Loaded Mashed Potatoes

5 from 13 votes
22 Comments

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Loaded mashed potatoes are a tasty way to use up extra mashed potatoes from holiday meals or Sunday dinners. A cheesy, creamy side to so many meals!

Scooped out Loaded Mashed Potatoes from a casserole dish.
Featured with this recipe
  1. Ingredients for the Best Mashed Potatoes
  2. How to Make Perfect Mashed Potatoes
  3. Suggestions for Loaded Mashed Potatoes
  4. Frequently Asked Questions
  5. Storing Homemade Loaded Mashed Potatoes
  6. More Tasty Potato Recipes
  7. How to Make Loaded Mashed Potatoes
  8. Loaded Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Loaded mashed potatoes are a terrific answer to the question of how to use leftover mashed potatoes. Takes your mashed potatoes to the next level. This mashed potato casserole recipe completely changes the flavor of regular mashed potatoes and can be served alongside ham, chicken, steak, fish, and just about anything!

These loaded mashed potatoes are a delicious and indulgent variation of traditional mashed potatoes. They typically include additional ingredients and toppings to make them even more flavorful. The creamy texture, can be used on several different occasions, total comfort food, and can be customized are all the reasons why these loaded mashed potatoes are so great! All together they are creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor!

Ingredients for the Best Mashed Potatoes

Loaded mashed potatoes are a fantastic side dish for special occasions or when you’re craving comfort food. They are rich, creamy, and packed with flavor thanks to the cheese, bacon, and green onions. Feel free to customize the toppings to suit your taste preferences.

  • Mashed potatoes – Make the mashed potatoes ahead of time or use your leftover potatoes from the night before. Take your baked potato to the next level with this loaded mashed potato recipe!
  • Sour cream – This plays a huge role in making the mashed potatoes creamy but also flavorful.
  • Ranch salad dressing mix – The big secret to the loaded mashed potatoes is adding a Hidden Valley Ranch packet. That’s what gives you the most flavor in the actual potatoes.
  • Cheddar cheese – Freshly grated cheddar cheese gives it a melty cheese look.
  • Bacon – Cooked and chopped-up bacon is added to the mixture. Chop the bacon into small pieces before cooking. This speeds up the cooking process and I don’t have to worry about burning myself when I try to crumble it later.
  • Onions – Slice the onions into small pieces.
Ingredients for Loaded Mashed Potatoes including mashed potatoes, sour cream, ranch dressing seasoning, cheddar cheese, green onions and bacon.


How to Make Perfect Mashed Potatoes

To start off this recipe, you are going to need some good mashed potatoes. Try our perfect mashed potatoes recipe for the creamiest fluffiest mashed potatoes ever. Usually, we make this recipe for Sunday dinner, then turn the leftovers into Loaded Mashed Potatoes during the week. Follow these steps to have perfect and fluffy mashed potatoes every time!

  1. Boil potatoes – Dice your potatoes into bite-size pieces all about the same size. This will ensure they boil evenly. You can use either russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes for these perfect mashed potatoes. Once the potatoes are fork tender they are ready to simmer.
  2. Simmer – Place potatoes in cold water in a large pot, then simmer on medium heat to high heat until they are tender. 
  3. Mash potatoes – Drain potatoes, then mash using a potato masher or a hand mixer. I season them with a little salt, pepper, and butter.
Mixing bowl with mashed potatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, chopped bacon, sour cream and Ranch dressing seasoning.

Suggestions for Loaded Mashed Potatoes

These loaded mashed potatoes are the ultimate comfort food! Everyone loves these mashed potatoes and are a family favorite side dish. Loaded mashed potatoes are great because they combine the comfort of traditional mashed potatoes with a burst of flavor, texture, and visual appeal, making them a delightful addition to any meal or occasion.

  • Casserole dish – Place the loaded mashed potato casserole in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Smooth it out in the pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
  • Have extras – Make sure to have plenty of bacon, cheese, and green onions on hand for this recipe.
  • Cheeses – I love using extra sharp cheddar cheese in this recipe for a tangy flavor, but you could use any cheese you like. Monterrey Jack, Mexican Blend, or even Pepper Jack cheese are delicious alternatives.
  • Green onion tip – If you are worried about the green onion flavor being too overpowering, soak them in water for a few minutes before dicing and adding to the potatoes. Soaking green onions takes down the flavor just a bit. You can do that with red and white onions as well! Just make sure to dry off the onions really well with a paper towel before adding them to the potatoes.
Wooden spoon scooping a serving of Loaded Mashed Potatoes.

“I didn’t have leftover mashed potatoes so I made fresh. My family loved it! Definitely making these again. Looking forward to trying your other recipes!”

