Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole

Get ready to meet your new comfort food obsession: Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole! Creamy, buttery mashed potatoes are taken to the next level with a gooey blanket of melted cheese, a hint of garlic, and a golden, bubbly crust that’s impossible to resist. It’s the kind of dish that steals the spotlight at any dinner table, whether it’s a holiday feast or a weeknight indulgence.

Ingredients to Make Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole Recipe

Make-ahead sides like this Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole are true lifesavers, especially when you’re feeding a crowd or juggling a busy day. Packed with shredded white cheddar and seasoned just right, this dish can be assembled ahead of time and popped into the oven when you’re ready to eat. Potatoes are the ultimate comfort food, and honestly, who doesn’t love them?

Whether baked, fried, smashed, or mashed, they’re always a hit. In this version, tender chunks of potato are whipped until creamy with onion and chive cream cheese, butter, half-and-half, and plenty of cheese. It’s then spread into a baking dish, dotted with butter and more cheese on top, and baked until golden and bubbly. Perfect with ham and turkey for the holidays, with chicken or pot roast on hectic weeknights, or potluck gatherings, this casserole is always a crowd-pleaser.

Checkout this quick list of ingredients you’ll need to make Easy Mashed Potato Casserole: (Scroll down for the full printable recipe card.)

• Potatoes – 5 pounds of russet potatoes, peeled and cubed.
• Butter – Salted or unsalted butter for richness.
• Cream Cheese – Chive and onion cream cheese give the mashed potatoes a creamy texture.
• Liquid – One cup of lukewarm half and half for moisture.
• Seasonings – Garlic salt and black pepper to taste.
• Cheese – 3 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese for a cheesy flavor.

How to Make the BEST Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole Recipe

• Heat Oven and Prep Baking Dish – Butter the bottom and sides of a 13×9-inch casserole dish.
• Boil the Potatoes – Cook the potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Drain well.
• Mash the Potatoes – Use a hand mixer to whip in the cream cheese, garlic salt and black pepper.
• Melt Butter with Half and Half – Add the half and half butter mixture slowly beating until smooth.
• Cheese – Stir in white cheddar cheese by hand until evenly distributed.
• Transfer to Prepared Dish – Pour mashed potato mixture into the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Dot the top with butter.
• Oven – Bake per the cook time in the recipe until heated through and the top is golden brown, then enjoy.

Kitchen Equipment to Make Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole

• Large pot or saucepan. Choose a pot big enough to serve as the mixing bowl for easy clean-up.
• Vegetable peeler to peel the potatoes.
• Sharp knife and chopping board.
• Cheese grater. Freshly shredded cheddar cheese melts more smoothly and has the best flavor.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• Hand mixer or potato masher.
• 13×9-inch casserole dish.

Recipe Variations, Tips and Substitutions

• Potatoes – You can make mashed potatoes using any variety of potatoes i.e. Yukon gold potatoes or similar. When doing so, keep in mind they all have different levels of starch content and will cook differently. Check for tenderness and boil them just until fork tender.
• Cream Cheese – This cheesy mashed potato casserole can easily be customized to your taste, changing up the flavor of the cream cheese. You can use plain cream cheese in place of the garlic herb variety of cream cheese.
• Cube Potatoes for Even Cooking – When cubing the potatoes make a special effort to slice the potatoes into similar size cubes for even cooking. Salting the water is imperative to impart flavor while they cook. One teaspoon is usually ample.
• Protein – You could add crispy bacon to the potatoes for a smoky flavor.
• Cheese – I use a sharp white cheddar cheese to make these mashed potatoes in keeping with the white color of the potatoes. You can use a different variety of cheese, a classic sharp cheddar cheese or medium cheddar, swiss cheese, gruyere cheese or even pepper jack cheese for a spicy flavor. You could even sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top for a slightly crispy crust.
• Fresh Herbs – You can add fresh chives, rosemary, thyme or parsley to change the flavor profile. You could also garnish with green onions.

Storage and Leftovers

• Make-Ahead Tip – If you’re making this cheesy mashed potato casserole in advance to save time, you can! It’s ideal to set the casserole on the counter for 20-30 minutes to allow the potatoes to come to room temperature prior to baking. If baking from cold, increase the baking time 10-15 minutes or so and you’ll be good to go.
• Leftovers – Store baked Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole covered with aluminum foil or in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheating – Reheat baked mashed potatoes in single servings in the microwave.
• Freezer – You can freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat just before serving.

More Easy Potato Recipes to Make

• These Buttermilk Ranch Mashed Potatoes are a hit with the kiddos!
• Loaded Potato Cakes never dissapoint.
• Sweet Potato Cornbread is perfection slathered with butter and a drizzle of honey.
• Single serving Garlic Chive Mashed Potato Puffins are made in a cupcake pan.
• Sour Cream and Onion Smashed Potato Casserole is another dish that can be assembled in advance and baked just before serving.
• Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole is ideal for those busy oven days.
• Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes from Crunchy, Creamy and Sweet.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• 13×9-inch Dish
• Cheese Grater
• Kitchen Utensils
• Chopping Board and Knives