March 29, 2024

Ultimate Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Made with bacon, sour cream, cheese and green onions, these really do feel like they’re fully loaded mashed potatoes.

Mashed Potatoes and baked potatoes are the ultimate comfort food around here. We love the warm, creamy starchy goodness and adding all the toppings is always a huge hit. One person will usually make a pile of cheese on their plate roughly the size of the potatoes while another will make what looks like a bacon mountain. This used to lead to fights over toppings.

Now, we make loaded mashed potatoes casserole which takes all the “I didn’t get enough bacon” off the table. This dish is easy, it feeds a crowd and it can be made ahead.

Easiest Mashed Potato Recipes:

This recipe was originally requested a couple of years ago by my husband after he ate Chili’s Loaded Mashed Potatoes. So you can imagine his joy that when I was developing the recipe, I had him pick up 2 large servings from our local restaurant.

How to make Loaded Mashed Potatoes:

I started making the mashed potatoes with milk, but it wasn’t tangy or creamy enough. I tried mashed potatoes with cream cheese and mashed potatoes with heavy cream, but it wasn’t until I subbed in JUST sour cream that the texture came out perfect. We did at one point have a refrigerator full of trays of mashed potatoes.

When it came to serving these potatoes I tried just adding the cheese and a sheet of foil to let them naturally melt, but the cheese didn’t get quite melted enough. The bacon also stayed a little too cold even with the carryover heat. A quick trip to the oven solves this, so I highly recommend the final step of baking.

If you are pressed for time, I suggest adding half the potatoes to the casserole dish, then the cheese, then remaining potatoes and topping it with bacon and green onions. The cheese being in the middle will help it melt more. Use the skillet to re-warm your bacon crumbles for just a few seconds before adding them to the top of the mashed potatoes.

If you’re looking to make this dish a bit healthier to counteract all the cheese and bacon and butter, you can make cauliflower loaded mashed potatoes by boiling half the amount of cauliflower and pureeing it in your food processor before adding it in with the mashed potatoes.

You won’t even be able to taste the difference and with half the amount of potatoes in the recipe you will be saving a lot of calories and carbs.

Tools used in this Loaded Mashed Potatoes Recipe:
Potato Masher: 1/2 whisk, 1/2 potato masher, I love this kitchen tool!
Immersion BlenderorHand Mixer: Make quick work of the potatoes this blender is my go to for blending soups and mashed potatoes.
9×13 Baking Pan: The perfect size for these mashed potatoes to have good topping coverage and baking time in the oven.

Yield: 8 servings

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Prep:10 minutes

Cook:30 minutes

Total Time:40 minutes

Loaded Mashed Potatoes are creamy and buttery, topped with cheddar cheese, bacon and scallions. They’re a breeze to make and perfect for making ahead.

Ingredients:
  • 8 ounces slices bacon, or more to taste
  • 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1″ cubes
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
  • 4 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
Directions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Put the potatoes into a large pot and cover with water and 2 teaspoons of the salt.
  3. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
  4. Drain the potatoes and put them back into the pot with the butter and sour cream.
  5. Mash them well and add in the remaining salt and the pepper.
  6. Scoop the potatoes into a 9×13 casserole dish and top with the cheese and bacon.
  7. Cook the potatoes for 5-10 minutes covered with foil, or until the cheese is fully melted.
  8. Garnish with green onions before serving.

If making ahead for a party, stop at the step before it goes into the oven. If refrigerated in between, cook the potatoes for 15-20 minutes covered.

Nutrition Information

Yield: 8 servings, Serving Size: 1/8th recipe

Amount Per Serving:

  • Calories: 327 Calories

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