Farmhouse Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

Smooth and creamy potatoes with flavorful bits of bacon and lots of cheese make a great Farmhouse Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole recipe!

Best Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole Recipe

Mashed potatoes loaded with cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, butter and bacon then accented with green onions makes one of the best side dishes out family makes. We make the best loaded mashed potato casserole most often around holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, but they make appearances throughout the year too.

Many times a year we enjoy our classic Farmhouse Mashed Potatoes, but sometimes you just crave more flavor. I absolutely love how smooth these potatoes are.

For more texture try these unpeeled Garlic Mashed Potatoes that are loaded with garlic flavors. A teaspoon of granulated or a couple of cloves of minced garlic can be added to this recipe if desired, we prefer to feature the bacon and cheese flavors!

Potatoes are a blank canvas that will help fill you up and provide some vitamins and minerals. We love adding all the dairy products and bacon to our Chicken & Twice Baked Potato Casserole or Crock Pot Potato Casserole.

The reason to bake loaded mashed potatoes in a casserole is to help warm all of the cheese and other ingredients the potatoes are loaded with. The casserole with also be warmer and is easier to travel to a party and hold in heat when wrapped well and transported in a cooler.

For ideas on how to make loaded potatoes with a box of mashed potatoes check out our Creamy Potato Bake.

Ingredients Needed:

• Potatoes – Provide an earthy flavor and will be the vessel for all of the other flavors to mix into. I like Idaho, yukon, whatever is a good value, a good size and easy to peel.
• Sour Cream – make the potatoes so creamy.
• Milk – helps thin out the potatoes just a little bit so they can stir up and become smooth.
• Salt and pepper – add a little more flavor; the amount can be adjusted based on your preference.
• Cream cheese – makes the potatoes rich and even creamier.
• Cheese – adds a rich flavor, helps hold the potatoes together and also increases the creaminess.
• Bacon – adds a smoky salty flavor that can’t be matched by anything else
• Green onions or chives – add a little pop of fresh green flavor with a slight crunch

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole Toppings

• Paprika sprinkled on top
• Shredded cheddar cheese, mozzarella tastes great, but isn’t as visible and since we eat with our eyes too use cheddar or colby cheese that will have more of a color contrast with the potatoes
• Sliced green onions or chives
• Chopped parsley
• Bacon bits – strips that are fried and crumbled add the premium flavor, but pre-cooked bacon bits work fine too
• Black pepper – can be freshly ground to make a garnish on top and add more flavor

Can You Freeze Loaded Mashed Potatoes?

We like to prepare the casserole fresh or holidays or big family meals and freeze leftovers to enjoy for more casual occasions. The leftover reheat fine, but won’t be quite as fresh and fluffy as the first time they are prepared.

How To Make Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

Clean and peel potatoes and then cut chunks of an even size so that they will cook evenly.

Boil chunks of potatoes for about 20 minutes or until they fall off a fork inserted in the center.

Drain soft potatoes and add hot chunks into a mixing bowl. Add softened cream cheese and butter. Sour cream and milk can be stirred in as well. Beat well. Ensure that the potatoes are smooth and all of the lumps have been beat out.

Stir in all of the mozzarella cheese, half of the sharp cheddar cheese and half of those beautiful bacon bits.

Spread potatoes into baking dish and use a spatula to level out or make a slight design in the top. Cover with foil to keep moisture in while baking.

Bake for about 20 minutes to allow all of the extra ingredients and potatoes to warm up. At 20 minutes I used my digital thermometer to check the temperature in the center of the potatoes and it should be around 140°F.

Set foil aside and sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese and bacon bits evenly over top of the casserole. Return to the oven uncovered for about 10 more minutes until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are bubbly around the edges.

Can This Casserole Be Made Ahead of Time?

Yes! Making this casserole ahead of time works well!

Prepare the casserole and just before baking cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.

Set the dish out on the counter about 30 minutes before baking or set the cold dish in a cold oven to warm up while it preheats.

Bake covered with foil for about 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes until heated through.

More Flavorful Side Dish Recipes:

Linguine Salad is packed with vegetables and tastes wonderful with Salad Supreme Salad Seasoning mixed with Italian dressing and spread all over the pasta and veggies.

Crock Pot Mac & Cheese mixes cooked pasta with a few simple ingredients in a crock pot to make a creamy and delicious classic!

Crock Pot Loaded Cauliflower Casserole mixes the amazing cheese and bacon flavors with cauliflower. This dish travels well too at the holidays!

Grandma’s Dressing Recipe makes a smooth and firm dressing with a special step to ensure success! The leftover dressing is even better served with Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes.

Three Cheese Asparagus Gratin is popular at the holidays.