Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Loaded Mashed Potatoes are the best mashup recipe using all of your favorite baked potato toppings! Prepped in 10 minutes, it’s quick to make any night of the week and will become a family favorite side dish.

Take your mashed potatoes to the next level with our Loaded Mashed Potatoes! Combining creamy, buttery potatoes with sharp cheddar, crunchy bacon, and a sprinkle of green onions, this side dish can be prepped in 10 minutes and brings all your favorite baked potato toppings together in one bite.

The day after a holiday, like Thanksgiving, this is often our go-to recipe for leftover mashed potatoes. It’s so delicious and tastes like you made them right from scratch. If you want to make these for a weeknight dinner and are short on time, pick up some ready-made mashed potatoes or make instant!

A potato side dish is a guaranteed family weeknight dinner, holiday dinner, or get-together hit! Our other favorites are Crispy Parmesan Potatoes and Ranch Roasted Potatoes to add to any dinner rotation.

Why You’ll Like This Recipe

• Rich and Creamy: The combination of melty cheddar cheese and mashed potatoes creates a creamy texture that’s hard to resist.
• Ultimate Comfort Food Side Dish: Loaded with cheese, crumbled strips of bacon, and green onions, these baked mashed potatoes are the definition of comfort.
• Easy to Make: This potato recipe is super simple and can be made with leftover mash potatoes or a quick store-bought option.
• Crowd-Pleaser: Loaded mashed potato casserole is one of our favorite side dishes to serve for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, potlucks, or just a family weeknight meal. Who doesn’t love cheesy, bacon-loaded potatoes? I guarantee it’ll get rave reviews!!

Ingredients

Scroll Down to the Recipe Card for the Full Recipe and Ingredient Amounts 

• Prepared Mashed Potatoes: The base of this recipe, mashed potatoes provide the creamy and fluffy texture that holds all the toppings.
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Adds a rich, sharp flavor and gooey texture to the dish when melted into the mashed potatoes.
• Cooked and Crumbled Bacon: Provides a salty, smoky crunch that pairs perfectly with the creamy mashed potatoes and cheese. I love a good thick-cut bacon cut into small pieces!
• Green Onions: Adds a pop of color and fresh, mild onion flavor to brighten up the richness of the dish.

Tools You’ll Need

• 9″x9″ Baking Dish or Casserole Dish
• Mixing Bowl
• Measuring Cups and Spoons

How to Make Loaded Mashed Potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. If needed, rehydrate the prepared mashed potatoes with 2-4 tablespoons of milk or chicken broth to a whipped, smooth consistency.
2. In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup of the bacon, and half of the sliced green onions. Stir until well-mixed. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

3. Transfer the mixture to a greased 9″x9″ baking dish.

4. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top. Cover with aluminum foil. 

5. Bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil. Sprinkle the remaining bacon on top. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the potato mixture is starting to brown at the edges. 

6. Sprinkle the remaining green onions over the top. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream if desired.

Expert Tips and Substitutions

• Swap out the Cheese. Try swapping the sharp cheddar with other cheeses like mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or a blend of cheeses for different flavor profiles. I highly recommend shredding a block of cheese fresh if possible! Pre-shredded cheeses don’t melt as effectively. 
• Make sure your Potatoes are Smooth and Creamy before Making. If you’re prepared potatoes aren’t smooth and easy to spread with a spoon, you can add a little bit of whole milk, skim milk, or chicken broth to bring them to a creamier texture.
• Bacon Alternatives. If you don’t have regular bacon, you can substitute it with turkey bacon, pancetta, or even crumbled sausage.
• Add Extra Cream. For an even richer flavor, you can mix 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1/2 cup heavy cream, or 2-4 ounces softened cream cheese into the leftover mashed potatoes.
• Flavor Additions. Add fresh herbs like parsley or chives for a herby twist. You could also sprinkle a bit of garlic powder or minced garlic cloves for extra flavor.
• Topping Options. Other great toppings include sour cream, jalapeños, crispy fried onions, minced fresh chives, or extra cheese.

What to Serve with Loaded Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Want to know what meals these potatoes go with? Literally ANYTHING!! We have these with so many dinners, but a few of our favorites to have them with are:

• Glazed Pork Tenderloin
• Salmon Cakes Patties
• Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Legs
• Creamy Garlic Pork Chops.

A few vegetable side dishes that go great with these potatoes are Crispy & Garlicky Green Beans, Easy Cooked Vegetables, and Garlic Broccoli and Mushrooms.

Storage Instructions

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave. You can freeze loaded mashed potatoes for up to 1 month.

To reheat, bake them in the oven at 350°F until warmed through or heat in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, stirring every 45 seconds until heated through.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Delicious Potato Recipes

• Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole
• Buttered Potatoes
• Classic Potato Salad
• Italian Roasted Potatoes
• Crockpot Ham and Potato Soup