-Ned

Frequently Asked Questions

What is on loaded mashed potatoes?

There are several different variations and options to choose from when adding to mashed potatoes. For this recipe, we used chopped onions, cooked bacon, sour cream, grated cheese, and a ranch mix.

Why add butter before milk in mashed potatoes?

This is a great question and really needs to be taken into consideration when making mashed potatoes. The butter comes first to help coat the mashed potato’s starch molecules. It helps give the mashed potatoes a more creamy and smooth texture rather than a gluey texture that holds the potatoes together. Once the butter is on the potatoes and melts then the milk or water added gives it that creamy and smooth texture when stirring it together.

Are loaded mashed potatoes gluten-free?

Most mashed potatoes do not include gluten in the produce.

How do you avoid mashed potatoes being sticky?

The best tip is to avoid overworking the mashed potatoes. Once the potatoes are properly mashed and there are no longer lumps or hard bumps within the potatoes, you do not need to continue to mash any longer. If you have over-mashed the potatoes and they seem sticky add in more milk or water.

Plate with a serving of Loaded Mashed Potatoes garnished with bacon and green onions.

Storing Homemade Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Store leftovers in an airtight container for four to five days in the refrigerator. When ready to reheat, place in the microwave or oven until it is warmed through. Enjoy these loaded mashed potatoes over and over again!

More Tasty Potato Recipes

Much of our family resides in Idaho, so we know and love our potatoes! Here are a few of our most cherished potato recipes. Try them all and find your favorites!

How to Make Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Casserole dish with scooped out areas from Loaded Mashed Potatoes.

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

5 from 13 votes
Loaded Mashed Potatoes are a tasty way to use up extra mashed potatoes from holiday meals or Sunday dinner. A cheesy, creamy side to so many meals!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Video

Ingredients

  • 6 cups prepared mashed potatoes I prepare with butter and milk
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix unprepared (I use Hidden Valley brand)
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
  • 6 slices cooked bacon chopped
  • 6 green onions thinly sliced (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, sour cream, ranch dressing mix, 1 cup of cheese, bacon, and onions.
    Mixing bowl with mashed potatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, chopped bacon, sour cream and Ranch dressing seasoning.
  • Spread into a large casserole dish. Bake for 25 minutes or until heated.
    Baking dish with loaded mashed potato mixture. Spatula on the side.
  • Remove from oven and sprinkle top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted.
    Shredded cheddar cheese on top of hot loaded mashed potato filling.
  • Garnish if desired with extra bacon and green onions.
    Baking dish of Loaded Mashed Potatoes with bacon and sliced green onions.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 390kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 19gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 437mgPotassium: 1032mgFiber: 6gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 735IUVitamin C: 26.6mgCalcium: 385mgIron: 7.4mg

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    OMG! Tastes great! Cooked this today and as I’m only 1 person I halved the recipe. I have leftovers which I will enjoy this week. I’m going to add this to our Easter menu. Since I’m preparing Mom’s Potato Salad I’ll use the already prepared Bob Evan’s mashed potatoes to make it this cheesy potato recipe easier. The bacon will definitely be appreciated by my guests. Who doesn’t like bacon? The flavors of the cheese, onion, and bacon will also increase its appeal. Can’t wait to serve it.

  2. 5 stars
    These potatoes were to die for!!!!! I wish I hadn’t seen the recipe because I was going to start my diet. They were so much better with the bacon and spring onion, plus I added some grated mozzarella. Will be making these on a regular basis. Goodbye to my diet, hello more fat clothes.

  3. I didn’t have leftover mashed potatoes so I made fresh. My family loved it! Definitely making these again. Looking forward to trying your other recipes!

  4. When it says prepared mashed potatoes does that mean boil then add milk/butter and have it 6 cups as mashed or 6 cups in potato cubes?

        1. It depends on the size of potato. I usually eye-ball it. A cup is about the size of your fist. If you can find six potatoes about that size, six will work. If the potatoes are smaller, I would use 8-10 to get 6 cups of mashed potatoes.

  5. My family makes a similar dish that’s wonderful as well. Can u make the night before and bake in the morning the next day?

    1. You probably could but after it cools down that much you will probably have to bake it for at least 40 minutes so it gets hot all the way through. That is a total guess though– we haven’t done t that way before so I can’t tell you for sure.

  6. 5 stars
    I made this today for Christmas Dinner with a ham. The potatoes were a hit. The addition of the ranch dressing mix is what makes these loaded mashed potatoes.

  7. Sound delicious for this recipe! It’s make me so hungry! i can’t wait to eat this 🙂 Thanks a lot for sharing with us.