beef tips
• Honey garlic meatballs
• Deviled chicken

And you've got to have a good, rich gravy to go with them!

Round out the meal with a dish of these oh-so-awesome maple roasted carrots.

🫶 Restless Chipotle recommends

The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

• Dutch oven
• potato masher or stand mixer

📞 The last word

This classic side dish is as common next to a tender meatloaf on a busy weekday as it is next to a roast turkey on Thanksgiving day.

I can't imagine a holiday meal without a big serving dish of these on the table, can you?

Plus this is one of the best comfort foods ever. If you love the creamy texture of the Bob Evans mashed potatoes give this recipe a try.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

First published October 20, 2021. Last updated November 5, 2023, for editorial improvements and new information.

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