In my last post where I shared my (secret!) tips for how I make Christmas cooking easier, I promised to share my list of go-to recipes that are either entirely make-ahead, reheat extremely well or with high levels of prepare-ahead components and minimal assembly on the day-of.

Here’s the list!

Make-ahead Christmas: Starters

Snack monsters unite! Lots of colourful options here for nibbly things that are easy to transport and no fiddly work on the day-of.

Festive Italian Cheese Log

Tastes even better than it looks! Just take it ready-made to wherever you’re going and add a big pile of Jatz on the side. I love that this is something a little different, just an idea that popped in my head one day!

Holiday Crostini

Make the crostini ahead (keeps for days!), spreadable toppings in piping bags, garnishes and pre-chopped toppings in containers ready to use. Excellent canapé option – and something for everyone with EIGHT topping options in my recipe!

Cheese truffles

I love the kaleidoscope of colours you can get by using different coatings for these adorable mini cheese balls! I like to serve these with a pile of Jatz for a nostalgic touch.

Dips!

Any dip that’s served fridge cold or at room temperature is a terrific starter that’s mobile-friendly! As for how to keep everybody’s favourite guacamole green? Just cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil or water. Avocado is so dense it won’t absorb the liquid at all, and it will stay green for 2 whole days!

Homemade French Onion Dip

Guacamole

Restaurant Style Salsa recipe

Smoked Salmon Dip

Creamy Feta Dip – quick, easy, thrifty

Hummus

Dips

Cucumber with smoked salmon mousse

Excellent low-carb option that’s a little bit fancy and is fully prepare-ahead. Cut the cucumber the day before and keep it in an airtight container with the smoked salmon mousse in a piping bag. Pipe on demand – it’s super quick!

2 minute baked Brie

Unwrap brie, stick in oven for 15 minutes or 2 minutes in the microwave (no one will EVER know!). Top with honey or maple syrup for a killer flavour combination. Dunk with crostini (homemade or store bought) or other sturdy crackers. Dunk and prepare to swoon.

Prawns with Dipping Sauces

It doesn’t get any more Aussie than a giant bucket of prawns with your favourite dipping sauces! The nice thing is the sauces can be made days in advance. And you don’t even need to peel the prawns… though if you are feeling generous, you can peel them the day before.

TIP: The Marie Rose is the easiest (least ingredients + classic) and the RecipeTin Family Favourite is my, well, favourite.

Make-ahead Christmas Mains

When it comes to make-ahead Christmas mains, the only thing that matters is how well it reheats. And these are crackin’ Christmas mains that reheat so well, no one will ever know you made it the day before!

12 hour lamb shoulder – juiciest roast lamb ever

This is the best recipe I know for making a roast the day before that will reheat 100% perfectly on the day of. Cooking meat at a really low temperature for 12 hours guarantees ultra juicy meat because the lower the temperature, the less meat juices evaporate.

It’s a stunner. It really is.

Christmas Glazed Chicken

Marinated then glazed with a sticky sauce reminiscent of everybody’s favourite Maple Syrup Glaze for ham! Using bone-in thighs ensures they are still juicy the next day. Just reheat in the microwave followed by 5 minutes in the oven to resurrect that sticky glaze!

In fact, this works so well, I just did a demo of this on a TV show last week using chicken I made the day before. Watch it here!

Christmas Glazed Ham!

YES you can bake your ham the day before to glazed perfection then reheat it on the day-of! One of my top tips to make Christmas cooking easier, find the directions here.

12 hour pulled pork

Generally speaking, I find that pork roasts do not reheat as well as even a whole roast chicken. It just doesn’t seem to hold in juices as well as other meats.

This is generally speaking, of course, because there’s always exceptions to the rule. But when it comes to large format pork for festive gatherings, the best make-ahead pork dish I know is my 12 hour BBQ pork because it reheats 98% perfectly the next day. Like I spoke about in the 12 hour lamb above, roasting at an ultra low temperature guarantees super juicy meat because less juice evaporates while roasting.

Served with a homemade BBQ sauce that everybody loves!

Christmas Baked Salmon (reader favourite!)

This is one that’s regularly requested at gatherings and I’m happy to oblige because it’s so convenient to make ahead! Assemble the salmon wrapped in paper and foil ready to bake the next day. Make the creamy dill sauce and the nut-dried-fruit “tapenade”. On the day, bake salmon, then top with sauce and tapenade. How easy is that??

Stuffed Pumpkin (OMG it’s VEGAN!)

