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 Thanksgiving and it always gets rave reviews!
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.
How do you make mashed potato casserole?
The first step is to cook your potatoes. I boil my potatoes until they’re tender, then mash them up with plenty of butter, cheese, sour cream and seasonings. Afterwards, the mashed potatoes get spread into a casserole dish and then are topped with bacon and cheese and baked to perfection.
The base of this casserole is sour cream mashed potatoes. Everyone seems to have preferences in terms of how they mash their spuds – some people like it chunky, others like it smooth. I prefer a smoother potato and I use a ricer to make sure there are no lumps left behind. If you don’t have a ricer, not a problem – this recipe also works with a traditional potato masher or you can even use your mixer (but never the food processor)!
What I love about this mashed potato casserole is that it’s SO easy to make in advance! Simply mash your potatoes, put them in your casserole dish, and cover until you’re ready to bake. Right before the potatoes go into the oven, add the cheddar cheese. If you’re starting from a cold casserole, you’ll want to add about 10-15 minutes to the bake time.
I add a sprinkling of bacon towards the end of the cook time, simply because I don’t want the bacon to burn before the potatoes are heated through. I top my loaded mashed potatoes with a sprinkling of chives and parsley for a fresh note.
There are so many different ways to customize this mashed potato casserole to your liking. Here are some other great flavor additions
- Jalapenos
- Tomatoes
- French fried onions
- Minced garlic
- 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 potato recipes you’ll love
Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole Video
Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of russet potatoes , peeled and cut into 1 and 1/2 inch pieces
- 3/4 cup of milk (I used 1%)
- 4 tablespoons of butter , melted
- 1 cup of sour cream
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1 2/3 cups of 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. Run the potatoes through the ricer and transfer them back to the pot. Alternatively you can skip the ricing step and simply mash the potatoes with a potato masher or mixer.
- Stir in the milk, butter, sour cream and then add salt and pepper to taste. 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
Nutrition
This post was originally published on November 24, 2015 and was updated on August 12, 2018 with new content.
Sharon says
This was like an entree! Great dish and taste. Nice to have something even the kids will eat.
Brianna Sullivan says
Hello!! Im going to make this on Saturday and i will leave a review but quick question. I will be using russet potatoes so how many do i need since this recipe calls for 3lbs
Sara says
Russet potatoes come in all different sizes which is why it’s listed as a weight, I’ve seen them range from 6 ounces to almost a pound each! I’d use the scale at the grocery store to get to 3 pounds, or if you have a 5 lb bag use a little more than half the bag.
Ann says
This a super great recipe! Perfect for small families. I will do this recipe again and again with the different ways to customized them! We loved them, my husband said, “this is a keeper”!
AR says
What temperature should the sour cream and milk be?
Thanks!
Sara says
It doesn’t really matter for this recipe!
Jamie says
Can I leave out the sour cream?
Sara says
I wouldn’t omit it without adding another creamy element instead such as cream cheese or even 1/2 cup of heavy cream!
Jos says
I substituted Greek yogurt instead and it came out delicious 😋
Remy Della says
So good. I use Yukon gold potatoes and I added shrimp and crab meat to it to make it a seafood mash!!!
Debra Lyon says
I haven’t made the recipe yet. I plan on using it Thanksgiving.
May I suggest, if you’re starting with the casserole prepped ahead and in the fridge, that you put it in a cold oven. This will gradually heat the dish and reduce the risk of cracking/breaking.
Thanks for posting this recipe. It sounds DEE-LISH- OUS!
Sandra Holland says
Made this for my husband on 4th of July with smoked ribs and BBQ corn super Good!!
Amber says
Can you use red potatoes with the skin still on?!
Sara says
Yes that’s fine!
Tatia says
WE LOVED THIS!!! I cooked a 5 lb bag of russet potatoes and added a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix to this recipe. IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! I will definitely cook this again.
Carla says
If I wanted to add cream cheese, would I add 1/2 the sour cream and add the cream cheese? Bake as per the instructions. Thank you!
Sara says
Yes that will work!
Carla says
Thank you!!
Christina Banchs-McRae says
Tried this recipe tonight and everyone loved it. Fresh outlook on classic mashed potatoes. I was looking for something new and this fit the bill.
Karen says
Your recipe says to “put them on a 9” pan. “ I’m hoping 9X13? ! Need a big recipe!
Sara says
It’s 9 inch square but you can double the recipe for a 9″x13″ pan!
Jamie says
I’ve made this recipe several times and it is ALWAYS a hit! However, can I double it for a larger crowd? Anything special that I need to do? Thank you!
Sara says
Yes you can double it! Just adjust the number of servings in the recipe and it will automatically calculate the amount of ingredients that you need!
Diane says
I made this for dinner tonight. The only thing I did differently was I added some of the chopped chives into the potato mixture. My daughters raved about this recipe. It is definitely a keeper. It will be a family favorite.
Aimee Wigton says
oh my had christmas dinner today at my house and was looking for a receipe for potoato’s and found this. This turned out delicious and everybody raved about it. Thanks you
Sara says
So glad you enjoyed it, thanks for reporting back!
Andrew Lewis says
Is the calorie info per serving or for the whole dish?
Sara says
Per serving!
Debbie says
We love mashed potatoes and this recipe looks perfect for my family!
Catalina says
Mashed potatoes are so perfect for any dish and occasion. Having them with a favorite topping is so awesome!
Melanie says
This is going to be an instant hit with the whole family! I mean, who doesn’t have a deep lover affair with mashed potatoes?
Stephanie Pass says
This looks mouthwatering amazing! My family loves loaded baked potatoes Turning it into a casserole would be heaven!