How to Make Good Mashed Potatoes With Cream Cheese
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes have three different kinds of cheese, including cream cheese that makes them extra creamy! They're amazing on their own, but you can always add garlic or top them with bacon!
This mashed potato recipe is the best because it can be made ahead of time then baked in the oven, microwaved, or even heated in the slow cooker!
This recipe was update with new images and different text in November 2020.
If you've ever had mashed potatoes with cream cheese you know how creamy and decadent they are! I know it's hard to imagine but adding cheddar and parmesan cheese makes them even better!
I'm from Idaho and we're surrounded by potato farms. Heck my kids even get a two week break during the fall so the high school kids can help with spud harvest. We're pretty serious about potatoes around here!
Potatoes show up at about every meal! Be sure to check out my Cheesy Chicken and Potato Soup, Smashed Potatoes, Slow Cooker Peas and Potatoes, and Greek Yogurt Potato Salad!
My favorite things about this recipe
Okay! I'm obsessed with this cheesy mashed potato recipe because they are they are insanely delicious! But, there's more!
- Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes – I do NOT like last-minute dishes. Just don't! These mashed potatoes can be made up to three days ahead of time. Just stick them in the fridge until you're ready to use them! I'll show you exactly how to reheat them in a minute!
- No gravy needed – I'm not in love with those store-bought gravy packets and it's kinda hard to make gravy without them unless you're cooking a turkey, chicken, or roast unless you want white gravy. Because these are mash potatoes with cheese you don't really need gravy. Sure, they're amazing with gravy, but it's totally optional. Life just got easier!
- Customize them – Think of this recipe as a starting point and then customize them to make them exactly the way you like! Think bacon, garlic, etc!
- Leftovers – We live on leftovers and these are just as good the next day! #winning
Ingredients in Cheese Mashed Potatoes
The ingredients for these potatoes are so simple and "normal" ingredients. Plus, I'm going to give you options just incase!
- Potatoes – Fresh potatoes are best. But you can even make this recipe with instant mashed potatoes too. Just make sure they are real! See my tip below about the best kind of potatoes for mashed potatoes.
- Cream Cheese – Use regular full fat. You can also use Chive and Onion Cream Cheese, make sure it's not whipped.
- Sour Cream – Regular full fat is my fave.
- Heavy Cream – You could use whole milk, half and half, evaporated milk, or even 2% a pinch. But heavy cream is BEST!
- Butter – real salted or unsalted. If you're allergic to dairy you can use margarine instead. Butter is always better if you can use it!
- Whole Egg – It's okay to leave it out if you want. It adds extra richness though.
- Seasonings – Salt and pepper. Change it up with season salt for fun sometimes.
- Cheese – Parmesan and Cheddar. Instead of cheddar, you can use any cheese that melts well; Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, Gouda, mozzarella, etc.
- Optional – Add minced fresh garlic, or garlic powder if you don't have it. Bacon is always a fantastic addition to any meal I can think of! I also love adding fresh herbs because the green is so pretty!
Little Dairy on the Prairie Pro Tip: What are the best potatoes for making mashed potatoes? Russets and Yukon Gold Potatoes are the best potatoes for making mashed potatoes. They have the right moisture content for mashing without too many lumps and they are creamy.
How to make Mashed Potatoes with Cheese
Homemade, real made from scratch mashed potatoes are so easy to make, plus there are so many options to make this recipe fit your needs.
Need to make it ahead of time? Gotcha covered! Need to make it last minute? Gotcha covered!
STEP 1: Cook Potatoes. Scrub, peel, and dice potatoes. Then cook using one of the following methods.
- Pressure Cooker Mashed Potatoes – Add diced potatoes to the pressure cooker. Add about an inch of water and a teaspoon of salt. Place the lid and set the valve to seal. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Quick-release.
- Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes – Add peeled, diced potatoes to a slow cooker. Add about a cup of water. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low 6-7 hours.
- Stove Top – Add peeled, diced potatoes to a pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil. Cook uncovered until fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
STEP 2: Mash Potatoes. Turn the heat on the pot off. Drain potatoes and return to the pot and let sit for a couple of minutes so the rest of the water will evaporate. Mash potatoes with a hand held masher, or use and electric mixer.
Little Dairy on the Prairie Pro Tip: Be careful to not over mash the potatoes or they will be gummy. Some people are even okay with a few lumps so don't stress about them too much!
STEP 3: Add other ingredients. Whisk and egg and add heavy cream. Once the potatoes have been mashed add butter, cream cheese, seasonings, and egg/cream mixture. Gently stir to combine until cream cheese is melted.