A cookbook exclusive recipe from the Bigger Things chapter, this is a stunner of a vegetarian centrepiece for special occasions that is excellent made ahead! Stuffed with a lentil, pumpkin, herb and nut filling, it can be fully assembled the day before then just reheated in the oven.

You can watch how it’s made in the recipe video but the recipe is only available in the cookbook.

But wait! Where’s the……??

Turkey!!!

Sorry folks. Being a lean white meat, I just can’t recommend turkey as one of the best dishes to make ahead for the big day! But if turkey is what you’re after, find all my recipes here!

Juicy Roast Turkey

Roast Turkey Breast with Garlic Herb Butter

Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

Garlic Herb Butter SLOW COOKER Turkey Breast

Turkey Recipes

Crackling pork!

I know I know, we all want that awesome crackling on Christmas Day! The crispy crackling pork belly and crackling pork roast are big favourites around here over the Christmas period! But sadly, they are not ideal for making ahead.

The logistics are just a little difficult when dealing with crispy skin on large roasts because you need to balance reheating the flesh without compromising the crackling. The whole thing in the oven to reheat = burnt crackling. Separate crackling from flesh = doesn’t present as nicely risky to remove in once piece.

Also, while pork belly flesh stays nice and juice for days (with all that fat, how can it not!), roast pork does have a tendency to dry out, unless you use the 12 hourBBQ pork roast listed above.

Beef??

As with roast pork, I find that roast beef just doesn’t reheat perfectly! Good quality beef is not cheap, so when you indulge, I really think it’s best to enjoy it freshly made. For the best roast beef, look no further than standing rib / prime rib. If you’re looking for a great economical version, use my roast beef marinade (adds flavour and tenderises).

SEAFOOD PLATTER!!!

Well! Let me tell you, that was on my schedule to share for this Christmas. But I’m a little pressed for time right now so I can’t fit it in!!! Next year, I promise. I have so many tips and so many sauces to share!

Make-ahead Christmas Desserts

Here are my go-to make-ahead Christmas desserts that I make for gatherings that can be made entirely ahead or can be mostly prepared-ahead but are quick and easy to assemble just prior to serving.

Never-Ending Meringue (EASY – 1.6m/5 feet long!)

Named as such because you can make it as long as you want! Basically, it’s just meringue bases that are secured next to each other with cream. You can make the meringue bases a few days in advance, whip the cream the day before, then chop fruit on the morning-of.

When that’s ready, assembly is a breeze. Pipe the cream on, sprinkle with fruit and bask in the applause!

Bonus: Super economical, a 1.6m/5 foot tart requires just 6 eggs, cream, sugar, 600ml cream and best value fruit in season.

Christmas Trifle

This year, you can even top your trifle with stabilised whipped cream the day before! Then on the day-of, just add a handful of berries then it’s ready to serve. How good is that!!

Christmas Cake!

How can we have a Christmas dessert list without Christmas cake! This lasts for weeks and is straightforward to make. In fact, you can make it this afternoon and it will still be fresh for Christmas Day!

Mango Cheesecake

Hot summer Christmas’ here in Australia means big, ripe, juicy mangoes! This one is a firm favourite with Australians over Christmas, a dessert that showcases the best of mangoes: the juiciness, flavour and striking yellow colour. Have you tried it yet?? It’s a stunner!

Pavlova!

Another big Aussie favourite! Bake it the night before because it’s best left overnight in the oven. Store in an airtight container then assemble just prior to serving. With my make-ahead Whipped Cream (a secret tip that I shared in my How I Make Christmas Cooking Easier List) pulling together a Pav on Christmas Day was never so easy!

Freezable Cakes

As listed as a top tip in my How I Make Christmas Cooking Easier post, most cakes are freezable! I obsessively freeze stashes of my classic Vanilla Cake and Chocolate Cake, undecorated, ready to pull out on demand. They are like freshly made! (See a more extensive list in the How I Make Christmas Cooking Easier post)

With these plus make-ahead Whipped Cream (another secret tip that made my How I Make Christmas Cooking Easier List) making freshly decorated cakes on demand was never so easy.

Freezable lemon cheesecake!

For those of you who already have the cookbook, a handy tip: the Lemon Cheesecake freezes perfectly! I know, I couldn’t believe it either. I was sure the cream cheese filling would split or be watery. It doesn’t at all.

Sorry to say this is a recipe exclusive to the cookbook. But if you’d like a preview, watch the recipe video!

Oh – also, this one would be a good one for Christmas – the Death by Chocolate Caramel cake on page 311 of the cookbook. If there was ever a day for outrageous indulgence, that would be Christmas Day.

