Mashed potatoes can hold their own beside almost any dinner, but a few additions turn the familiar side into something built for a holiday table. Sour cream and butter go into the potatoes first, followed by cheddar, crumbled bacon, and green onions. Then the whole batch moves into a casserole dish under another layer of cheese.
The recipe makes enough for a crowd and can be assembled a day before it needs to go into the oven.
Start with five pounds of potatoes
Peel and cube 5 pounds of Russet or Yukon potatoes.
Boil them for 15 to 20 minutes, until a fork passes through without resistance, then drain the pot.
For more potato texture, leave the skins on. Chicken broth can also replace the cooking water if you want more flavor in the potatoes.
Sour cream goes into the mash
Add 1 cup sour cream, 3/4 cup milk, 8 tablespoons butter, salt, and pepper to the cooked potatoes.
Use a potato masher or electric hand mixer until the potatoes reach the texture you want.
Sour cream adds richness and tang before any of the loaded potato toppings enter the bowl.
Put the bacon and cheese inside, not just on top
Stir 2 cups shredded cheddar, 1/2 pound cooked crumbled bacon, and 3 chopped green onions into the potatoes.
That puts the loaded potato ingredients throughout the casserole instead of saving them for a garnish.
Transfer the mixture into a greased 3 quart baking dish.
Cover the top with another cup of cheddar
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar across the potatoes.
Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
The potatoes stay soft underneath while the cheese melts across the top.
Make it the day before
This casserole doesn’t have to compete with the rest of dinner for prep time.
Prepare the potato mixture, transfer it to the baking dish, and add the cheese topping. Cover with foil and refrigerate for up to one day before baking.
That makes it useful for Thanksgiving or Christmas when several dishes need attention at once.
Keep leftovers creamy when reheating
Store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
For the oven, cover the potatoes with foil and reheat at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons of milk before serving if they need more moisture.
The potatoes can also stay warm in a slow cooker on low for up to three hours. Add a little chicken broth before serving if the mixture starts getting thick.
Classic mashed potatoes need little help, but this version turns the toppings into part of every scoop. Bacon, cheddar, sour cream, and green onions run through the potatoes, with another layer of cheese melted across the top.
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