Mashed Potato Casserole
Mashed potato casserole is the perfect side dish to serve on a chilly fall Sunday, with Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner or anytime you crave some good cheesy mashed potatoes.
This cheesy mashed potato casserole is sure to satisfy when you're looking for a comforting side dish.
Made with fluffy mashed potatoes, melted butter, sour cream, and shredded cheese, it's a delicious combination of flavors and textures.
This casserole comes together easily and is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Mashed Potato Casserole
When the weather turns chilly, there's nothing better than a hearty, comforting dish that heats you from the inside out.
This cheesy potato casserole is the perfect side dish to do that.
We love this recipe because it's so simple to prepare, yet it tastes amazing and is perfect for crowds.
Pair this casserole with roasts or grilled meat.
Ingredients for Mashed Potato Casserole
Mashed potatoes - Leftover roasted or boiled potatoes mashed smooth.
Butter
Sour cream
Seasonings: We used garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Cheddar cheese
Chives
How to make
To make the creamy mashed potato casserole, preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine prepared mashed potatoes with melted butter and sour cream, mixing until light and fluffy. Season the mixture with garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste.
Fold in one cup shredded cheddar cheese.
Spread evenly into prepared baking dish. Top with remaining half cup cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh chives if desired.
Enjoy eating this delicious casserole!
Tips for Making the Best Cheesy Potato Casserole
Here are some tips for making this delicious mashed potato casserole:
- For the creamiest, fluffiest texture, make sure to thoroughly mash the potatoes before adding the other ingredients. Using a ricer or food mill results in super smooth spuds.
- When melting the butter, watch it closely so it doesn't brown or burn. Browning imparts a nutty flavor that you don't want in this dish.
- Don't overbake the casserole. You want the cheese nicely melted but the potatoes still creamy, not dried out.
- For best results, allow the casserole to rest 5-10 minutes before serving so the potatoes can absorb some of the liquid and firm up slightly.
- Feel free to play around with different cheese varieties. Cheddar gives great color and flavor, but you could also use gruyère, fontina, or gouda.
- For a bit of crunch, you can top the casserole with crushed crackers, fried onions, or toasted breadcrumbs before baking.
- Make this potato dish your own by adding cooked veggies like broccoli, spinach, or caramelized onions to the mashed potato mixture.
Leftovers
Leftover mashed potato casserole is a tasty treat.
Allow any leftovers to cool completely, then transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. The potatoes may dry out a bit, so stir in a little milk or cream when reheating to restore creaminess if needed.
If you want something a little different when eating these as leftovers, here's some ideas:
- For grab-and-go breakfasts or lunches, scoop leftovers into individual containers to reheat at work or on-the-go. They make a hearty hot breakfast topped with a fried egg.
- Transform leftovers into cheesy potato cakes by forming scoops of the mixture into patties and frying until golden brown. Serve with sour cream and green onions. These are one of my favorite things to make with leftover mashed potatoes. They do stick easily - so make sure to use enough butter when frying.
- Mash leftover potato casserole with ground meat, herbs and spices for an easy potato crust meatloaf or meatballs. The creamy spuds hold everything together nicely.
- Thinly slice and toast leftover potato casserole to make cheesy hash brown cakes for breakfast or brinner. Top with a poached egg for added protein.
- For an easy potato soup, thin out leftovers with milk and chicken or vegetable broth. Garnish bowls with bacon bits, scallions, and shredded cheese.
- Make loaded twice-baked potatoes by scooping out baked russets and filling with the leftover casserole. Top with extra cheese and bake until melty.
With endless ways to change things up, these leftovers will never go to waste!
What to Serve with Potato Casserole
This casserole pairs amazingly well with a large variety of dishes. Here are some of our favorites:
- Thanksgiving dinner: this casserole pairs wonderfully with turkey and all the other wonderful Thanksgiving dinner foods.
- Christmas or Easter dinner: it pairs beautifully with ham as well.
- Roasted chicken, beef or pork
- Grilled steaks or pork chops
- Fried chicken
- Green salad
- Steamed broccoli or brussels sprouts
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Creamy Mashed Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 10 cups prepared mashed potatoes
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- ¼ cup chopped fresh chives or green onions optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a large baking dish (9x13-inch or similar size).
- In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes and melted butter.
- Stir in the sour cream. If the consistency seems too thick, you can stir in milk a little at a time until your desired consistency is reached.
- Season the mashed potatoes with garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Adjust the seasoning according to your preference. Fold in 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese until it's evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Spread the creamy mashed potatoes evenly in the greased baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the mashed potatoes.
- Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges of the casserole are slightly golden.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes. Garnish with chopped chives or green onions, if desired.
Notes
- Plan to use about 2 medium potatoes for 1 cup of mashed.
- If you don't already have mashed potatoes to use - you can easily make some by adding 20 medium peeled potatoes to a large stock pot of cold water. Add in 3-5 peeled cloves of garlic as well. Make sure the water is at least an inch above the potatoes in the pot. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Boil on medium-high heat for about 12-15 minutes or until a fork can easily be inserted into a potato. Drain well and mash.
Please note that the nutritional content of this recipe will vary based on the specific ingredients used. For a detailed breakdown of the nutritional values, consider using a recipe nutrition calculator with the exact brands and measurements you've used.