Make it today, serve it tomorrow. 😇

Honourable Mentions

Pavlova Christmas Tree

Gingerbread Men

Christmas Cookies! (Vanilla Biscuits/Sugar Cookies)

Cookie Mix In a Jar: White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Christmas Popcorn Candy

Christmas Desserts

Pavlova Christmas Tree – a visual stunner, this is just pavlova rounds that are stacked with cream and fruit. While all components can be prepared ahead, assembly on the day-of does take care and time (around 20 minutes) though it’s a great one to get everyone involved in helping!

Gingerbread Men – just don’t put them on the Christmas tree if you have scavengers in the house, like I do.

Christmas Cookies – classic vanilla cookies that are designed for Christmas cookie cutters!

Cookie Mix in a Jar – Just add egg and butter, then bake! My holiday version has white chocolate and cranberries. Great gift idea!

Holiday Popcorn – Think, your favourite caramel popcorn, plus cinnamon and other holiday spices plus slivered almonds. Lasts for weeks – if you can keep your hand out of the jar!

And there you have it, my list of (current) favourite make-ahead / mostly prepare ahead foods for the festive season. I hope you found it useful!

Back next week with a brand new Christmas recipe that I think you’ll love. – Nagi x

Life of Dozer

That time the arm of a gingerbread man mysteriously went missing…..

The post My best make-ahead Christmas recipes appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Here are my six very best tips to make Christmas cooking easier so you can avoid being stuck in the kitchen at festive gatherings! How many of these do you already know?

I could write quite a lengthy list of tips to make Christmas cooking stress free. But I decided to keep it short and to the point, giving you just my six very best tips that will make the biggest impact on easing your workload on the day-of.

So without further ado, here they are!

My very best tips to make Christmas cooking easier

1. Choose a smart menu that’s heavy on make-ahead / prepare-ahead foods.

2. Make glazed ham the day before. It reheats 100% perfectly.

3. Make-ahead mashed potato casserole rather than plain mash.(No you can’t just microwave mash!)

4. Show-off salads – how I prepare components ahead so I can put together statement salads in mere minutes.

5. Making whipped cream ahead of time without deflating or weeping

6. Freezing cheesecakes and cakes – what, you never knew you could freeze cheesecakes??

1. Choosing a smart menu

I have always enjoyed the challenge of coming up with the “perfect” menu for gatherings. It all started as a poverty-stricken uni student who loved good food but couldn’t afford to eat at nice restaurants.

Instead, I taught myself how to cook and hosted dinner parties. I secretly got such a thrill out of coming up with the “perfect” menu for gathering. And I still do.🤭 #NerdAlert!

In my world, the Perfect Menu for special occasions means:

• Impressive – delicious (of course) and interesting. I’m not going to sugar-coat it, ego has everything to do with this.

• Minimise time in the kitchen on the day-of

• Maximum prepare-ahead elements and/or make-ahead then reheats perfectly

And if right now, you’re thinking stop chattering, and just tell me your best make-ahead Christmas menu – I will! But not in this post. My next post (coming this weekend) is going to contain a list of reader favourites and MY favourite make-ahead Christmas recipes. From starters to mains sides to dessert! I think there will be some new discoveries on that list for you. 😊

2. Make your glazed ham the day before

For years, I’ve been making my glazed ham the day before serving then just reheating it on the day of. It comes out 100% perfectly. The glaze is just as good as freshly made and the ham flesh doesn’t dry out at all, thanks to all that salt curing that locks in juices!

Writing out the steps to share all my tips got a bit long to have in this post, so I created a separate post about how to make Glazed Ham the day before. In summary:

1. Make glazed ham of choice. Suggestions: my favourite Maple Glazed Ham or classic Brown Sugar Glazed Ham.

2. Cool and refrigerate overnight in the roasting pan.

3. Reheat in a moderate oven. And voila! Shiny, glazed perfection, just like it’s freshly made!

3. Make-ahead mashed potato casserole

Every menu needs a starch. The easy fall-back is a basket of store bought bread. But creamy hot mash is so nostalgic and ideal for holiday spreads!

However, serving up a big bowl of creamy, piping hot mashed potato on demand is easier said than done. Can’t make it today and microwave it tomorrow. It turns horridly gluey! But who wants to make it fresh on the day, and handling enormous mounds of steaming hot potato when everybody else is sitting around sipping bubbly? NOBODY!

The solution? Mashed Potato Casserole. Creamy mashed potato topped with cheese and bacon, this is a practical and highly delicious way to prepare mash the day before. Just assemble today and bake tomorrow!

