Easy Cheesy Mashed Potatoes Recipe

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. If you're looking for the ultimate side dish for your next potluck, Sunday dinner, or Thanksgiving, this is it!

My Take On Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Potatoes are one of those ingredients that just taste good no matter how you make them. They're tasty as fries, tater tots, hash browns, in a chilled salad, as part of a tasty stew...and, of course, all mashed up! 

The fastest way to take your mashed potatoes from good to great is to add some cheese to 'em. And that's exactly what this recipe calls for.

So, if you're a fan of normal mashed potatoes, don't be surprised if you fall in love with these cheesy ones. They're super creamy - thanks to some butter and sour cream - and they're packed with a ton of flavor too. 

I'm not going to lie, I usually make a double batch when I make these mashers - just because they go fast - and I definitely recommend you do the same! Especially head that advice if you're serving them for Thanksgiving dinner.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, these potatoes are great alongside this turkey tenderloin, Pioneer Woman stuffing, candied carrots, or this sweet potato cobbler. So, if you're preparing a feast, you might want to consider making some of those recipes too.

Ingredients

• Potatoes- Russet potatoes or Yukon gold work well.
• Melted butter- if using unsalted butter, reduce the salt to ½ teaspoon.
• Sour cream- for extra creaminess.
• Garlic- one minced clove.
• Salt & pepper
• Shredded cheese- for all that delicious cheeseiness. I used a shredded cheddar cheese mix. Some other options are mozzarella, monterey jack, white cheddar cheese, and Swiss.
• Chopped chives or green onions- optional for topping.

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, or even these air fryer baked potatoes!

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 mashed potatoes ever, so let's get into the steps!

Step 1: Boil 

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 

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 creamy ones.

Next, you can add the butter, sour cream, garlic, salt, and pepper to the potatoes. Then, give everything a mix together to fully combine the ingredients with them.

Step 3: Season

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: Prep 

Now that the mashed potatoes are prepared, you can 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 

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 like loaded mashed potatoes.

Finally, serve warm and enjoy!

How To Store and Reheat These Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Store any leftovers in an airtight container, and they'll stay good in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. To keep for longer, just make sure the potatoes have cooled down to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container or some heavy-duty freezer-safe bags. If you go with containers, make sure you leave about a half inch of room at the top of them - the potatoes will expand as they freeze.

Stored either of these ways, the potatoes will stay good in the freezer for 10-12 months. With that said, they'll taste their best if you eat them before the 3-month mark. 

The quickest way is to reheat them in the microwave. Just scoop the potatoes into a microwave-safe dish, add a splash of milk, and then mix everything until combined. 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 'em in the oven, scoop the potatoes into an oven-safe dish, add a splash of milk, mix until combined, cover the dish with tin foil, and heat it 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 mashed potatoes, just 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.

More Side Dish Recipes You'll Love

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 my favorites to make:

• Mashed potatoes without milk
• Cream cheese mashed potatoes
• 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.