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These Cheesy Mashed Potatoes are loaded with cheddar cheese and a bit of sour cream to make them extra creamy. This recipe is easy to make ahead and reheat, making it perfect for holiday meals or large gatherings!
Looking for side dish recipes? You will want to check out our Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole, easy Creamed Corn, and Green Bean Casserole.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Make Ahead: When preparing a large holiday meal like Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter, it’s so nice to have some make ahead dishes you can prep the day before to free up time.
- Crowd Pleaser: These cheesy mashed potatoes are always one of the first to disappear at any holiday event.
- Simple Ingredients: Homemade mashed potatoes only require few ingredients.
Ingredients:
How To Make Cheesy Mashed Potatoes:
Peel and chop the potatoes. Add to a large pot, cover with cold water, and heat over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and stir to combine. Continue to boil the potatoes until fork tender, approximately 20 minutes.
Pour the potatoes into a strainer, draining out the water. Return the potatoes to the pot and place on the burner with the heat off. Stir and allow the potatoes to dry briefly with the remaining heat of the burner.
Add the butter to the potatoes and allow to melt. Pour in the milk and sour cream. Mash the potatoes until smooth and creamy.
Add in the white pepper, garlic powder, and remaining salt. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Add 1 ½ cup of the shredded cheddar cheese and using the potato masher stir it into the potatoes. Spoon the potatoes into a prepared baking dish.
Top with the potatoes with the remaining shredded cheese in an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes until cheddar cheese has melted. Turn the oven to broil on high and bake an additional 4-5 minutes or until the top layer of cheese is golden and crispy as desired.
Top with chopped chives before serving. Serve with Jalapeño Honey Ham, Prime Rib, or Oven Baked Beef Ribs.
Make Ahead
Prepare the cheesy mashed potato recipe according to directions, but instead of baking, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Remove the dish from the fridge and set on counter while oven preheats (to avoid putting a cold dish in the hot oven). Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until warmed through.
Storage
- Leftovers: Store covered in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- Freezer: Store in a freezer-safe sealed container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheating: Reheat leftover potatoes in a skillet on the stovetop, mixing in some milk or cream as needed to thin and get a creamy texture again.
Variations
- Cheeses: The type of cheese used can be swapped for white cheddar, parmesan, gruyere, Monterey Jack, or Fontina.
- Herbs: Swap out the chives for another herb or mix the herbs into the potatoes with the cheese before baking.
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes
- water
- 1¾ teaspoons salt divided
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
Garnish
- fresh chives
Instructions
- Peel and chop the potatoes. Add to a large pot and cover with water and heat over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, add in 1 tsp of the salt. Stir to combine.
- Continue to boil the potatoes until fork tender, approximately 20 minutes.
- Pour the potatoes into a strainer, draining out the water. Return the potatoes to the pot and place on the burner with the heat off. Stir and allow the potatoes to dry briefly with the remaining heat of the burner.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a 3 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Add the butter to the potatoes and allow to melt.
- Pour in the milk and sour cream. Mash the potatoes until fairly smooth and creamy.
- Add in the white pepper, garlic powder and remaining salt. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Add in 1 and ½ cup of the shredded cheese and mash into the potatoes. Continue until potatoes are mashed to desired consistency.
- Spoon the potatoes into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining shredded cheese in an even layer.
- Bake for 15 minutes until cheese has melted.
- Turn the oven to broil on high and bake an additional 4-5 minutes or until top layer of cheese is golden and crispy as desired.
- Remove from the oven, allow to cool briefly. Top with chopped chives.
Notes
- Cheeses: The type of cheese used can be swapped for white cheddar, parmesan, gruyere, Monterey Jack, or Fontina.
- Herbs: Swap out the chives for another herb or mix the herbs into the potatoes with the cheese before baking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography and styling by Jess Gaertner Creative.