(Convenience aside, adding cheese and bacon to mash is a dream come true for cheese-loving-carb monsters like myself. 😂)

4. Day-before stabilised whipped cream

Imagine a world where you’re making a fresh cream-decorated dessert for 30 people and all you have to do is grab a piping bag filled with whipped cream that you prepared the day before? Dream no more. Welcome to the magical world of make-ahead whipped cream!

Mascarpone is the secret

Whipped cream that’s made so it won’t deflate or melt overnight is called stabilised whipped cream. There’s various ways to do it but I think the best, tastiest and easiest is using mascarpone. This is an Italian cream used in Tiramisu that fluffs up like whipping cream when you beat it but firms up like cream cheese in the fridge so it holds the whipped form.

How to make it – Cream to mascarpone ratio of 3:1, just beat it with the cream, sugar, vanilla and whatever other flavourings your recipe calls for and you’ll end up with stabilised whipped cream. Full recipe directions are in my Whipped Cream recipe!

How to use stabilised cream

• See my Whipped Cream recipe for full directions for how to store and use stabilised whipped cream

• It can be piped / spread onto cakes, cupcakes etc ahead of time and it will hold its whipped form.

• It can also be stored in whipped form ready to pipe, spread or dollop onto cakes on the day of.

PRO TIP: Whether piping into swirls using a piping tip, spreading or dolloping, I highly recommend using a piping bag. It’s just so much faster to disperse than using spoons!

5. Prepare ahead salad components

Get all the ingredients that can be done ahead cut, measured, grated, peeled, shaved and prepared then ready to toss together salads on demand!

Preparing components of a salad ahead is a direction I suggest in all my “show-off” salads to make things easier on the day of serving. This practice actually has a proper name in the culinary world – mise en place. It’s a French phrase that translates to “put in place” and is a technique chefs use to assemble meals so quickly and effortlessly.

I felt sooooo pro when Chef JB explained this to me. Who knew, all this time I’ve been practicing mise en place! Mind you, I still can’t pronounce it. But is seems I practice it! 😂

Things you can do ahead

• Shake dressing in a jar and keep in the fridge

• Measure, prepare and store in containers – salad toppings like grated parmesan, nuts (raw, roasted, candied), croutons, crushed wasabi peas (rainbow quinoa salad!), crispy fried shallots – to name a few of my favourite toppings!

• Pick herbs kept whole – like coriander/cilantro leaves, parsley, dill sprigs. Store in containers lined with paper towel in the fridge. (Chopped herbs are best day on the day – see next section.)

• Wash, dry and chop your leafy greens then store in freezer bags in the fridge. Fill the bags with air then tie up to keep them extra perky – it acts like a vegetable crisper!

• Pomegranate seeds – bash them out then store in a container.

• Crumble feta (regulars know I love my feta on salads!) – crumble ahead and store in a container.

• Make pickles like my favourite easy pickled red onion. Store in the vinegar – it will keep for weeks!

• Measure out and weigh vegetables and other ingredients that need to be cut fresh on the day-of. Store in containers in the fridge.

• Cook starches that will hold overnight, like quinoa, pearl couscous, rice, cauliflower rice, couscous. Do not dress as it will absorb the dressing and bloat.

Salad components I don’t do ahead

• Any juicy vegetables that should be cut fresh, like tomatoes, cucumbers.

• Fresh mozzarella (which features in special salads like Prosciutto Peach Salad)

• Chopping herbs – for best fresh flavour. With the exception of parsley which I almost always do ahead!

• NEVER dress your salad until just before serving unless a recipe very specifically says to do so ahead – which is pretty much only Coleslaw and Potato Salad!

5. Freeze cheesecakes and cakes

Undecorated plain sponge cakes freeze perfectly for up to 3 months, and cheesecakes too! Imagine being able to pull out a like-freshly-made cake and decorate on demand with whipped cream you made the night before – how easy it that??!!

Freezing cakes

I freeze undecorated cakes obsessively. Partly because I make so many in the course of day-to-day recipe testing (it’s my job!) and partly because I like to have a stash on standby. Super handy for busy festive season!

Works best for – plain sponge cakes like the reader favourite Vanilla Cake, super-easy chocolate cake, Black Forest Cake. Decorate with that whipped cream you made yesterday – see tip #1!! 😇

How to freeze – Wrap in parchment/baking paper (insurance purposes, so you don’t lose the skin if it gets tacky when thawing). Cling wrap, then put it in a ziplock bag or container. NEVER just cling wrap because it loses its ability to stick to itself. The cling wrap will loosen, the cake will absorb freezer smells and exposed parts will get freezer burn.

