Loaded Mashed Potatoes have all of the heavenly flavors of a fully-loaded baked potato but in mashed form. It is so quick and easy to make this rich, creamy, cheesy, savory side dish–perfect for making ahead for a hassle-free dish at a holiday meal.
Loaded Mash Potatoes
This Loaded Mashed Potatoes recipe easily combines the best parts of a loaded baked potato and traditional mashed potatoes and creates one delicious dish that is literally “loaded” with flavor.
Packed with everyone’s favorite fixings, like sour cream, smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, butter, cream, and chives, this is the ultimate comfort food creation mixed into one smooth, yet a bit lumpy smashed side. You can even serve this as a casserole and prepare it in advance, then simply put it in the oven to bake while you make your main Thanksgiving or Christmas meal.
If you’ve ever eaten loaded mashed potatoes at famous restaurants like Chili’s, Applebee’s, or TGIF, you’ll find this homemade DIY version tastes so much better than anything you can order from a menu. And the best part of this simple and versatile recipe is that you can season your plain potatoes with your other favorite toppings and mix in other meats to create your ideal mash!
Why You’ll Love this Loaded Mashed Potato Recipe
- Quick and easy to make using simple ingredients.
- Upgrades plain potatoes by mixing in everyone’s favorite baked potato toppings.
- Hearty, filling, and comforting side that easily feeds a crowd.
- Loaded with flavor–it’s creamy, cheesy, and buttery.
- Delicious dish that combines the best parts of a loaded baked potato with mashed potatoes.
- Perfect side to make ahead for a holiday meal, dinner party, or potluck.
Best Loaded Mashed Potato Ingredients
- Red potatoes, chopped and skin on
- Salted butter
- Heavy cream
- Garlic paste
- Sour cream
- Bacon, cooked and chopped: I used regular bacon, but a thick cut could also be used.
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Minced chives
Loaded Mashed Potatoes Tools
- Large pot
- Potato masher
- Measuring tools
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How to Make Loaded Mashed Potatos
It is so easy to make Loaded Mashed Potatoes by simply boiling, mashing, and mixing potatoes with your favorite fixings. It’s the perfect no-fuss side dish created for hassle-free holiday cooking.
- Chop potatoes and covered with water.
Pro-Tip: Feel free to use other potatoes, such as russets, but I would highly recommend peeling them first (with red potatoes you can leave the skin on.) - Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
Pro Tip: Potatoes are done with they are fork tender.
- Drain potatoes, add back to the pot and smash with a potato masher.
Pro Tip: Potatoes should be mostly smooth with some lumps. - Mix in butter, garlic, heavy cream, sour cream, cheese, bacon, salt, pepper, and chives.
Pro-Tip: I like to use freshly shredded cheese because it contains fewer preservatives. Purchase a block of cheese and grate it yourself. This recipe calls for ½ pound of cooked bacon which is about 6 slices. DO NOT mix these with an immersion blender, only by hand, or they will get gummy.
- Top with additional salt, pepper, and chives if desired.
- Serve and enjoy!
Fully Loaded Mash Potatoes Substitutions & Additions
- Change The Cheese: Feel free to use your favorite cheese in this dish. Try Mexican Four Cheese, Colby Jack, or a combination of Mild Cheddar and Mozzarella.
- Customize A Casserole: You can make this into a casserole and add your own custom favorites. Some other great flavor additions can include Jalapeños, tomatoes, french fried onions, minced garlic, and cream cheese.
- Bacon Back-Up: You can use any kind of bacon you prefer, including turkey bacon, chicken bacon, or even a vegan bacon. Tempeh, tofu, seitan, have a texture that’s meaty, chewy, and crispy at the same time — just like bacon!
Loaded Mashed Potato Recipe Storage Tips
- To Store: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Fully Loaded Mashed Potatoes Recipe FAQs
Peeling the potatoes will result in a mash with a smoother texture. For this recipe, I like to keep the skins on–it doesn’t significantly change the outcome of this dish, it just makes for mashed potatoes with a less smooth texture and a more rustic vibe.
These Loaded Mashed Potatoes pair well with almost any main meal. Try them with steak, grilled pork chops, turkey, chicken, or even with grilled vegetables! Check out some of my delicious dinner recipes, such as my Grilled Chicken Breast, Grilled Salmon, or my Muffin Pan Meatloaf.
Yes, you can make these in advance but you’ll want to add some additional cream or some milk to them to help loosen them up when reheating.
You can absolutely serve this casserole-style by placing in a casserole dish and topping it with cheddar cheese. Heat at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until heated through and the cheese is melted. If reheating from cold, make sure the dish warms up at room temperature before placing it in the hot oven.
Garlic, chives, cheese, and butter are popular add-ins for mashed potatoes.
Russet, Yukon Gold, and Red potatoes are commonly considered the best for making mashed potatoes.
Sour cream adds tanginess and richness, enhancing the flavor and texture of mashed potatoes.
To keep mashed potatoes creamy, use warm milk or cream and avoid overmixing.
Don’t overmix or use cold liquids, as this can lead to gluey or lumpy mashed potatoes.
More like this Loaded Mashed Potato Recipe
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Twice Baked Potato Casserole
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Grilled Potatoes
- Mashed Potato Casserole
- Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Crack Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Best Loaded Mash Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds red potatoes chopped – skin on
- ½ cup salted butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ pound bacon cooked and chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
- 1 tsp ground black pepper plus more to taste
- 2 tsp minced chives plus more for topping
Instructions
- Add washed potatoes to a large pot and cover with water 1-inch above the potatoes. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes and add back to the pot. Smash over low heat with a potato masher until potatoes are mostly smooth with some lumps.
- Add the butter, garlic paste, heavy cream, sour cream, cheese, bacon, salt, pepper, and chives to potatoes and mix until combined. Top with additional salt, pepper, and chives if desired.
Jenn’s Notes
- ½ pound of bacon is about 6 slices.
- I used regular bacon, but a thick cut could also be used.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- These can be made in advance but you’ll want to add some additional cream or some milk to them to help loosen them up when reheating.
- You can also serve these casserole style by place in a casserole dish and topping with cheddar cheese and heat at 350 degrees F until heated through and cheese is melted. If reheating from cold, make sure the dish warms up at room temperature before placing it in the hot oven.
- These mashed potatoes taste just like a loaded baked potato – tons of flavor – smooth with some lumps.
- The potatoes can be peeled if desired.
- Other potatoes such as russets may also be used but I would highly recommend peeling them first if you do.
- DO NOT mix these with an immersion blender, only by hand, or they will get gummy.
