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Home / How to Make Mashed Potatoes With Bacon and Cheese

How to Make Mashed Potatoes With Bacon and Cheese

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Loaded Mashed Potatoes (mashed potatoes topped with grated cheddar cheese, bacon, green onion) in a blue and white bowl, with a napkin and silver spoon beside it.

Credit: Kelli Foster

If you're looking for a way to give your basic mashed potatoes a seriously impressive upgrade, there's no better way to do it than by taking inspiration from a loaded baked potato with all the fixings. I'm talking tangy sour cream, smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, and fragrant fresh chives.

From Thanksgiving dinner to game day when there's a Crock-Pot of chili and you need a little something extra to round out the meal, loaded mashed potatoes are always the answer. This crowd-pleasing side is also easy to pull off in a few simple steps and with less than 30 minutes on the clock.

How to Make Loaded Mashed Potatoes

  1. Boil the potatoes. Peel and chop 3 pounds russet potatoes. Add to a large pot, cover with cold water, and simmer until tender. Drain potatoes in a colander.
  2. Cook the bacon. While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp.
  3. Warm the dairy. While the potatoes and bacon are cooking, warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan.
  4. Mash the potatoes. Once they're cool enough to handle, but still warm, return to the pot and mash with a potato masher until mostly smooth (some lumps are OK).
  5. Mix it all together. Mix in the warm milk and butter, sour cream, grated cheddar, and chopped chives.

Do I Keep Potato Skins in Loaded Mashed Potatoes?

We recommend peeling the potatoes for a mash with a smoother texture. But if you really love potato skins, go ahead and keep them on. Choosing not to peel the potatoes won't significantly change the outcome of the dish; it'll just make for mashed potatoes with a less smooth texture and a more rustic vibe.

What to Serve with Loaded Mashed Potatoes

If you're looking for a seriously impressive way to upgrade your basic mashed potatoes, take inspiration from loaded baked potatoes with all the fixings.

  • alcohol-free
  • egg-free
  • fish-free
  • peanut-free
  • shellfish-free
  • sugar-conscious
  • gluten-free
  • wheat-free
  • soy-free
  • tree-nut-free

Per serving, based on

8

servings. (% daily value)

  • Calories 481
  • Fat 33.1 g (50.9%)
  • Saturated 17.4 g (87.1%)
  • Carbs 33.1 g (11.0%)
  • Fiber 2.3 g (9.1%)
  • Sugars 3.0 g
  • Protein 14.4 g (28.8%)
  • Sodium 590.7 mg (24.6%)

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds

    russet potatoes (about 3 large potatoes or 6 medium)
  • 6 slices

    bacon, preferably center-cut

  • 1/2 cup

    whole milk
  • 6 tablespoons

    (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon

    kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon

    freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 ounces

    sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
  • 1 large bunch

    fresh chives
  • 1 cup

    sour cream (8 ounces)

Instructions

  1. Peel and chop 3 pounds russet potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Place in a large pot and add enough water to cover the potatoes by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender and can be easily poked with a paring knife, 7 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, warm the milk mixture and prepare the mix-ins.

  2. Place 6 slices bacon in a large skillet in a single layer. Cook over medium heat, flipping halfway through, until crisp, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then crumble into small pieces.

  3. Place 1/2 cup whole milk, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a medium saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted, 2 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

  4. Grate 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese on the large holes of a box grater (about 2 cups). Finely chop 1 large bunch fresh chives until you have 1/4 cup.

  5. When the potatoes are ready, drain through a heatproof colander. Place the colander over the pot. When cool enough to handle but still warm, return to the pot and mash with a potato masher until mostly smooth (a few lumps are fine). (Alternatively, pass the potatoes through a ricer or food mill back into the pot.)

  6. Add the warm milk mixture, bacon, cheese, 1 cup sour cream, and all but 1 tablespoon of the chives. Stir to combine (the cheese won't be completely melted). Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with the reserved chives and serve.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The bacon can be cooked up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the potatoes.

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Kelli Foster

Food Editor, Plan & Prep

Kelli is the Food Editor for Plan & Prep content for Kitchn. She's a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and author of the cookbooks, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls , The Probiotic Kitchen , Buddha Bowls , and Everyday Freekeh Meals . She lives in New Jersey.

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How to Make Mashed Potatoes With Bacon and Cheese

Source: https://www.thekitchn.com/loaded-mashed-potatoes-recipe-23218267