How to thaw – Thaw frozen cakes in the fridge overnight or on the counter for 1 hour. Then decorate per recipe.

Freezing not recommended for cakes with fruit pieces in them (like blueberry cake, strawberry cake) and gluten free cakes (like Flourless Chocolate Cake, Orange Cake, Hazelnut Cake). Just concerned they are a little too moist and dense for freezing.

Freezing cheesecakes

A handy discovery when I was testing the now infamous Lemon Cheesecake in my cookbook – you can freeze cheesecakes!

Freezing will not work for all cheesecakes. It will work for classic cheesecakes made with just cream cheese and sour cream, no add-ins like ricotta or fruit. Here are some examples:

• Baked Classic Cheesecake

• Lemon Cheesecake (sorry folks, this is a cookbook exclusive!)

• Mini Cheesecakes

How to freeze – As with the cakes, place parchment/baking paper on the top and bottom, wrap in cling wrap then store in a ziplock bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months. For mini cheesecakes, I freeze in a single layer until firm then stack in containers with paper in between.

Thaw – Unwrap and place on paper towels (to absorb excess moisture from the biscuit base so it doesn’t go soggy). Cover with fresh paper and cling wrap then thaw overnight in the fridge. I use fresh cling wrap and paper as the used ones from the freezer can be a bit wet from freezer icicles. If the surface of the cheesecake is a bit wet, just place a sheet of paper towel or a clean tea towel on top to absorb excess moisture.

Quality – Cheesecake is at its best in the first 24 hours after making it because the biscuit base is still a little crisp. After 24 hours, the base (and sides, if your cheesecake has biscuit walls) gets a little softer due to moisture absorption. And this is what thawed cheesecake is like – the cheesecake filling is perfect, the base is softer. Flavour retention is 100%!

Do not freeze – Ricotta cheesecakes, gelatine-based cheesecakes (like Nutella Cheesecake, Mango cheesecake), cheesecakes with fruit inside or on top (just not sure how the fruit will thaw) and no-bake cheesecakes (untested).

Tell me how many you already knew!

And there you have it. My 5 best get-ahead “secret” tips to let you swan through Christmas feasting like the poised domestic goddess you are!

Tell me, how many of the above do you regularly use? Anything new you learned? I hope you found them useful! – Nagi x

PS Note the use of the word “you” and “poised”. That word is never used to describe me, no matter how much I prep ahead. See? This is me in prep-ahead state. It’s always the darn icing sugar!!!

Next post to be published this weekend: My favourite prepare-ahead recipes I use for Christmas!

Life of Dozer

Dozer pressing the The Button to select the winners of the cookbook and Japanese knife giveaway! (If you missed out, follow along on Instagram and/or Facebook for some more fun giveaways coming up!).

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For years, I’ve been making my glazed ham the day before serving then just reheating it on the day of. It comes out 100% perfectly. The glaze is just as good as freshly made and the ham flesh doesn’t dry out at all. Use this make-ahead glazed ham method for either my favourite Maple Glazed Ham or classic Brown Sugar Glazed Ham!

I secretly love the challenge of coming up with menus that have a “wow” factor but has plenty of make-ahead options so I can reduce my workload on the day. Nobody wants to be stuck in the kitchen when they have friends and family over.

But also because I secretly dream of being a poised cooking goddess, Nigella Lawson style, who can swan out gracefully from the kitchen with plate after plate of food without breaking a sweat.

I’m still working on that part.

As for the not being stuck in the kitchen part? I’m getting pretty good at that.

And for Christmas feasting occasions, one of my handiest secret weapons is to make glazed ham the day before!

How to make glazed ham the day before

The thing with glazed ham is that it doesn’t actually need to be cooked because it’s already cooked. It’s just about getting that glaze just right!

1. Bake day before – Make your glazed ham the day before when you’ve got time to baby-sit the ham in the oven, basting and brushing as much as needed for the perfect golden glaze. The only ham glazes I use:
   i) Maple Glazed Ham – my special one, with beautiful woody maple flavour
   ii) Brown Sugar Mustard Glazed Ham – my classic one

2. Cool for 2 – 3 hours on the counter until you can barely feel warmth when you hover your hand over the surface. However, the inside will still be warm – it’s a sizeable hunk of meat we’re working with here! Don’t leave a hot ham out for much longer than this, for food safety reasons.

