Loaded Mashed Potato Bake Recipe (2024)

Recipes | Sides

ByJamie Sanders

8 Comments

Disclosure:This post may containaffiliate links.As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to Recipe

This Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole is a delicious spin on the classic loaded baked potato!

The addition of cheese, bacon, and cream puts this Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole over the top tastewise and will leave your family begging for seconds and thirds. And, of course, mashed potatoes pair superbly with a variety of main dishes.

Loaded Mashed Potato Bake Recipe (1)

Table of Contents

  • Why this Recipe Works
  • Ingredients + Tips
  • How to Make Mashed Potato Bake
  • Recipe Tips
  • FAQ’s
  • Recipe Variations:
  • More Amazing Side Dishes
  • Recipe Card

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole is the Perfect Side Dish!

One of my favorite ways to get the family together is with a delicious meal. One of our favorite meals? Why, Barbecue, of course!

When we have the urge for Barbecue, I have a little trick to getting what everyone wants, without spendingtons of money or having to slave over the smoker for 12 hours.

My trick? I send the hubby out to pick up a “to go” order for a pound or two of MEAT ONLY for our fave bbq joint. We usually get brisket (and sometimes sausage), then prepare all the traditional side dishes for a big family meal.

Some of our favorite sides to go with Barbecue are green beans (with bacon), my favorite broccoli salad, charro beans, mac and cheese, and of course, baked potatoes!

Why This recipe works!

  • This Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole is a great twist on baked potatoes. It’s super easy to put together and tastes unbelievably delicious! (Especially if you use instant mashed potatoes – I won’t tell, and after adding all the ingredients, no one will ever know!) Today’s recipe does use regular potatoes.
  • What makes these mashed potatoes so creamy and delicious? Additions of the cream, butter, and cheese make these potatoes so smooth and creamy and rich and delicious.
  • This loaded Mashed potato casserole is a perfect side dish for holidays, pot lucks, or your next Sunday dinner.

Ingredients + Tips for Mashed Potato Casserole

(Ingredients at a glance, scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe.)

  • Potatoes | About 4 lbs, peeled and cut. I recommend Russet potatoes for this mashed potato bake; however, Yukon gold will be a great 2nd choice.
  • Butter | Salted or unsalted butter works fine. If using unsalted, give the potatoes a taste and add more salt as needed.
  • Heavy cream | Gives the potatoes an amazing and rich flavor and creamy texture.
  • Gruyere cheese and Monterey Jack Cheese | Gruyere cheese is on the pricey side, but it has a wonderful flavor profile and melts wonderfully. In a pinch, you could use swiss cheese. Monterey Jack Cheese gives the potatoes a yummy, cheesy consistency and flavor. Cheddar will work as a substitution.
  • Bacon | Cooked and diced
  • Salt, pepper, andgarlic powder
  • Green onions | diced, for garnish.

How to Make this Mashed Potato Casserole

(Get the full printable recipe at the bottom of the post.)

  1. Boil the Potatoes. In a large stockpot, cook roughly chopped potatoes in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and return the potatoes to the pot.
  2. Preheat the oven. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  3. Mash and Season the Potatoes. Add butter, cream, garlic, salt, pepper, half the bacon, gruyere cheese, and 1 cup of Monterey Jack Cheese. Mix together until cheeseismelted, adding additional cream a tablespoon at a time as needed to reach desired consistency. (add additional salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Bake the Potatoes.Transfer potatoes to 13 x 9 baking dish, topping with last 1/2 of cheese.Bake for about 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Garnish with remaining bacon and green onions.
  5. Enjoy!
Loaded Mashed Potato Bake Recipe (2)

Recipe Tips:

  • Keep an eye on your potatoes at the end of the cooking time. You want them to be fork-tender, but not mushy.
  • Don’t over-mix your potato mixture, as over-mixing can lead to gummy potatoes.

FAQ’s

What Kind Of Potatoes Are Best For Mashed Potatoes?

Russet potatoes are the best for mashed potatoes. Russets are a more starchy potato, mash easily and whip up fluffy and light. Yukon Gold potatoes are a great 2nd choice. I like using Yukon golds because their skins are much thinner, and I usually don’t even feel the need to peel them first.

Can I Use Milk Instead Of Heavy Cream?

Yes, the recipe will work with lower-fat milk instead of cream. However, the cream is what makes this dish so over-the-top fantastic. So I recommend using cream or at least half n half.

