Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
This Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole is so delicious! Imagine all the slow-cooked flavor of baked potatoes but with all the delicious creaminess of mashed potatoes – that’s what this easy potato side dish is all about! Easy to scale up for a crowd, these potatoes are rich, creamy, and delicious, and with bacon and cheese, they’re also fully loaded!
I love mashed potatoes, but I also really love baked potatoes, and this easy side dish is a terrific blend of the two! This potato casserole is one of my go-to picks to take along to potlucks and dinner invitations because it’s so delicious, and everyone loves it.
Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
This dish is easy to customize. I can keep it vegetarian by omitting the bacon and using vegetarian-friendly cheeses, or I can go all out with some of my favorite variations – see those in my tips.
You can also prep it ahead of time and get it ready to bake. Because you make it in a 9×13 baking dish, it doesn’t take forever to bake. In fact, it bakes up bubbly and golden brown in about 35 minutes, which makes it a great side dish for just about any meal!
Want to really cut down on your prep time? See my tips below for more time-saving suggestions.
Why I love this recipe
- It’s the perfect dish to make ahead and bake when ready.
- This Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole is rich, creamy, cheesy, and loaded with flavor. Topped with crumbled bacon, they’re irresistible!
- The leftovers heat up beautifully for another meal or even lunch the next day.
Gather these ingredients
- Potatoes – 4-5 pounds, scrubbed clean.
- Fresh garlic – Whole cloves; peeled.
- Kosher salt and ground pepper
- Butter – ½ pound (that’s 2 sticks).
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Cheddar cheese – Shredded.
- Ground nutmeg
- Crumbled bacon – About 12 slices, cooked and crumbled.
- Fresh herbs – Parsley, thyme, rosemary and sage are all great options.
How to make Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
- Preheat your oven to 375-F and grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter or spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Set this aside.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2-inch pieces. Add the potatoes and whole garlic cloves to a large pot of cold water, add the salt and bring the pot to a boil.
- Turn the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender. Turn off the heat and drain the potatoes and garlic, then set them aside.
- Add the butter and cream cheese to the hot pot over low heat and let the butter and cheese melt.
- Return the drained potatoes and garlic to the pot with the butter and cream cheese and let sit for about 5 minutes.
- Whip the potato, butter and cream cheese mixture with a hand mixer until creamy.
- Stir in the sour cream, grated cheese, nutmeg, and all but 3 tablespoons of bacon and herbs.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown on top.
- Garnish with the reserved herbs and bacon, and serve!
Tips & substitutions
- You can make this dish ahead of time and then just bake before serving. Add a few extra minutes to the baking time if the potatoes are fridge-cold when they go into the oven.
- You can use green onions, sauteed onions, jalapenos and more to customize this dish. If you don’t care for bacon, leave it out.
- Cheddar cheese is my favorite with this potato casserole recipe, but you could add Gruyere, Monterey Jack, Parmesan, or a combination of all your favorite cheeses.
- For the best golden brown topping, use freshly shredded (not pre-shredded) cheese.
- The boiled potatoes should be fork tender but not falling apart, or your casserole could be too wet.
- Optional to bake the potatoes ahead of time and skip the boiling process. Peel, reheat and add the garlic, then continue on with the recipe (which would be a Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes recipe).
- You can use light sour cream and light cream cheese to trim a bit of the fat.
Serving suggestions
This is the perfect side dish for so many recipes! I love serving a Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole with grilled pork tenderloin, baked chicken thighs, or even seared cod filets.
Storage
Store any cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can reheat the leftovers in a low oven (about 325-F) or in the microwave.
Check out these awesome potato side dish recipes while you’re here
Get the Recipe:
Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 4-5 lbs russet or yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and clean
- 5 cloves garlic peeled, leave whole
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ pound butter or 2 sticks
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cups grated cheddar cheese or Gruyere or a combination of both cheeses
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¾ cup crumbled, crisp bacon crisped (about 12 slices)
- ¼ cup minced fresh herbs divided, I use a combination of parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Prepare a 9x13 baking dish with butter. Set aside.
- Peel the scrubbed potatoes and cut into equal size pieces, about 2 inches. Add the potatoes and whole garlic cloves to a large stockpot of cold water; add the salt and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat to simmer and cook the potatoes with the whole garlic until the potatoes are soft (use a fork to test them). Turn off the heat. Strain the potatoes and garlic, and set aside.
- Place the stockpot back on the burner on low heat, and add the butter and cream cheese. Allow to melt and add the hot, drained potatoes and garlic back into the pot. Let the potatoes sit for about 5 minutes.
- With a hand mixer, mix the potato mixture until creamy (or if you like chunky, you can leave the consistency chunky). Add the sour cream, grated cheese, nutmeg, bacon and herbs. NOTE: 3 TBSP of bacon and herbs for the topping.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. In the prepared baking dish, add the mashed potatoes, scraping the pan, and smoothing out the potatoes (optional to form into peaks). Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
- Garnish with the reserved bacon and fresh herbs and serve!
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
just made this. awesome