We must admit, one of our favorite foods is Mashed Potatoes with Cheese and Bacon. It’s a blend of our favorite comfort food of mashed potatoes, mixed with yummy cheese and CRISPY BACON! Learn how to make our favorite mashed potatoes for the dinner or for your holiday table!
Mashed Potatoes with Cheese and Bacon
This Mashed Potato Recipe Serves 6 as a side dish.
Mashed potatoes definitely make for a creamy and delicious side dish but add cheese and bacon and this side dish becomes an over-the-top family favorite! Creamy potato comfort in a bowl.
Ingredients Needed for Mashed Potatoes with Cheese and Bacon
- Potatoes – Yukon Gold potatoes work well for this cheesy mashed potato recipe.
- Bacon – Regular cut bacon
- Onion – Yellow Onion
- Garlic – Either fresh or jarred garlic will work.
- Butter – We love salted butter
- Sour cream
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese – Shred your own cheese from a block of sharp cheddar cheese to save money.
- Green Onion
- Oil – Oil is needed to fry the onions and garlic.
- Salt and pepper
Steps on How to Make Mashed Potatoes with Cheese and Bacon
STEP 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
STEP 2. Boil the potatoes until a fork goes through the potatoes easily. Drain and transfer back into the pot.
STEP 3. Add the ¼ cup butter and sour cream to the potatoes.
STEP 4. Mash the potatoes using an electric mixer or a potato masher.
STEP 5. Gently cook chopped onions in oil for about 3 minutes, adding garlic near the end if cooking time. **Optional step, lightly salt the onions to help draw out the natural sugars to help with sautéing. Add ½ of the bacon crumbles to the skillet with the cooked onions and garlic and heat through.
STEP 6. Add the skillet onion mixture and salt and pepper to the mashed potatoes and mix together.
STEP 7. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a lightly sprayed 9 x 7 baking dish.
STEP 8. Sprinkle mashed potatoes with the shredded cheddar cheese.
STEP 9. Sprinkle the remaining bacon crumbles over the top.
STEP 10. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted and the bacon is crisped.
STEP 11. Remove from the oven and let sit for a couple minutes.
STEP 12. Garnish with the sliced green onions and enjoy.
How to Cook Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes
- Use Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes if possible.
- Peel potatoes with a potato peeler.
- Once potatoes are peeled, rinse well under cold water.
- Cut potatoes in chunks similar in size.
- Add potatoes to a pot and add water until potatoes are covered. (Salt the water before adding the potatoes.)
- Dont forget to add salt to the water.
- Bring water to a boil; reduce heat to medium-high and cook on a simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
Once the potatoes have been drained of the cooking water, let them sit in the pan for a few minutes to evaporate any remaining water. Then add the rest of the ingredients to the potatoes and mash.
Mashed potatoes are pretty simple to prepare and make a great side dish for most beef, chicken and pork entrees. Mashed potatoes even make a great side dish for most fish recipes!
Also read How to Make the Best Mashed Potatoes.
Delicious Side Dish of Potatoes Mashed with Cheese and Yummy Bacon
- 3 lbs. Yukon Gold or Russett potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
- 8 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 tablespoon oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped small
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup green onion, sliced
- salt and pepper
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
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Boil the potatoes until a fork goes through the potatoes easily. Drain and transfer back into the pot.
-
Add the ¼ cup butter and sour cream to the potatoes.
-
Mash the potatoes using an electric mixer or a potato masher.
-
Gently cook chopped onions in oil for about 3 minutes, adding garlic near the end if cooking time. **Optional step, lightly salt the onions to help draw out the natural sugars to help with sautéing. Add ½ of the bacon crumbles to the skillet with the cooked onions and garlic and heat through.
-
Add the skillet mixture to the mashed potatoes and mix all together.
-
Transfer the mashed potatoes to a lightly sprayed 9 x 7 baking dish.
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Sprinkle mashed potatoes with the shredded cheese.
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Sprinkle the remaining bacon crumbles over the top.
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Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted and the bacon is crisped.
-
Remove from the oven and let sit for a couple minutes.
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Garnish with the sliced green onions and enjoy.
Best Potatoes to Use for Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Cheese and Bacon
Look for firm fresh potatoes. The larger potatoes are easier to peel like the Russett or Yukon gold or Russett.
- Yukon Gold
- Russett Potatoes
Cheesy Bacon Mashed Potato Notes:
- Yukon Gold or Russet Potatoes are nice to use because of the starch content that makes a creamy mashed potato dish.
- Don’t over mash the potatoes.
- Don’t forget to add salt to your potatoes before mashing and test, test and test to make sure you have enough salt.
- To save calories, omit the ¼ cup of butter that’s added before mashing.
- Alternative baking dish sizes can be 9 x 9, 8 x 8, and 9 x 13. Depending on the size of dish you use will depend on how deep/thick the mashed potato casserole will be.
What to Serve with Mashed Potatoes with Cheese and Bacon
Bisquick Fried Chicken Delicious oven fried chicken with a Bisquick coating
Instant Pot Beef Roast
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Recipe
Tossed salad
How to Store Leftover Mashed Cheesy Potatoes
Mashed potatoes keep well so store any leftovers in an airtight container for about 4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave.
You Will Love Some of Our Other Delicious Recipes
Crack Green Beans
Velveeta Cheese Scalloped Potatoes
Garlic Redskin Mashed Potatoes
