Mashed potatoes loaded with cream cheese, sour cream and topped with shredded cheddar cheese. This cheesy mashed potato casserole is always a hit and is a rich and delicious way to serve potatoes to a crowd.
I grew up in a mashed potato family. My husband grew up in a cheesy mashed potato casserole family. This is a recipe I inherited early in my marriage from my husband’s mom. Since we started making this potato recipe for the holidays, even my family has come to love the dish.
Ingredients
A combination of ingredients you would expect to find in mashed potatoes and a loaded baked potato.
- Potatoes: Peeled and quartered. This uses just under 5 pounds of potatoes. Preferably russet or Yukon Gold potatoes.
- Butter
- Salt & Black Pepper
- Milk: Whole or 2% milk.
- Cream Cheese: You can use light or regular.
- Sour Cream: You can use full fat or light. I have even subbed plain Greek yogurt in a pinch.
- Cheddar Cheese: Use 2 cups of your favorite shredded cheddar. For the best cheesy potatoes, I recommend shredding a block of cheese versus using bagged shredded cheese. I prefer Tillamook Medium Cheddar Cheese.
How to make
Step 1: Boil peeled and quartered potatoes in salted water until tender. Mash potatoes and mix in add-ins. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Step 2: Spread potatoes evenly into a 2 quart casserole dish. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake in preheated oven at 350F for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and potatoes are heated to 165F.
How to make ahead of time
- Make the casserole, transfer to baking dish and place in the fridge. When ready to bake, top with cheese and cover with foil. Cooking time will increase a little with this method. This is my preferred method for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- My mother-in-law makes the dish the night before and refrigerates overnight. You can’t tell any difference.
Serving and Storage
Serve the potatoes hot. Cheesy potatoes are an excellent side dish for a hearty meat such as steak, brisket, chicken, turkey or ham. This side dish is a staple of our holiday menu.
Store leftovers covered and refrigerated in an airtight container. Unlike mashed potatoes the leftovers from the cheesy mashed potato casserole reheat well in the oven.
To reheat, simply cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165F. Alternatively, you can microwave portion sizes in the microwave for 30-45 second intervals.
📖 Recipe
Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 cups potatoes peeled and quartered
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- ⅓ c. whole milk
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- ½ c. sour cream
- 1 ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot, cover potatoes with cold water, salt water and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are tender, drain potatoes.
- Add butter and mash potatoes with a potato masher or in a mixer. Add milk until mashed potato consistency is reached. Mix in cream cheese and sour cream until cream cheese is all melted. For ease, you can do this with a stand-mixer. Add salt and pepper, adjusting to taste. If potatoes are too thick, add 1 Tbsp. of milk or sour cream at a time.
- Transfer potatoes to a 2 quart casserole dish, spread into an even layer. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly, melted and potatoes are thoroughly heated to 165°F.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
What kind of potatoes to use?
Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold are the most common for making creamy mashed potatoes. Although, I have used red potatoes and they turned out just fine.
Will this fit in a 9 X 13 casserole dish?
This fits best in a 2 qt. baking dish whereas a 9 X 13 baking dish holds 3 qts. You will want to increase the amount of potatoes if you want it to completely fill a 9 x 13 casserole dish.
From Easter to Thanksgiving Dinner, this is a holiday recipe my family loves. Enjoy!
Alaine
More side dish recipes:
Barbara B
We have made this recipe for many many years and love this!! We tried it one year with bacon on top and haven't stopped doing that yet!!!! Yum!