Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole is the perfect side dish. Topped with bacon and cheese, this casserole brings all of the classic flavors you love from loaded baked potatoes.
These are a few more of my favorite mash potato recipes. Try my pressure cooker mashed potatoes and my fried potato cakes.
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Why this Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole Recipe is a Keeper
This recipe is the ultimate, irresistible comfort food. Even picky eaters will love this recipe.
- Ultimate Comfort Food: It takes creamy, familiar mashed potatoes to the next level with the addition of savory and satisfying toppings. The combination of textures – smooth potatoes, crispy bacon, melted cheese – is incredibly appealing.
- Flavor Explosion: It delivers the deliciousness of a loaded baked potato in an easy-to-serve casserole format. The salty bacon, rich cheese (cheddar, Colby Jack, etc.), and fresh chives or green onions create a well-rounded and irresistible flavor profile.
- Crowd-Pleaser: It’s a dish that appeals to a wide range of palates, making it perfect for family dinners, potlucks, and holiday gatherings. It’s often one of the first side dishes to disappear at a meal.
- Make-Ahead Convenience: A significant advantage is that it can often be assembled ahead of time and baked later. This saves valuable time, especially when preparing for a large meal.
- Versatile and Customizable: The basic recipe is a fantastic starting point, but it’s easy to adapt to personal preferences.
- Meat Additions: Besides bacon, consider adding cooked ham, sausage, or even shredded chicken.
- Vegetable Additions: Sautéed onions, garlic, mushrooms, corn, or even broccoli can be incorporated into the potato mixture.
- Spice it Up: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, salt and pepper to taste, or a dash of hot sauce for extra flavor.
What Are the Typical Ingredients in Loaded Mashed Potatoes?
These creamy baked mashed potatoes are loaded with cheese and bacon. In addition to being topped with crispy bacon and shredded cheese, try onions or a dollop of sour cream.
Pro Tip to Make Mashed Potato Casserole
Sauté Aromatics: If you’re adding onions or garlic, sauté them in a little butter or bacon fat until softened and fragrant before incorporating them into the mashed potatoes.
Ingredient Notes and Variation Suggestions for the Easy Potato Side Dish
To make this recipe, you will need just a few easy to find ingredients. Mashed potatoes are super customizable, so try experimenting with different flavors.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Potatoes: Instant potatoes are easiest to work with.
- Mash the Potatoes: Make your own potatoes. Peel the potatoes, boil the potatoes, drain the potatoes, and use a potato masher to mash them. Feel free to use Russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes.
- Chives: This adds the onion flavor only it is milder.
- Cooking Variation: It is easy to make these mashed potatoes in the instant pot.
How to Make Cheesy Mashed Potato Recipe
This recipe comes together in 3 quick and easy steps. This classic mashed potatoes dish is so good, it quickly became one of my favorite recipes for the holiday season. I love to make this for Christmas.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Preheat Oven and Prep Dish: Preheat oven to 350℉ and spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Make Potato Mixture: In a large pot, combine prepared potatoes, and add the sour cream, cream cheese, garlic and All Purpose Seasoning. Place the potato mixture into prepared casserole dish.
- Add Toppings: Evenly place cubes of butter on top of potatoes. Spread cheeses evenly on top. Sprinkle green onions and bacon on top of cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.
Prep Ahead Suggestions to Make this Recipe
Preparing cheesy potato casserole ahead of time can be the best way to go. Make in advance to be able to just throw it in the oven.
- Prep Toppings: Cook the bacon, chop the vegetables and other toppings.
- Make Ahead: Assemble the casserole and refrigerate until ready to bake the casserole.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers
- Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat creamy mashed potatoes in the microwave or in the oven. Top with remaining toppings to freshen it up.
- Using Leftovers: Turn leftover Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole into Pierogi Lasagna.
Common Questions to Love this Recipe
The recipe calls for shredded cheddar cheese and Monterey jack. However, you could try a different blend of cheeses.
Yes, try a veggie bacon instead.
Absolutely, try adding any of your favorite chopped vegetables when you make this for Thanksgiving.
Yes, an added crunchy topping would be fantastic. Add it right before baking.
Expert Tips for Making Mashed Potato Casserole Recipe
- Add Fresh Herbs: Top the perfect mashed potatoes with fresh rosemary or other fresh herbs to this easy recipe.
- Creamy Texture: Add a little more milk or half and half, over chicken broth when you reheat the creamy cheesy mashed potatoes with fresh cold milk to hot potatoes.
- Jalapenos or chiles: Make cheesy and spicy flavor with sharp cheddar cheese for the perfect cheddar mashed potatoes casserole.
- Add Diced Tomatoes or French fried onions: Adding different vegetables to cook the potatoes casserole.
- Dry Ranch Mix: The ranch mix and a little half and half really up the flavor of the mashed potatoes.
- Serve Recipe With: Serve with Ramen Mac and Cheese, Glazed BBQ Meatloaf or Corn Ribs with Garlic Butter.
More Recipes You Might Like
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Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
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Ingredients
- 12 cups Idahoan instant mashed potatoes, prepared
- 1 cup Sour cream
- 4 ounces Cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ teaspoons All Purpose Seasoning
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 Green onions, (whites and greens) chopped
- 3 slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ¼ cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Butter, cubed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine prepared potatoes, sour cream, cream cheese, garlic and All Purpose Seasoning.
- Pour potato mixture into prepared dish.
- Evenly place cubes of butter on top of potatoes.
- Spread cheeses evenly on top. Sprinkle green onions and bacon on top of cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
Christina’s Notes
- Add Fresh Herbs: Top the perfect mashed potatoes with fresh rosemary or other fresh herbs to this easy recipe.
- Creamy Texture: Add a little more milk or half and half, over chicken broth when you reheat the creamy cheesy mashed potatoes with fresh cold milk to hot potatoes.
- Jalapenos or chiles: Make cheesy and spicy flavor with sharp cheddar cheese for the perfect cheddar mashed potatoes casserole.
- Add Diced Tomatoes or French fried onions: Adding different vegetables to cook the potatoes casserole.
- Dry Ranch Mix: The ranch mix and a little half and half really up the flavor of the mashed potatoes.
- Serve Recipe With: Serve with Ramen Mac and Cheese, Glazed BBQ Meatloaf or Corn Ribs with Garlic Butter.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
What do you mean by
“12 Idahoan instant mashed potatoes”?
Is it equivalent to 12 servings?
Thank you for your time and attention.
It is a total of 12 cups of the prepared potatoes. Depending on the size of your package.
I looooooved these mashed potatoes! They were so easy to make and tasted amazing!!! My family is already asking me to make them again!
These loaded mashed potatoes were a real crowd pleaser!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
I still can find when to put the minced garlic in the potatoes. It is in the recipe, but where does it go? I did not use it and the potatoes were still excellent. Took it to a church dinner.
Sorry. I put it into the potatoes when I am mixing through the cream cheese etc. It would be in the second step in the recipe card. Thanks.
These look amazing. I can’t wait to try them.
Looks so yum! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
love your recipes –I have made many –easy and always great to have items in the pantry –the side dishes are wonderful
Thank you so much for the kind words!
What. spices are in the house seasoning? I would love to prepare this recipe.
You can find the recipe for my House Seasoning Blend here: https://www.itisakeeper.com/10427/house-seasoning-blend/
This is so funny. The minute I saw the picture in the email I wondered if I could substitute wonderful Idahoan potatoes in the recipe! Turns out, no need, they’re already there.
Yes, ma’am! 🙂 Doesn’t get easier than that!