Instant Mashed Potato Casserole
Begin with instant mashed potatoes and add a few simple ingredients to make this easy and delicious Instant Mashed Potato Casserole recipe in the oven!
Instant Mashed Potato Recipe
Light and fluffy while being rich and creamy, a few simple ingredients can make instant potatoes taste so much better! This side dish idea is perfect for holidays, weeknight family meals or Sunday dinner.
Save time and skip washing and peeling potatoes by using a package of instant mashed potatoes as the base of this potato casserole. The best part of this side dish recipe is that nobody will know these are instant potatoes that only take ten minutes to whip up!
Lighter than our Farmhouse Mashed Potatoes or Crock Pot Make Ahead Potatoes, but just as rich, the typical tongue will never know you whipped this casserole up with instant potatoes in less than 10 minutes.
The cream cheese with onions and chives adds a flavor that’s similar to our Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes. For a similar creamy feel, but with whole potatoes and more of a cheesy flavor try our Creamy Crock Pot Potatoes.
Why This Recipe Works
- In less than ten minutes you can make instant potatoes better in a very easy way!
- These potatoes have enough flavor that you never wish you had gravy.
- If you’re making a smaller holiday meal it’s easy to use a smaller pack of instant mashed potatoes, reduce the ingredients accordingly and still have a really delicious potato casserole.
Serve this instant mashed potato casserole with about any meat and a simple green salad with Creamy Caesar Dressing for a complete meal.
What Can I Add to Boxed Mashed Potatoes?
- Whipped cream cheese with chives
- Egg
- Onions
- Parsley
- Butter
- Smoked paprika
Garlic is another easy addition to this creamy potato recipe to feature a different flavor profile. Heavy cream is another addition that can mix with cream cheese for an extra rich potato dish.
Baked Instant Mashed Potato Casserole Recipe
Make instant mashed potatoes according to the directions on the package and stir well.
Mix in the whipped cream cheese with chives. This makes the potatoes lighter and so much richer.
Using an electric mixer really speeds up the process.
Add an egg, the parsley, smoked paprika and finely chopped onion and mix well.
Lightly coat a 2 quart casserole dish with non-stick spray. Pour potatoes in the baking dish and spread out evenly.
Dot with butter. I typically use a butter knife to slice a few pats off and spread them out over top of the potatoes.
A dusting of paprika on top really gives the potatoes a rustic look and flavor, but in recipe testing we learned that we prefer to mix it in for more uniform finish.
Bake in an oven that’s been preheated to 400°F for 20 to 30 minutes until the casserole browns a bit on top and bubbles on the sides. This gives the egg time to bake into the potatoes.
Serve warm with Oven Baked Pork Chops, Creamy Pork Chop Casserole or Pork and Sauerkraut Roll-ups. Another side dish that goes great with these potatoes are Bacon-Onion Green Beans.
Instant Potato Recipe Ideas
Part of my family prefer potatoes that are a bit more plain, so we tested leaving out the parsley and paprika making the casserole look more traditional.
The picky eaters enjoy this variation with plain cream cheese the best.
Recipe Tips for A Creamy Potato Bake
- We prefer smoked paprika to incorporate more of the smoky flavor, but regular paprika works well too.
- Regular, buttery or any fairly basic type of instant mashed potatoes work well.
- Make the recipe with 6 servings of potatoes that are 1/2 cup each for a total of 3 cups of mashed potatoes.
- Cheddar cheese and bacon bits can also be sprinkled on top or stirred in the mixture to make a loaded potato casserole.
- Using a mini-food processor to finely chop the onion creates a fine and consistent texture that can be tricky to do by hand.
More Easy Side Dish Recipes:
- Citrus Glazed Sweet Potatoes are a classic on our Thanksgiving table and enjoyed throughout the year.
- Sausage and Potato Skillet is a one-skillet meal that is hearty and satisfies.
- Chicken would be great served over this creamy potato bake and it tastes great baked into this Chicken and Twice Baked Potato Casserole.
- Cheesy Bacon Potato Casserole adjust a classic potato casserole recipe to make bacon the star of the show!
- Air Fried Baby Potatoes are simple, but tender and perfectly complement so many meals.
Instant Mashed Potato Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 ounces Instant mashed potatoes
- 4 ounces Whipped cream cheese with chives
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Prepare potatoes according to the directions on the package.6 ounces Instant mashed potatoes
- Add cream cheese and beat well.4 ounces Whipped cream cheese with chives
- Stir in egg, onion, parsley and paprika. Blend well.1 egg, 2 tablespoons onion, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Pour into a greased 2 quart or 8×8 square baking dish and dot with pats of butter on top. Bake for 25 minutes at 400°F.2 tablespoons butter
Notes
- Regular, buttery or any fairly basic type of instant mashed potatoes work well.
- Make the recipe with 6 servings of potatoes that are 1/2 cup each for a total of 3 cups of mashed potatoes.
- Cheddar cheese and bacon bits can also be sprinkled on top or stirred in the mixture to make a loaded potato casserole.
- Using a mini-food processor to finely chop the onion creates a fine and consistent texture that can be tricky to do by hand.
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Rate This Recipe Pin This RecipeOriginally shared November 18, 2020 with updates made on February 5, 2024.