STEP 4: Add cheese. Add whatever kinds of grated cheese you like. Reserve about 1/3 of each kind of cheese for the top.
STEP 5: Bake Potatoes. Grease a dish with butter or nonstick baking spray and spread potatoes in the dish. Top with reserved cheese. Bake at 350 degrees. If you're baking them right way bake for 40 minutes. If they've been in the fridge let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes then bake for 60 minutes.
Reheating mashed potatoes.
These potatoes can be cooked in a variety of ways. Here are your options.
- Baking Dish– Put the potatoes in an oven-safe dish and bake them.
- Slow Cooker – Add the potatoes to a greased slow cooker and cover with cheese. You can refrigerate them for two days or cook them right away. Cook them on low heat for 2-3 hours.
- Microwave – Prepare the potatoes through step 4 putting them in a microwave-safe dish. I like to choose a shallow dish so they don't take so long to heat through. Refrigerate until about an hour before serving. Let sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes. Cook covered on high heat for about 10 minutes. Continue cooking until they are warmed through. The amount of time will vary depending on your microwave and how thick the potatoes are.
What to serve with mashed potatoes.
Anything goes! We love them with just about any meaty meal. Here are a few favorite easy meals!
- Turkey
- Sweet and Sour Meatballs – also a make-ahead meal
- Classic Roast Beef – slow cooker
- Mississippi Roast – the most flavorful roast beef ever
- Grilled Chicken – with a citrus marinade
- Cube Steak in Mushroom Sauce – so tender and easy
- Barbecue Pork Chops – slow cooker
- Ritz Cracker Chicken – a favorite baked chicken recipe
- BBQ Drumsticks – another slow cooker fave
What to do with leftover mashed potatoes?
I feel like I'm the queen of leftovers! We literally survive on them! These potatoes actually reheat really well in the microwave and I think they are just as good the next day. So I serve them as a side dish all the time.
Here are some other options for using leftover mash taters.
- Hot Beef or Turkey Sandwiches – Toast bread, add a layer of hot mashed potatoes, add sliced cooked meat, top with gravy.
- Thicken Soup – They are perfect for thickening a creamy soup.
- Chicken Noodle Soup – I love chicken noodle soup served over mashed potatoes. It works great with stew too.
- Tater Tot Casserole – use mashed potatoes instead of tater tots
- Shepherds Pie – you've already got a head start on the classic
Grab the recipe!
You're going to love how easy these Cheesy Mashed Potatoes are to make and to serve!
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 45 mins
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes have three different kinds of cheese, including cream cheese that makes them extra creamy! They're amazing on their own, but you can always add garlic or top them with bacon!
This mashed potato recipe is the best because it can be made ahead of time then baked in the oven, microwaved, or even heated in the slow cooker!
- 6 cups Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes diced about 3-4 potatoes
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 whole egg
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 1 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- fresh herbs
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Prep and cook potatoes – Scrub, peel, and dice potatoes in about 1 inch pieces. Add to a pressure cooker with one cup of water and salt. Put the lid on and seal the valve. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick-release valve. Drain water off of potatoes. With the heat off, let potatoes sit in the pot for a couple of minutes to allow some of the water to evaporate.
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Mash – Mash potatoes with a hand masher, or with an electric mixer. Be careful to not over mash potatoes or they will be gummy.
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Mix potatoes – Whisk egg and add heavy cream and add to potatoes. Add cream cheese, sour cream, butter, seasonings, one cup of cheddar cheese, and half of the Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine until cream cheese is melted.
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Prepare to Bake – Spread potatoes in a greased dish, then spinkle remaining cheese over the top.
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Bake or Refrigerate for later – Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for 10 more minutes. OR refrigerate for later. When you're ready to bake them, let the potatoes sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Then bake for as instructed above.
Instead of cheddar cheese, you can use Colby Jack, pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or any other good melting cheese.
See the post for tips on making mashed potatoes on the stovetop or slow cooker.
These potatoes are great for making ahead. See my post to see how to reheat them in the microwave, slow cooker, or baking them in the oven.
Calories: 337 kcal | Carbohydrates: 2 g | Protein: 10 g | Fat: 33 g | Saturated Fat: 20 g | Cholesterol: 105 mg | Sodium: 668 mg | Potassium: 84 mg | Sugar: 1 g | Vitamin A: 1152 IU | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 266 mg | Iron: 1 mg
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How to Make Good Mashed Potatoes With Cream Cheese
Source: https://pitchforkfoodie.com/three-cheese-mashed-potatoes/