Who loves comfort food? What about comfort food that has been elevated, with flavors that catapult the tastebuds to the stratosphere? If yes, this Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole is for you! It's cheesy, creamy, and packed with all the good stuff: bacon, butter, chives, and sour cream. This stovetop-to-oven dish is a homemade and simple recipe you can proudly bring to every holiday or family gathering. Think of it as the ultimate loaded mashed potato casserole your loved ones could ever have, hearty, cozy, and guaranteed to disappear fast.
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If you love comforting casseroles try this ham and potato casserole and my favorite cheesy chicken and rice casserole.
Why You'll Love This Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole!
There's something special and comforting about this warm, creamy, and cheesy mashed potato casserole baked until bubbling and golden to perfection. This easy loaded mashed potato casserole is an excellent side dish for gatherings, from weeknight dinners to Thanksgiving feasts.
And here are more reasons why you'll fall in love with this dish:
- It's cheesy, creamy in all the right places, and flavorful! A true comfort food classic.
- You can make it ahead for stress-free entertaining.
- It's easy to customize! You can add more bacon, more cheese, or even green onions.
- It's the best loaded mashed potatoes you'll ever make, guaranteed to please everyone at the table.
Equipment Needed
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Skillet
- Electric mixer or potato masher
- Mixing spoon or spatula
- 9x13-inch casserole dish
Key Ingredients
Potatoes - Russet or Gold potatoes are perfect for that smooth and fluffy texture.
Bacon - It adds a savory and smoky crunch that makes this loaded mashed potato casserole easy and irresistible.
Sour cream, heavy cream, butter, and cream cheese are the ingredients for a creamy base you can't resist.
Cheddar cheese - The secret to achieving the ultimate gooey topping. It also melts beautifully.
Chives - Adds a pop of freshness and balances the richness.
Seasonings (salt, pepper, and garlic powder) - Balance the overall flavor.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Peel and cube the potatoes, then place them in a large pot with enough cold water to cover them. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain well.
While the potatoes cook, crisp up your bacon in a skillet or bake it in the oven. Once cool, crumble it into small pieces.
Add the sour cream, heavy cream, butter, cream cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the warm potatoes. Mash until smooth and creamy, adding more cream if needed. I like my potatoes a little on the lumpy side so I like to use a potato masher. You can also use a mixer to give smoother results.
Stir in half of the cheddar cheese, bacon, and chives. Spread the potato mixture evenly into the 9x13 casserole dish.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese, bacon, and chives on top. Cover with foil and bake at 150 °C (350°F) for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese is melty and bubbling.
Serving Suggestions
This Thanksgiving mashed potato casserole is perfect for busy holidays. It pairs perfectly with roasted turkey or glazed ham. Serve this along with your other favorite Thanksgiving sides like cranberry sauce, Jiffy cornbread casserole and homemade stuffing.
This cheesy potato casserole isn't just for the holidays! Serve it with smokey baby back ribs or pulled pork for an amazing weeknight dinner.
Make Ahead
This make-ahead loaded mashed potato casserole is perfect for busy days.
- You can prepare and assemble the casserole up to 24 hours in advance.
- Cover the casserole tightly with foil and refrigerate.
- When ready to serve, bake as directed, and add 5 to 10 extra minutes to the baking time if chilled. Always let a cold casserole dish sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before placing it in a hot oven to prevent it from cracking.
Storage
If there are leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through, or in the microwave for a quick side. You can also freeze it for up to 1 month, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Expert Tips
- Start potatoes in cold water to ensure they cook evenly. This prevents the outside from becoming mushy before the inside is done.
- To help blend everything smoothly, use warm potatoes for mashing. And make sure the butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature.
- Avoid overmixing to prevent the potatoes from becoming gluey.
- To make an extra creamy loaded mashed potato casserole recipe, add more cheese.
Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ⅓ cup heavy cream or more if needed
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- 1 and ½ cups cheddar cheese, grated
Instructions
- Place the peeled and cubed potatoes in a Dutch oven or large pot in just enough cold water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes or until fork tender. Once cooked drain the water.
- Meanwhile cook the bacon until crispy in a skillet or you can use the oven method. Set on paper towels to cool and then crumble the bacon.
- Add the heavy cream, sour cream, butter, cream cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the warm potatoes. Using a potato masher, mash until the potatoes are smooth and the ingredients are fully combined. Continue mashing and mixing until the texture is creamy and no large lumps remain. If needed add a little extra cream.
- Once the potatoes are mashed add half of the cheddar cheese, half of the bacon and half of the chives. Stir to combine. Spread the potato mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish.
- Top the casserole dish with remaining bacon, cheese and chives. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melty and bubbling.
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