Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 70 mins

Total: 95 mins

Servings: 8 servings

Yield: 1 casserole

Loaded mashed potatoes are an epic recipe that is a must-have upgrade for your holiday dinner table. Creamy mashed potatoes are blended with roasted garlic and cream, the topped with a mountain of cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, and chopped chives. Serve it with a little sour cream for extra decadence.

The best part of this recipe is that you can make it ahead of time, throw it in the refrigerator, then pop it in the oven 30 minutes before meal time. Cream, butter, and cream cheese keep the potatoes velvety even after they’ve been in the refrigerator, so the leftovers are also excellent. 

Ingredients

• 2 heads garlic

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning

• 6 pounds russet potatoes

• 12 ounces cream cheese

• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) salted butter

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 cup half-and-half

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

• 1 cup bacon, cooked, chopped

• Sour cream, for garnish

• Chopped chives, for garnish

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients. 

   

2. Roast the garlic. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cut the top off of the heads of garlic and place them each on their own sheet of aluminum foil. Top them with salt and olive oil. 

   

3. Wrap the tin foil around the bulb of garlic securely. Place in the preheated oven and roast for 30 minutes or until the bulbs are tender and slightly golden. 

   

4. While the garlic is roasting, prepare your potatoes. Peel and chop the potatoes and place them in a pot of salted water. Bring the water to a boil and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and place back into the pot immediately.

   

5. Mash the potatoes quickly while they are still hot. Add in the cream cheese, butter, heavy cream, and half and half. Continue to mash while incorporating the creamy ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Potatoes absorb a lot of salt so you will probably need to add more than expected. 

   

6. Remove the roasted garlic from their skins and add it to the mashed potatoes. Add half the cheddar cheese. Mix until incorporated.

   

7. Pour the mashed potatoes into a greased casserole dish. 

   

8. Top the potatoes with the remaining cheddar cheese. Cook until the cheese has melted, browned slightly, and the edges are bubbly, about 20 minutes

   

9. Top the cooked casserole with the bacon and chopped chives. Serve immediately with a side of sour cream, more shredded cheddar cheese, bacon, and chives. 

   

Tip

• After you transfer the mashed potatoes to the casserole dish, you can top it with cheddar cheese and bacon, then cover the dish with plastic wrap and foil. Refrigerate or freeze until you are ready to serve. It will keep 2 days in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer.