Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Just when you thought mashed potatoes couldn’t get any better, we have a new recipe to show you. If you love comfort food, you are going to go crazy over Cheesy Mashed Potatoes.

It starts with regular mashed potatoes which are equally amazing and they get jazzed up for this delicious casserole. Cheesy mashed potatoes are great served with any main dish recipe such as Steak, Balsamic Chicken, Honey Baked Ham Recipe and fried chicken.

Why We Love This Recipe

Make cheesy mashed potatoes and see how easy it is. They are super quick and taste amazing. Your family will love this easy potato casserole loaded with delicious cheese.

The side dish is packed with lots of cream cheese and that makes the potatoes SO creamy. Then you top it all off with shredded cheese for the best mashed potatoes. It is so easy to make and perfect to go with just about any dinner.

Ingredients

• Russet Potatoes – Any starchy potato can be used
• Butter – We used unsalted butter
• Milk – We love the flavor that whole milk gives this mashed potato recipe.
• Cream Cheese – Cut into small pieces
• Cheddar Cheese – Feel free to use other types of cheese
• Fresh Chives – Optional but they are perfect for topping

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.

Variation Ideas

• Use Heavy Whipping Cream – I usually use milk for this recipe but you can substitute with heavy whipping cream as well.
• Change the Kind of Cheeses – Sharp Cheddar cheese is delicious but feel free to use what you have. Colby Jack and Mozzarella Cheese is another delicious idea. Spice things up and use pepper jack cheese. You can even try Parmesan cheese as well.
• Be Extra Cheesy – If you just love cheese, you can also mix cheese in the potatoes when you are mashing them for extra cheesy mashed potatoes.
• Add Bacon – Crumble cooked bacon on top of the cheese. You can also mix in bacon with the mashed potatoes.
• Try adding ranch – Try loaded mashed potatoes with dry ranch seasoning mix.
• Change Potatoes– We used russet but Yukon gold potatoes or make Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes or red potatoes also work well in this recipe.

How to Make Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Step 1 – Clean and peel the potatoes. Next, cut the potatoes into quarters.

Step 2 – Put the potatoes in a large pot or large saucepan. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Let them boil for about 10 to 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Step 3 – Once finished, drain the potatoes and put them back in the pot. Now add the butter, milk, kosher salt, black pepper, sour cream and cream cheese. I prefer to use an electric hand mixer to combine all of this together but you can also use a hand potato masher if you prefer a chunkier mashed potatoes.

Step 4 – You just want the potatoes to be light and fluffy. While the oven is warming up, put the mashed potatoes in a 9X9 baking pan.

Step 5 – Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese all over the top.

Step 6 – Make sure to cover with foil. Then bake at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is completely melted. These baked mashed potatoes are best served warm. Enjoy!

Expert Tips

• Shredded Cheese – I prefer to shred the cheese by hand instead of using the bags of shredded cheese. It will melt smoother if you hand shred the cheese.
• Baking Pan – We used a 9×9 baking pan to make this recipe. But my family loves it so much that I usually double the recipe and bake in a 9×13 baking pan.
• Potatoes – Make sure cut the potatoes about the same size pieces so they cook evenly.
• Cover – We recommend to cover the pan with aluminum foil to prevent the cheese from burning.

Serving Suggestions

These cheesy mashed potatoes are the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or for any occasion including to complete your weeknight meal. Try it with these family favorite meats.

• Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
• Christmas Ham
• Baked Pork Chops
• Slow Cooker Flank Steak

This is optional but I like to top with green onions or parsley.

Can You Make This Ahead?

Yes, you can. Just make sure to refrigerate until you are ready to serve. This is a great dish to make ahead and saves time on the day you plan to serve.

To make ahead, just prepare as normal but do not bake. If your casserole dish has a lid, put it on and place in the fridge. If not, just cover with foil.

When you are ready to serve, bake as normal. Keep in mind that you may have to add 3 to 5 minutes to the total baking time to make sure that the potatoes are heated all the way through.

How to Thicken Mashed Potatoes

If you find your potatoes are too runny, you can easily bake them longer to help the liquid evaporate. See How to Thicken Mashed Potatoes for more ideas.