Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

These easy-to-make cheesy mashed potatoes are based on the super popular twice-baked potatoes. You'll also find an additional variation or two in the recipe to fancy these up a little as well. Whether you make them with the classic bacon, cheddar, and green onion combination, purely cheesy, or with my prosciutto and sage, everyone is going to love these.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Author : Kari Peters

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 500kcal

Ingredients

2.5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes 4 medium
4 tbsp salted butter
1 clove garlic minced
4 ounces cream cheese softened
1 cup sour cream room temperature
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese grated
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
8 strips bacon cooked, and crumbled, 1/2 cup, optional
1/2 cup green onions sliced, optional
1 tsp sea salt or to taste, more for boiling potatoes
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

Peel the potatoes if desired. Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters and add them to the pot. Cover with water and add 1 tbsp sea salt to the water.
Bring the potatoes to a boil, and then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook the potatoes until tender, about 20-30 minutes.
While the potatoes cook, prep the rest of the ingredients and cook the bacon.
Reserve some cooking water when the potatoes are done, and drain the remainder. Place the drained potatoes in a mixer bowl or large bowl with room for mashing them by hand.
Melt the butter over low heat, add the garlic, and cook over low for about 1 minute to take the edge off the garlic.
Mash the potatoes until most of the lumps are gone with the melted garlic butter. Scrape down the sides several times to help eliminate lumps.
Add the cream cheese and sour cream and mix. Add the grated cheddar and parmesan cheese, bacon, and green onions, (reserving some to garnish the top). Stir to combine, but don't overmix.
Season to taste with sea salt and pepper, add reserved cooking water if you need to thin the texture. Garnish and serve immediately.
Or butter a 9"x13" casserole dish and spread the mashed potatoes evenly into the baking dish. Top with the reserved cheese, bacon bits, and green onion. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or bake immediately at 350ºF until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 20 minutes.
If your dish has been refrigerated, remove it from the fridge for at least 30 minutes while the oven heats up. The baking time will be 30-40 minutes if refrigerated.

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Notes

Purely Cheesy: omit the bacon and green onion. Use just the cheeses called for, or vary as desired. 1 cup of grated smoked Gouda in place of some cheddar is one of our favorite combinations. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley or chives for a bright pop of color.

Prosciutto-Sage: Use 3 ounces of torn-up prosciutto in place of the bacon, add 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage (or rosemary) to the garlic butter, and omit the green onions. Use Gouda, Fontina, or Provolone in place of the cheddar. For a smoky version, use 1 cup of smoked Gouda and 1 cup of the above cheese options. If you have creme fraiche in the fridge, use that in place of the sour cream.

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