Can This Recipe Be Made Ahead?

Yes, this mashed potato bake can be made ahead. Prepare the recipe up to the point of baking. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or until you are ready to bake. Remove the potatoes from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for at least an hour before baking. Remove the plastic wrap, and bake as directed.

How To Store And Reheat Leftovers

  • Store the leftover Mashed Potato Bake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • To freeze leftovers, place mashed potatoes in an airtight container or freezer bag for 1 to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge.
  • Reheat in the microwave at 50% power until heated through, or bring potatoes to room temp and bake, covered, at 350˚F until heated through.

Can I Make This Loaded Baked Potato Casserole In A Slow Cooker?

Yes, you can, and it will be amazing!

  • Add your potatoes to a greased slow cooker (for easier clean-up). Coverand cook onhigh for 2-3 hours or on low for 5ish hours.
  • Check on the potatoes, and when they are fork-tender, add all the ingredients, (except for what is reserved for the top).
  • Use a hand mixer to blend everything together.
  • Top potato mixture with remaining cheese, cover, and continue cooking for about 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted, garnish with extra bacon and green onions and enjoy!

Recipe Variations:

  • For extra flavor, boil your potatoes in chicken stock. (Or add a tablespoon of better-than-bullion to your mashed potatoes. Keep in mind you may need to adjust the amount of salt used. Just give them a taste.)
  • Like garlic-y mashed potatoes? Double the garlic.
  • Use diced ham or sausage instead of bacon.
  • Add sweet corn to your potato mixture.
  • Like a bit of spice? Use pepper jack cheese instead of Gruyere.
  • Want more spice? Add finely diced Jalapenos to your potato mixture before baking.

Pin this recipe for later

Pin it

Loaded Mashed Potato Bake Recipe (3)

More Amazing Side Dishes

Tried this recipe?

Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. If you share an image on Instagram or Facebook, be sure to tag me and use #scatteredmomrecipes!

Print

Loaded Mashed Potato Bake Recipe (4)

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

★★★★★5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Jamie Sanders
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: side dish
  • Method: oven
Print Recipe

Description

This Loaded Mashed Potato Bake Recipe is adelicious spin on the classic loaded baked potato! The addition of cheese, bacon, and cream put this Loaded Mashed Potato bake potatoes over the top tastewise and will leave your family begging for seconds and thirds.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 4 lbs potatoes peeled and cut
  • 6tbsp butter
  • 1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream (start with 1/2 cup – add more if needed)
  • 1 tsp each,salt andpepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/3 cup gruyerecheese
  • 1 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
  • 10 slices of baconcooked and diced
  • 2 to 3 green onions,diced

Instructions

  1. In a large stockpot, cook potatoes in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and return potatoes to pot.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  3. Mash potatoes.
  4. Add butter, cream, garlic, salt, pepper, half the bacon, gruyere cheese and 1 cup of the MontereyJack Cheese.
  5. Mix together until cheeseismelted, adding additional cream a tablespoon at a time as needed to reach desired consistency. (add additional salt and pepper to taste.)
  6. Transfer potatoesto 13 x 9 baking dish, topping with last 1/2 of cheese.
  7. Bake for about 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Garnish with remaining bacon and green onions.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
  • Calories: 363
  • Fat: 22
  • Carbohydrates: 29
  • Fiber: 6
  • Protein: 16

Keywords: mashed potato, potato casserole, loaded mashed potatoes, mashed potato bake

What is your favorite side dish to serve with Barbecue?

Don't miss any more posts!

Loaded Mashed Potato Bake Recipe (5)

Follow along on:

Feedly,Bloglovin', your favorite feed reader, or signing up via email and have new posts delivered to your email box each week!

About the AuthorJamie Sanders is a wife and mom of 2, located in the heart of Texas. She founded Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom in 2011 as a place to share creative ideas and family friendly recipes. Her work has been featured on Martha Stewart, Woman’s World, HuffPost, TODAY, Pioneer Woman, HGTV, CNET, Good Housekeeping, Yahoo, Oprah Daily, and Redbook, plus many other publications. To date, she had given away just under a million free pdf sewing patterns.
Loaded Mashed Potato Bake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to bake potatoes for mashed potatoes? ›

Prop Stylist:Paige Hicks. For the silkiest fluffy mashed potatoes, start with firm, cool Russet Burbank spuds, also known as baking potatoes. They're the easiest to mash without becoming pasty and are even tastier steamed instead of boiled.

