The Best Cheesy Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Mashed Potatoes! One of the easiest side dishes you could probably ever make. It is also probably one of the first things I learned to make as a little girl helping my mom out in the kitchen. Although my mom’s version is very simple, but tastes great nonetheless, I like to experiment with my recipes a bit. My mom’s mashed potatoes are made with milk and butter and she’d whip them up in a mixer so they were always light and fluffy. All I can say is there are never any leftovers. Mashed potatoes with a nice roast chicken and a great salad, my kind of Sunday supper. These mashed potatoes, however, are taken to the next level. They’re amplified in flavor, texture, and creamy dreamy cheese pulls! They’re super creamy, since they’re mashed with butter, milk and sour cream then I loaded them with 3 different kinds of cheeses; cream cheese, mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese. If that wasn’t enough, I then added some bacon because, well bacon, and some chives for a bit of onion flavor and most of all some green color among all that cheese.
Potatoes – I prefer Yukon Gold potatoes or Russet Potatoes. Salt and Pepper – Just to taste, you may find that the bacon is salty enough to omit the salt entirely! Butter – I always use unsalted butter in most of my cooking and baking because this way I can control the amount of salt that goes in my food. Half and Half or Milk – My mom usually uses milk but if you would like these potatoes to be a bit creamier go with half and half cream which contains 12 % fat. You can even go ahead and use heavy cream which usually contains 38 % fat. Bacon – I used 8 strips of bacon that I then cooked and crumbled up to include in this dish. I insist on using fresh bacon – none of that pre cooked crumbled up stuff! Dairy – We’re using both sour cream and cream cheese today for flavor, creaminess, and lots of tang. Believe me you’ll want both. Cheese – Fresh shredded mozzarella and cheddar are key for getting those cheese pulls that dreams are made of. Chives – Chopped up nice and fine for a nice and mild onion flavor.
You really can’t screw this up, it’s really an easy recipe, about as simple as they come. I have to admit this isn’t for those who are watching their weight, but if you aren’t counting calories, well this is for you! Or perhaps, you could have a small portion, I won’t tell!
Preheat The Oven
To start, get your oven hot and ready to go before you even begin the recipe. The dish will not cook as well if the oven is not hot enough before you put the potatoes in to bake. So preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C) and then move on to the next step.
Cook The Potatoes
Peel the potatoes, and cut them into cubes. Then, add the potatoes to a large saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them by a couple inches. Cook the potatoes on medium heat for about 15 minutes or until you can easily pierce them with a fork. Transfer to a colander to drain.
Cook The Bacon
While the potatoes are cooking, chop the bacon slices into small pieces. Transfer it to a skillet and cook it until crispy and browned. Alternatively, you can cook the bacon slices first, then chop them up into small pieces. Place the bacon on a paper towel lined plate to soak up some of the fat.
Make The Mashed Potatoes
Using a potato masher or fork, mash the potatoes in a big bowl until fluffy. Add the cream cheese, butter, sour cream, milk, half the cheddar cheese, half the mozzarella cheese and mix until well combined. To make them even fluffier you could use a hand mixer and mix until light and fluffy. Add the chives, half the bacon and salt and pepper. You might also want to reserve some chives for the topping.
Assemble The Casserole
Stir everything together until well combined then transfer it to a buttered baking dish. Finally, you’ll want to top with remaining cheddar, mozzarella cheese and bacon.
Bake
Transfer the casserole dish to the oven and bake it for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
What Potatoes Are Best For Mashing?
You might think that any potatoes can be mashed, and while that may be true, there are certain varieties that make the best mashed potatoes, so without further ado here they are. Yukon golds or russets are perfect for this dish as they result in a creamier and more heavenly mash.
What Else Can I Add To My Mashed Potatoes?
You can add whatever you’d like to this cheesy, crave-able, and oh so rich dish. Here’s some flavorful or creamy additions.
Fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme or parsley. Eggs – raw eggs that is. This is my husband’s favorite, it totally adds a little extra richness Any kind of mild melty delicious cheese that you’d like!
How To Serve
These mashed potatoes are so rich, cheesy, and bacon-y, I like to snack on them all on their own! If you’d like a nice big entree to spoon these alongside, then here’s some picture perfect dishes!
Garlic and Paprika Chicken Baked Chicken Breast Prime Rib Roast Beef Bourguignon Crock Pot Roast Meatloaf Honey Mustard Glazed Ham Pork Schnitzel
Leftovers
Store leftover cheesy mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Be sure it’s completely cooled before putting away.
Freezer
Freeze mashed potatoes in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 10 months.
More Must Try Potato Recipes
Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes Crockpot Cheesy Mashed Potatoes Scalloped Sweet Potatoes Roasted Potatoes with Garlic Aioli Potatoes Au Gratin Baked Potatoes Funeral Potatoes Colcannon Garlic Mashed Potatoes
