The best parts of a loaded baked potato are here in these twice baked mashed potatoes. This casserole is packed with cheddar cheese, bacon, sour cream, butter, chives, and fluffy baked potato for a instant family favorite side dish.
A loaded potato will always be a popular side dish and this recipe has all of those flavors represented in a casserole to feed a crowd. It's perfect for pairing with steak, roast chicken, ham, or as part of a holiday menu. You can even prepare it ahead of time to reduce the last-minute stress of a big family meal!
If you and your family love potatoes and cheese together, make this Broccoli Cheddar Potato Soup or these Boursin Cheese Mashed Potatoes for dinner next!
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Ingredients
I include ingredient notes here when I think they'll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!
- Potatoes - Choose good baking potato like russets that bake up fluffy and light. Select potatoes that are similar in size so that they bake up completely at the same time. Potatoes that are about ½ pound each are a good choice.
- Butter - I use salted butter in this recipe. If you only have unsalted butter on hand, add about ¼ teaspoon of additional salt to the recipe.
- Sour Cream - For that classic baked potato flavor, sour cream is an essential.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese - A good sharp cheddar will give the baked mashed potatoes a rich flavor and golden color.
- Cooked Bacon - I'm a huge fan of pre-cooked bacon available in supermarkets and Costco. You can, of course, use chopped regular bacon and fry it up for this recipe.
- Milk - I use 2% milk in the recipe, but anything from skim milk to whole milk will work.
- Chives - A sprinkling of chives adds a welcome pop of green and subtle onion flavor to the mashed potatoes.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease your 9" x 13" or 3-quart casserole dish.
Wash and dry the potatoes and poke each with a fork several times before baking them directly on the oven rack for one hour.
Allow the baked potatoes to cool for five minutes, or until you can safely handle them.
Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out all of the baked potato into a large bowl.
Add the butter, sour cream, 5 ounces of the cheese, 4 slices of the chopped bacon, milk, salt, and pepper to the potatoes. Mash with a potato masher to combine.
Taste for seasoning and add salt or pepper as desired. The mashed potatoes should be smooth and creamy.
Spread the potato mixture into the prepared casserole dish to form a smooth layer.
Sprinkle the reserved cheese and bacon over the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Sprinkle the chives over the top of the baked mashed potatoes and serve.
If your crew missed the delicious aroma coming from the oven, call them to the table!
Substitutions
The substitutions listed below have been tested with the recipe and still give delicious results. If you try other ingredient swaps that are successful, share them in the comments!
- Real Bacon Bits - If you have packaged bacon bits, swap them in for the cooked bacon. Artificial bacon bits do not have a pleasant texture once mixed in and baked, I'd avoid them.
- Greek Yogurt - Substitute thick and creamy Greek yogurt for the sour cream
- Parsley - If chives are a no-go in your house, use chopped fresh parsley to garnish your twice baked mashed potatoes.
Equipment
A 3-quart casserole dish fits this recipe perfectly, and a 9" x 13" pan works well too. My other favorite tool for this recipe is a good potato masher. If you don't own one, use a fork to mash the baked potato before stirring in the other ingredients.
Make this Recipe Kid Friendly
Cheesy potatoes are a sure thing with the kids in my house and they love these twice baked mashed potatoes. If you have reluctant mouths to feed, however, consider omitting the chives (or the greenery altogether). Also, try serving this loaded potato casserole in an unexpected dish like the footed dessert bowl above.
Storage
Leftover twice baked mashed potatoes can be transferred to an airtight container and stored for up to three days in the refrigerator. They reheat perfectly in the microwave.
Make Ahead Options
There are many ways to make this dish ahead of time to reduce stress on the day of serving. You can bake the potatoes and remove the filling from them the day before. Just store the potato in an airtight container so it doesn't dry out.
You can also prepare the casserole through the step where you sprinkle on the cheese and bacon and then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap before storing it in the refrigerator. When you are ready to bake it the next day, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to warm up to room temperature before baking in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes or so.
Top tip - Potato Skins
Don't toss out those potato skins! Use them for a game day or happy hour appetizer by brushing them with butter, seasoning them with salt and pepper, and topping them with one of the fillings below before broiling them.
- Add a thin layer of spinach and artichoke dip and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
- Go classic and sprinkle over some shredded cheddar and crumbled bacon and serve them with ranch dressing.
- Add Swiss cheese, a bit of garlic powder, and finely chopped broccoli to the potato skins.
- Make pizza potato skins by brushing them with pizza sauce and sprinkling over shredded mozzarella and ribbons of pepperoni.
FAQ
A russet or Idaho potato is the best option, but Yukon gold potatoes are terrific too. Avoid a waxy potato like red potatoes or fingerling potatoes as they are too moist.
Generally speaking it is not a good idea to freeze mashed potatoes as the moisture from the potatoes will create ice crystals and make your mashed potatoes grainy and unpleasant.
If you've ever cleaned up the oven after an exploded baked potato, you know the answer here. With their firm skins, baking potatoes will trap steam and without holes poked in them the potatoes can burst open it your oven, making a huge mess. So yes, definitely poke holes in the potatoes before baking.
Related
If you are looking for more hearty and rich side dishes, check out these options:
Pairing
A heaping scoop of this loaded potato casserole will go along with any of the main dishes listed here:
Try It and Share
I hope you give this Cheesy Loaded Twice Baked Mashed Potato casserole a try and that it's a hit at your table. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook so that I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes. Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily!
Recipe
Cheesy Loaded Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- 1 9" x 13" baking dish or casserole dish
Ingredients
- 4 pounds russet potatoes (choose small to medium potatoes)
- 6 tablespoon salted butter
- ½ cup sour cream
- 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese (shredded, divided)
- 6 slices cooked bacon (chopped, divided)
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon chives (finely diced)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Wash the potatoes and pierce them with a fork several times each. Roast them on the oven rack for 1 hour.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes, or until you can handle them safely.
- Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the potato into a large bowl.
- Add the butter, sour cream, 5 ounces of the cheese, 4 slices of bacon, milk, salt, and pepper. Use a potato masher to mash all of the ingredients together until well combined.
- Grease your casserole pan and add the potato mixture, spreading it out to an even layer. Sprinkle the reserved bacon and cheese over the top.
- Bake the potatoes for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle with the chives before serving.
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts calculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Cassie Waltman says
I'm craving these mashed potatoes right now! What will you be serving them with?
Jean Waltman says
I made this casserole for some friends yesterday. They loved it, and so did I. Easy to put together, very attractive presentation, and delicious. It’ll make a great make-ahead dish for the holidays.
Cassie says
Lucky friends! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it. You’re right, it’s a great make-ahead side for holiday meals!