3. Fridge 3 hours uncovered – Then refrigerate the ham uncovered for 3 to 6 hours (still in the pan, with all the pan juices) to allow the inside of the ham to cool right down. You do not want to cover the ham while there’s even a bit of residual warmth on the inside because it will make the ham sweat = compromises the glaze. 😩

4. Cover then refrigerate overnight – Cover the ham loosely with a sheet of baking/parchment paper (the glaze won’t stick) then loosely with foil or cling wrap.

5. Overnight uncovered – Sometimes, if I am pressed for time so the ham hasn’t fully cooled before I head to bed, I just leave the ham uncovered in the fridge overnight. All that fat on the surface of the ham prevents the ham from drying out, and the cut face is so well caramelised that it too is not at any risk of drying out.

   However, I do recommend covering if you have time to fully cool the ham. For precaution and also so you don’t cross contaminate foods with odours. Nobody wants ham flavour infused in their mini cheesecakes!

4. Reheat – Take the ham out of the fridge 2 hours prior. Cover loosely with baking/parchment paper then loosely with foil. Reheat in a 130°C oven for 2 hours or until the centre of the ham registers 60°C/140°F (or a skewer inserted into the middle is hot).

   Add water as needed to prevent pan juices from drying out (we want a syrupy sauce at the end to serve with the ham!) You shouldn’t need oven time with the foil off to re-caramelise the glaze but you can if needed.

5. Baste, baste, baste as needed for a stunning shiny sticky finish!

6. Sauce reduction, if needed – If the pan juices are too watery (because you accidentally added too much water when reheating), either return the pan without the ham into the oven to reduce to a syrupy consistency. Or pour it into a saucepan and simmer on the stove.

7. Serve the ham as you ordinarily do! My default these days is to put it on a wooden board on a bed of green fluff age (whatever’s cheap at the time – kale, watercress, endive are regulars). Wrap paper around the handle, tie with a ribbon, stick a sprig of rosemary in!

Use any ham glaze!

While I’ve referenced the two ham glazes on my website throughout this post (my favourite Maple Glazed Ham and classic Brown Sugar Ham Glaze), these make-ahead steps should work for any glazed ham.

I hope you found this tip useful! I’d love to know what you think if you make your glazed ham ahead of time this year. Tell me in the comments below! – Nagi x

Christmas cooking stressing you out? I get it. See my 6 best tips to make Christmas cooking easier right here!

Life of Dozer

Dozer confirms he can’t tell whether the glazed ham was made today or yesterday.

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Mashed Potato Casserole is an outrageously delicious yet highly practical way to make mashed potato ahead of time! A layer of cheese and bacon prevents the mash from drying out as it reheats in the oven, while transforming this humble side into something extra-devilish and decadent. Oh the power of cheese (plus bacon)!

Make it fresh, or assemble ahead and reheat when required. Serve in place of plain ole’ mash.

Make-ahead mashed potato

With the holidays fast approaching, I thought it would be timely to share my favourite way to make mashed potato ahead of time.

The thing with make-ahead mash is that you cannot simply reheat it in the microwave or oven. You might think a splash of milk and good stir is all it takes to restore it. But I can tell you that’s the path to a mouthful of gluey horridness.

While there are nifty ways to reheat cold mashed potato successfully*, a big dish of creamy Mashed Potato Casserole takes the prize for the most foolproof-yet-show-stopping way I know! It also wins the prize for the lowest effort on the day-of because you literally just pop the pre-assembled dish into the oven. It’s a win-win, 10/10 – nothing could be more fitting for your holiday feast menu!!

* How I reheat plain mashed potato: Cold mash in hot cream (recipe here, but note it’s more work on the day) or in heavy duty piping bags submerged in boiling water, a trick caterers use (see my demo here on Instagram).

Is there such a thing as too much bacon??

Confession: I think I was a little heavy-handed with the bacon in the photos while being a tad short on the stuff for the recipe video!! So the recipe card as written is a happy medium. 😊

But actually, looking at the photo below, it does look pretty enticing with almost full bacon coverage on the surface. And … is there even such a thing as too much bacon?? (Yeah nah)

What you need for Mashed Potato Casserole

Here’s what you need to make Mashed Potato Casserole:

• Potato – Floury and all-rounder potatoes work best to achieve a fluffy yet creamy mash without fussing with potato ricers and other gadgets.
  – Australia: the cheap dirt-brushed potatoes sold everywhere (called Sebago) are ideal
  – US: Russet
  – UK: Maris Piper

• Milk – Our liquid to loosen the potato up to form mash. If making ahead, we add extra (see How To Make section for more).

