This make ahead loaded mashed potato casserole is full of bacon, cheese, sour cream and chives – it’s the perfect no-fuss side dish for a holiday meal.
These mashed potatoes have all the flavors of a fully loaded baked potato in the form of an easy to make casserole. I serve this dish every year for the holidays and it always gets rave reviews! Serve your casserole along with other Thanksgiving recipes such as roasted turkey breast, candied sweet potatoes and Southern cornbread dressing.
In my family I am always put on mashed potato duty. I’ve made them so many times that I have it down to an exact science. But sometimes I want something a little more interesting than your standard mashed potatoes. This loaded mashed potato casserole jazzes up plain potatoes by adding everyone’s favorite baked potato toppings to the mix. Best of all, you can make the entire casserole a day in advance and just pop it in the oven to bake before it’s time to eat.
Table of Contents
Mashed Potato Casserole Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need Russet potatoes, milk, butter, sour cream, kosher salt, black pepper, cheddar cheese, bacon, chives and parsley.
How Do You Make Mashed Potato Casserole?
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Cook the potatoes in the boiling water until they are tender. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add milk, butter, sour cream, cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Use an electric mixer or potato masher to blend everything together. Preheat the oven and grease a casserole dish. Spread the potatoes into the prepared dish, and top with the rest of the cheese. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake. Uncover the pan, then add the bacon and bake until the cheese is bubbly. Add a sprinkle of chives and parsley, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Dish
- For extra smooth potatoes, use a potato ricer to smash the potatoes before you add them back to the pot. Never use a food processor to make mashed potatoes, as they will turn gummy.
- I recommend using freshly shredded cheddar cheese. The bagged kind at the grocery store is often coated with preservatives and anti caking agents and does not melt as well.
- Watch your casserole carefully during the last part of the baking time to make sure your bacon doesn’t get overly brown.
- This recipe can be prepared up to one day before you plan to serve it. Prepare the mashed potato mixture and place them in the baking dish with the cheese on top. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake the casserole.
Quick Tip
Leftovers will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Recipe FAQs
It is preferable to boil potatoes for mashed potatoes. The potatoes cook quicker in boiling water, especially when they’re cut into smaller pieces. They also get seasoned by the salt in the water, which makes for a more flavorful final product.
You can make mashed potatoes ahead of time. Simply prepare the potatoes, then place them in an airtight container or baking dish. When you’re ready to eat, microwave the potatoes until hot or bake them covered in the oven.
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Flavor Variations
While this recipe is delicious as-is, you can customize some of the ingredients to suit your tastes.
- Potatoes: No Russet potatoes on hand? Yukon Gold potatoes will also work well.
- Cheese: Swap out the cheddar for other varieties such as colby jack, mozzarella, fontina or Monterey Jack.
- Flavorings: You can add other ingredients to the mashed potatoes such as fresh garlic, jalapeno, smoked paprika, onion powder or cream cheese.
These mashed potatoes are on our table for every holiday, and there are never any leftovers. You definitely can’t argue with that kind of success!
More Great Potato Dishes
Grilled Potatoes in Foil
40 mins
Bacon Wrapped Potatoes
40 mins
Baked Potato Wedges
40 mins
Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
1 hr 50 mins
Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole Video
Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1 and 1/2 inch pieces
- 3/4 cup milk (I used 1%)
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 cup sour cream
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1 2/3 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided use
- 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon
- 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add 2 tablespoons of salt. Place the potatoes in the pot and boil for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Drain the potatoes, then place them back in the pot.
- Add to the pot the milk, butter, sour cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or electric mixer. Stir in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the potatoes into a 9 inch square pan or 2 quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining 2/3 cup of cheddar cheese.
- Cover the pan with foil and place into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and add the bacon; bake, uncovered for an additional 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and potatoes are heated through.
- Sprinkle the chives and parsley over the top and serve immediately.
Notes
- For extra smooth potatoes, use a potato ricer to smash the potatoes before you add them back to the pot. Never use a food processor to make mashed potatoes, as they will turn gummy.
- I recommend using freshly shredded cheddar cheese. The bagged kind at the grocery store is often coated with preservatives and anti caking agents and does not melt as well.
- This casserole can be prepared up to one day before you plan to serve it.
If this isn’t the ultimate comfort dish, I don’t know what is. This is seriously making me drool right now. Can’t wait to make it for dinner tomorrow.
I had no idea mashed potatoes can look this good! We have here a boring version and often times ignored. I like potatoes and this will surely be a hit! Yum!
My family loves mashed potatoes and I bet they would love this recipe! I definitely want to try this one out at home!
Wow does this look good! I would have never thought to make casserole with mashed potatoes, and I love it! Sounds delicious and you could really mix up your toppings to suit everyone.
This recipe looks delicious! And I am not just saying that because the bacon is perfectly crisp on top of the mashed potatoes!
I would enjoy this. I am all about potatoes. I’d eat them daily if I could. I’m going to try this casserole soon!
Woo! Everything about this is amazing! It’s a loaded baked potato in casserole form, and ANY TIME you can make something a casserole, you should.
I’m really not a fan of potatoes, but I recently made Slow Cooker Hash brown Casserole. I was amazed! Soooo, I’ve decided to try some other potato recipes! Especially since I have a 5 lb bag I don’t know what to do with. This is definitely a great recipe for me: there’s so much cheese!!! Thanks for sharing.
This potato casserole looks sooo delicious & the match of these things made in heaven. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe with all of us. Looking forward to more recipes like this. Best wishes for your future recipes. Regards.
It is safe to hold non meat items for 5 days before needing to freeze for safety reasons. It would be a great make ahead dish for a holiday meal.
Would this freeze well? Looking for some hearty sides I can make ahead and freeze to survive this cold Canadian winter!
I have never tried freezing it, I think you could though!
I would try freezing a small amount of the leftovers first before freeing the whole thing as a “make ahead” dish. I’m afraid freezing the milk and sour cream will affect the texture–and not in a good way! It might not, but better safe than sorry. And throwing out something this good would just be too sad. Let us know.
Bacon, cheese, and mashed potatoes a match made in heaven
I love cheese and bacon on mashed potatoes! Thanks for the recipe!
Holy deliciousness! LOVE this!
There is nothing better than Potatoes and Bacon together!! I love this! I might make this just because I want to eat a big bowl of it! Pinned for later! 🙂
I am so in love with this. When I was planning our Thanksgiving dinner, my mother looked at me and said, “What, no potatoes?” I have a feeling she’s going to want to make this recipe when she sees it 😀
This looks like mashed potato heaven, so yummy!
Lovely and filling, great for little ones in this cold weather!
I would be totally putting you on mashed potato duty at my house if you brought this–YUM!!
This potato casserole looks delicious! Super comforting! Love the cheddar and bacon! Yum – cannot wait to try the recipe. 🙂