Easy Cheesy Mashed Potatoes Recipe | Takes Just 10 Minutes To Prep

This cheesy mashed potatoes recipe is seriously so easy and so amazing! Buttery, fluffy mashed potatoes are combined with a hint of sour cream and then topped with shredded cheddar cheese and broiled until bubbly. Sounds pretty great, right?! Well, this is the ultimate side dish for your next potluck, Sunday dinner, or Thanksgiving!

The Best Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Potatoes are one of those ingredients that just taste GOOD no matter how you make them. Fries, tater tots, hash browns, in a salad or in a stew...it's such a versatile veggie!

Still, I have a soft spot for buttery mashed potatoes. For such a simple dish, it's so hearty and filling. And I don't know, they just hit the spot every time I eat 'em. Then, when you add some cheese to them, they're just perfect.

Well, let me tell you, I'm not exaggerating when I say these are THE BEST cheesy mashed potatoes you'll ever have. They're super creamy, packed with flavor, and have just the right amount of cheese.

Honestly, I even suggest making a double batch - they go fast! Especially if you're serving them for Thanksgiving dinner!

And speaking of Thanksgiving, these potatoes are great alongside this turkey tenderloin, Pioneer Woman stuffing, candied carrots, or this sweet potato cobbler, so you might want to make those too.

Ingredients

This is a pretty basic mashed potato recipe that is made with simple ingredients. And that is why I think this recipe is the best mashed potatoes you'll ever make!

Anyway, here's what you'll need to make it:

• 8 potatoes (Russet potatoes or Yukon gold work well)
• ½ cup melted butter (if using unsalted butter, reduce the salt to ½ teaspoon)
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Chopped chives for topping

Now, for the potatoes, I recommend choosing a starchy kind like Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes. I've found that they work best to make mashed potatoes.

As far as cheese goes, once you've tried this easy recipe, feel free to put your own twist on these cheddar mashed potatoes! Try swapping out the cheese for different kinds - mozzarella, monterey jack, white cheddar cheese, and swiss all will work great. The options are really endless. 

By the way, feel free to add in some bacon or green onions, or even mix in a few roasted garlic cloves to turn this base recipe into a cheesy garlic mashed potatoes recipe!

Oh, and if you're going to the store to pick up the russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes, make sure to grab an extra bag. You can put them to good use by making some of my other potato recipes, like these air fryer smashed potatoes, twice baked mashed potatoes, and air fryer baked potato!

How to Make Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Along with using simple ingredients, this recipe is beyond easy to make. Even if you've never made mashed potatoes before you'll have no problem making these.

Anyway, once you have everything ready, it's time to cook the best mash potatoes ever, so let's get into the steps!

Step 1: Boil The potatoes 

First, peel and chop the potatoes into about 1-inch pieces. Then, add them to a large pot of lightly salted water and bring it to a boil.

Now, let the potatoes boil for about 25 minutes or until you can easily pierce through the cooked potatoes with a fork.

Step 2: Mash the potatoes

Once the potatoes are fork tender, drain the water and add the potatoes back into the pot.

Then, use a potato masher or an immersion blender to mash the potatoes until they're creamy and smooth. If you prefer chunky mashed potatoes, that's fine, too! Just don't overdo it on the mashing, or you'll get gluey mashed potatoes instead of a creamy texture.

Next, add the butter, sour cream, garlic, salt, and pepper to the mashed potatoes. Mix everything together to fully combine the ingredients with the mashed potatoes.

Step 3: Season to  taste

Now it's time to give your mashed potatoes a little taste test. So taste them and then add more salt or pepper, if needed.

Also, if they seem a little dry, add in a splash of milk or even cream and mix it into the potatoes.

Step 4: Preparing for baking

Now that the mashed potatoes are prepared transfer them to either individual baking dishes or one big baking dish.

Then, top them with the shredded cheese. I like using sharp cheddar cheese, but again, you can really use any kind of cheese that you want, like white cheddar cheese. A bit of parmesan cheese really adds even more depth of flavor to them. 

Step 5: Broil the cheese

Next, place the dish in your oven under the broiler for about 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and golden brown. And it's okay if the cheese gets a little bit charred here in some spots, that's just extra flavor!

Step 6: Serve the mashed potatoes

Once the cheese has melted, you can top these baked mashed potatoes with chopped chives or chopped parsley. As I mentioned earlier, you can even add some chopped bacon and sour cream on top of them to make them loaded mashed potatoes.

Finally, serve warm and enjoy!

How to Store Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

This recipe for cheesy mashed potatoes will make about 6 large servings, so there will be enough for everyone!

And if all of the potatoes aren't finished off, they're terrific leftovers! You can store these cheesy mash potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Just keep in mind, usually, when I make these mash potatoes they're always eaten up after being served. So, if you want to make sure you have leftovers, just double or triple the recipe!

By the way, I don't recommend that you freeze mashed potatoes like these.

How to Reheat Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

This cheesy mash is definitely best enjoyed warm, so you'll want to reheat the leftovers when you're ready to eat them.

The quickest way is to reheat them in the microwave. First, Scoop the potatoes into a microwave-safe dish and add a splash of milk. Then cover the dish with a damp paper towel and heat on high power for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once halfway through.

Another great way - especially if you're reheating a large batch - is in the oven. To reheat in the oven, scoop the potatoes into an oven-safe dish and add a splash of milk. Cover with tin foil and heat at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.

Can I make these mashed potatoes ahead of time?

Yes, this recipe works fantastic for make ahead mashed potatoes too! You can make the mashed potatoes up to 2 days in advance. After they're done, let them cool and either wrap the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to use them.

When you're ready to serve the make ahead mashed potatoes, follow the instructions above to reheat them in the oven. You may need to add a bit more milk when doing so, as they may be a little dry.

Wrapping It Up

Well, that is how to make cheesy mashed potatoes!

This mashed potatoes recipe is just so darn good. The potatoes turn out so fluffy, so creamy, so flavorful, and just oh-so cheesy.

I love making these instead of regular mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner, and my family always raves over them. It's easily one of our favorite potato recipes!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy them as much as my family, and I do! Be sure to let me know how you like them in the comments below. Happy cooking!

More Side Dish Recipes

If you're looking for some equally delicious and easy side dishes, we have a ton on the blog that you have to try out next!

Here are some of our most popular recipes:

• Cheesy potato casserole
• Ham and potato casserole
• Red skin mashed potatoes
• Martha White cornbread
• Sweet potato cobbler
• Fried potatoes and onions

Oh, and as always for even more delicious recipes check out our Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok. We post new recipes every day on them.

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