• Sour cream – I prefer using sour cream rather than cream in mashed potato casserole because the slight tang makes a nice counterpoint to all the other richness going on here (butter, cheese, bacon). It doesn’t make it sour in the least. It sort of adds creaminess into the mash without adding cloying richness. Does that makes sense??

• Butter – Mash without butter is not mash. #strongopinions!

• Cheese – I use a combination: Mozzarella for excellent melty-cheesy-stretchiness. Then Red Leicester for flavour (it’s savoury and a bit sharp, like aged cheddar), and to add a lovely orange hue to the mash surface. If you’re in the States, your orange cheddar is ideal here.

  Otherwise, use any melting cheese you like (colby and Monterey Jack are other personal favourites). If you opt to use mozzarella as your main cheese, add a handful of parmesan for flavour because mozzarella alone is actually quite bland and lacks saltiness.
  Shred your own – One of my five non-negotiable rules stated loudly on the first page of my cookbook is, “Always shred your own cheese”! Store-bought pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agents which prevent it from melting as well as freshly-grated. I use a standard box grater for the work.
  Pack your cups of cheese – For consistency I prefer weight over volume to measure cheese. So I’ll weigh a hunk of cheese before grating it. But if you are using cup measures, be sure to pack your cups tightly when measuring the shredded cheese otherwise you will be short. Nobody wants to be short on cheese, ever!

• Bacon – For sprinkling over the casserole surface. Note: I always use streaky bacon. Because fat = flavour! Also, fatty bacon crisps up and colours better, without drying out.

• Green onion – For a touch of oniony freshness and colour.

How to make Mashed Potato Casserole

No rocket science here. We make mash, spread it into a casserole dish, top with cheese, bacon and then stop here if making ahead. Finally, on the day of your do, bake it!

1. Cut potatoes – Peel and cut the potatoes into even sized pieces.

2. Boil until soft – Place the potatoes in cold salted water. Bring it up to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat down to medium high or medium so it is simmering rapidly. Cook for 15 minutes (no lid) or until the potatoes are very soft. They should fall apart when you jab it with a fork.

3. Mash – Drain the potatoes well in a colander and pour them back into the empty pot. Mash with the butter, milk, sour cream and salt.

   MAKE-AHEAD ADJUSTMENT – If you are making this dish with the intention of serving it the next day, then add an extra 2/3 cup milk. The mash will seem too loose, but this is intentional. It is to factor in the fact that mashed potato firms up when refrigerated overnight. So once reheated, it has the same consistency as when it is freshly made!

   Potato masher – I like to use a potato masher that is like a round disc with holes in it, as pictured above. It’s the fastest and most effective tool for a smooth mash without using a potato ricer (which I reserve just for Paris Mash, when seeking that next-level-luxe, ultra-smooth, 3-Michelin-restaurant result!).

4. Spread in a casserole dish.

5. Top with the cheeses and bacon. (Yes you eagle-eyed spotters, I was short on bacon for these shots 😂)
   For make ahead – At this stage, the assembled dish can be popped in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just take it out of the fridge 2 hours ahead so it has time to de-chill. This will make it reheat faster and more evenly in the oven.

6. Cover with foil then bake for 20 minutes at 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan), if freshly made. Add an extra 15 minutes if you’re reheating a make-ahead casserole you prepared the day before.

7. Uncover – Remove from the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes until bubbly and golden.

8. Voila, ready to serve! Crack through that molten cheese surface and marvel at how creamy the mash underneath is!

How to serve Mashed Potato Casserole

This is a dish designed to be a side. (I know we can all picture it moonlighting as a standalone dish after a big night on the turps or a shocking day at work, but it’s meant to take the place of traditional plain mashed potato, I swear.) Because actually, though this has cheese and bacon on it, underneath is all creamy plain mashed potato.

So place it on the table or on the buffet alongside the mains and let everybody dig in and help themselves! Try to get in first though. Because you know full well the first in line are going to take more than their fair share of that cheese bacon topping – and we know full well we also cannot blame them….. – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Mashed Potato Casserole

Recipe video. This is an outrageously delicious yet highly practical way to make mashed potato ahead of time! A layer of cheese and bacon prevents the creamy mash from drying out as it reheats in the oven, while transforming this humble side into something extra-devilish and decadent. Oh the power of cheese (plus bacon)!

Make it fresh, or assemble ahead and reheat when required. Serve in place of plain ole' mash.