What happens if you add too much milk to mashed potatoes? ›

Runny potatoes can happen for a few different reasons. Too much liquid: This is the most common reason. In the mashing process you may have added too much milk or broth. Boiled too long: Boiling your potatoes for too long can make them water-logged, which (you guessed it) can contribute to runny mashed potatoes.

What is in Cracker Barrel's loaded mashed potatoes? ›

Our Mashed Potatoes loaded with bacon pieces, Colby cheese and green onions. *May be cooked to order. Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.

What adds flavor to mashed potatoes? ›

Garlic – For savory depth of flavor. Unsalted butter – For richness and buttery flavor. Milk – It smooths the starchy potatoes into an incredibly creamy mash. Use whole milk for the creamiest results.

Is it better to boil potatoes before baking them? ›

Not necessary but this can help get the perfect consistency and crispiness. Make sure you boil them but leave them a bit al dente and they will crisp up perfectly in the oven.

Is milk or water better for mashed potatoes? ›

Potatoes are like pasta, in that they leach starches into their cooking liquid. In the case of pasta, you want to reserve some of that liquid to give sauce a luscious shine and bind it to the noodles.

Is it better to use milk or heavy cream in mashed potatoes? ›

As always, better quality ingredients equals better tasting food. Heavy Cream - While you, hypothetically, could use whole milk or something, I don't recommend it. Part of what makes these the creamiest mashed potatoes is the CREAM!

Why do mashed potatoes turn gray? ›

Once they have been peeled and cut, raw potatoes will turn brown quickly. This process, which is called oxidation, happens because potatoes are a naturally starchy vegetable. And when exposed to oxygen, starches turn gray, brown, or even black. An oxidized potato is completely safe to eat.

What is the trick to thicken mashed potatoes? ›

You can use what you have on hand: Flour, cornstarch, or powdered milk are all solid options that are probably already in your pantry. Potato flour and potato starch would work as well. Stir in the thickening agent gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes have reached your desired consistency.

What not to do mashed potatoes? ›

The 7 Biggest Mistakes You Make With Mashed Potatoes
  1. You Don't Wash Potatoes First. ...
  2. You Use Just One Type of Potato. ...
  3. You Don't Season the Water. ...
  4. You Add Potato Pieces to Boiling Water. ...
  5. You Use the Wrong Gadget to Mash the Potatoes. ...
  6. You Only Use Butter. ...
  7. You Make the Potatoes Too Soon.
Jun 15, 2021

Why do people put an egg in their mashed potatoes? ›

Adding egg yolks to a pot of mashed potatoes is an easy, dairy-free texture and taste upgrade that doesn't require any special techniques. The yolks harbor all the flavorful fats and emulsifying components and will thus effectively unify the fat and water in potatoes, translating to a smoother, uniformly creamy pot.

What does Rachael Ray use to mash potatoes? ›

Mash potatoes with half-and-half or milk using a potato masher. Add in the cream cheese and smash until the cheese melts into the potatoes. Add chives or scallions. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

What is in loaded mashed potatoes outback? ›

Topped with sour cream, bacon, green onions, Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese. Serves 4 - 6.

What are the ingredients in Hormel loaded mashed potatoes? ›

Load up the flavor when you bring HORMEL® Loaded Mashed Potatoes to the table! Made with real butter, milk, and cream with bits of BLACK LABEL® Bacon and garden chives. It comes in an easy-to-heat container that warms in less than 5 minutes.

What is in Bob Evans loaded potatoes? ›

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Our famous mashed potatoes topped with melted cheddar cheese, bacon, sour cream and green onions.

What is loaded potato soup made of? ›

It contains all the flavors of a baked potato but can be made in a fraction of the time. Onions, celery, and bacon add powerful flavors to the tender potatoes, while cream, cheddar cheese, and parsley bring the finishing touches. Add toppings to personalize each serving, and a well-crafted, cozy soup is born.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Manual Maggio

Last Updated:

Views: 5919

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (49 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Manual Maggio

Birthday: 1998-01-20

Address: 359 Kelvin Stream, Lake Eldonview, MT 33517-1242

Phone: +577037762465

Job: Product Hospitality Supervisor

Hobby: Gardening, Web surfing, Video gaming, Amateur radio, Flag Football, Reading, Table tennis

Introduction: My name is Manual Maggio, I am a thankful, tender, adventurous, delightful, fantastic, proud, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.