Loaded Mashed Potatoes Recipe!

This Loaded Mashed Potatoes Recipe is one of the few reasons I can get my kids to eat mashed potatoes without whining about it.   Now, these potatoes are also my favorite, and if you pair them up with prime rib or steak, they are even better! 

We don’t splurge very often on Prime Rib, but it has become a tradition to smoke one for Christmas every year.  (You can see my recipe -> here on how to smoke Prime Rib) I also make these potatoes for Thanksgiving and Easter. 

I love that these Loaded Mashed Potatoes taste even better than leftovers and are cold!  The recipe for these is essentially the same as my Twice-Loaded Baked Potato Casserole, with fewer steps.  (You can see that -> here)

Loaded Mashed Potatoes Recipe Ingredients:

• Gold Potatoes– You can use Red Potatoes or Russet Potatoes, but I enjoy gold potatoes in dishes like this.
• Minced Garlic
• Butter
• Bacon– I use thick-cut bacon cut into about one-inch slices.
• Green Onion– You can chop or cut this with kitchen scissors into small pieces. I save mine a lot for the top so the kids can pick them off.
• Salt
• Pepper 
• Cheese– Cheddar cheese or Mexican three-cheese shredded cheese
• Milk– I normally use two percent milk, but you can also use heavy whipping cream.
• Sour Cream
• Cream Cheese

**You can change up the ingredients to your taste. This is what has become our sweet spot for the family, though the kids pick out green onions**

How To Make Loaded Mashed Potatoes:

Now you can use Garlic Mashed Potatoes and then just add in extras either way the process is almost the same

Start a pot of boiling water for your potatoes.

Rinse off and peel your potatoes.

Cut up your potatoes into chunks for easier boiling. You can use Russet or Gold Potatoes to make these. The gold potatoes are my personal favorite.

Boil your potatoes until they are ready to be mashed up.

While the potatoes boil, dice up your bacon and cook it to the doneness you prefer.  I like juicy bacon, so that’s how we eat ours.

Now, you need to get one if you don’t have a bacon screen! I love that it stops the bacon grease from going over your stove. I also use my screens to drain the bacon grease into a jar to make my eggs with.  

Strain your potatoes and place them into your mixing bowl.

Dump the remaining ingredients in your mixing bowl, excluding the cheese.

Allow your mixer to mix the ingredients well.

Dump in your cheese and allow the mixer to mix to spread the cheese.

Serve and enjoy!!

How To Store Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Allow the potatoes to cool correctly, put them in an airtight container or bag, and store them in the fridge for up to five days.

Did you know you can freeze mashed potatoes? Allow the mashed potatoes to cool safely. Put the mashed potatoes into a freezer bag or an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months in your freezer.

Storing leftovers properly requires the right tools! My preferred storage method is if the leftovers can be sealed in a food saver. If not, then an air-tight container or Ziploc bag for the fridge is the way I go. The airtight container or a freezer Ziploc bag are the next best bet for freezing the leftovers. I also use a food scale to measure portions into serving sizes.

what to Serve with loaded mashed potatoes

• Smoked Prime Rib 
• Crockpot Ham
• Smoked Turkey 
• Green Bean Casserole 
• Smoked Brisket