Course Potatoes, Side Dish

Cuisine Western

Keyword mashed potato bake, mashed potato casserole

Servings 10 – 12

Calories 333cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 1.75kg/ 3.5 lb potatoes (Sebago (Aus), Russet (US), Maris Piper / King Edwards (UK)(Note 1)
• 1 tbsp cooking / kosher salt , for cooking potatoes
• 2/3 cup milk (preferably full fat/whole milk but lite ok)
• 2/3 cup EXTRA milk , for make-ahead option only (Note 2)
• 75g / 5 tbsp unsalted butter , cut into 1cm / 1/2″ cubes
• 1/2 cup sour cream (or yogurt), full fat best
• 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt , or to taste
• 1 1/2 cups (tightly packed) mozzarella , freshly shredded (Note 3)
• 1 cup (tightly packed) Red Leicester, cheddar or other flavoured cheese(Note 3)
• 200g / 6 oz bacon (streaky), chopped (Note 4)
• 1/4 cup green onion , finely sliced

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Cook bacon:

• Place bacon in a cold non-stick pan over medium heat (no oil). As the pan heats up the bacon fat will melt. Once you see some melted bacon fat, turn the heat up to medium high and stir for 3 minute or until golden.
• Drain on paper towels.

Mash:

• Potatoes – Peel then cut into 3cm /1" chunks.
• Boil – Place in a large pot and cover with water so it’s 10cm / 4” above the potatoes. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat so it’s simmering rapidly. Cook 15 minutes or until potatoes are very soft (jab with fork to test, they should fall apart).
• Drain well, then return into pot. Leave for 1 minute, shaking pot every now and then, to encourage evaporation of water.
• Mash – Add milk (including EXTRA milk if making-ahead), butter, sour cream and 1 tsp salt. Mash until smooth. (Do not use food processor, blender or beater, makes it gluey!)

Make-ahead directions:

• Fridge – Allow to fully cool on the counter then cover tightly with cling wrap and refrigerate.
• Dechill – Take out onto counter 2 hours prior to reheating.

Assemble:

• Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan).
• Spread the potato in a 2 litre / 2 quart baking dish (Note 5). Smooth the surface.
• Sprinkle – Sprinkle potato with the cheeses, then bacon.
• Bake covered – Cover loosely with foil. Bake for 20 minutes covered (if freshly made) or 35 minutes (make-ahead option).
• Bake uncovered – Remove foil then bake a further 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
• Serve – Sprinkle with green onion then serve! It stays warm for a good 20 minutes thanks to that protective layer of cheese. Oh, the powers of cheese!

Notes

1. Potatoes – Any starchy or all-rounder potatoes suitable for making mash will work great.

2. Extra milk for make-ahead option makes the mash looser to factor in that mash firms up when refrigerated. This is the amount required so that the reheated dish ends up with the same consistency as when it was freshly made!

3. Cheeses – Mozzarella for excellent melting qualities, plus Red Leicester or US cheddar for colour and flavour (sub with other cheese of choice like colby, gruyere, Swiss, tasty).

SHRED YOUR OWN for the best result! Store-bought pre-shredded is coated with anti-caking agents so it doesn’t melt as well.

PACK your cups tightly when measuring shredded cheese, else you’ll be short. And nobody wants to be short on cheese, ever!

4. Bacon – You need to use streaky/fatty bacon to use this no-oil method of cooking bacon. If you use lean bacon, you will need to preheat oil. I know which option I prefer!

5. Dish – A 2 litre / 2 quart baking dish is the ideal size, it will be filled to the brim. A 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13″ dish (3L/3 qt) works fine too – will be filled about 2/3 of the way up.

6. Make-head – Keeps for 3 days in the fridge, uncooked, fully assembled except for the green onion. Be sure to take it out of the fridge 2 hours prior to reheating to take the chill out of the it so it reheats more evenly.

Freezing – A former team member reported excellent results freezing the assembled dish, thawing then reheating. But I never tried it myself – I will come back and update if (no, when!) I do.

Leftovers will keep for 3 days, but the mash won’t be as creamy. Consider using it to make mashed potato cakes instead!

7. Nutrition per serving assuming 12 servings, as part of a larger banquet.

Nutrition

Calories: 333cal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 1057mg | Potassium: 668mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 478IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 200mg | Iron: 1mg

Life of Dozer

People have been wondering how Jeff is, our friendly local who lives at my local dog park (Bayview, in Sydney’s northern beaches), an official RecipeTin taste tester. He is doing well! This is how I start every weekend – coffee for Jeff, a ham and cheese croissant for his dog Cubby (sometimes Jeff gets a bite) and Dozer, waiting for scraps – until he gives up and gallops down to the beach to join his mates in the water!

Photo captured by Kevin of Unleashed Northern Beaches, a local photographer. Wonderful gift idea: voucher for a private pooch photo shoot!

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