These creamy Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes are a decadent holiday side dish that's loaded with cheese, bacon, sour cream, butter, and paprika, and baked until crispy bits form. It’s a luxurious twist on the classic mash that celebrates the velvety filling of a twice-baked potato, making each bite a comforting experience your guests will love.
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This may be controversial, but we prefer yummy side dishes over the meat dish for Thanksgiving menus or Christmas dinners. Why? Because side dishes complement the main whether it’s Thanksgiving Turkey or Thanksgiving Chicken, there’s more variety, and so much opportunity for comforting dishes covered in cheese, butter, and sometimes even bacon. And here’s another controversial opinion, these Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes may be better than the original – there, we said it.
Twice-baked mashed potatoes are a luxurious twist on classic mashed potatoes, where fluffy, creamy potatoes are riced and loaded, then baked to perfection for a warm, inviting holiday side dish.
If you’ve ever had a twice-baked potato then you probably agree that the creamy potato center is the best part, and this fusion recipe is just that – the best part of a twice-baked potato. Trust us, this is the kinda side dish guaranteed to standout and one guests will remember long after the meal is over.
Why You’ll Love This Twice Baked Mashed Potato Recipe
- It's creamy: This preparation is incredibly creamy and smooth, perfect for those who prefer a softer texture without the skins.
- It's quick to make: While similar, twice-baked potatoes involve baking potatoes, slicing the tops off, and scooping out the potatoes then loading them up and stuffing them back into the skins. This recipe starts with mashed potatoes, loading them up, and finishing them in the oven. No finicky potato skins or double baking needed.
- It's a crowd pleaser: This side dish is sure to be a hit at any holiday party, and when it comes to feeding a crowd this recipe is much easier to execute to serve multiple guests.
Serve our Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes with our Homemade Green Bean Casserole, Green Beans with Bacon, Sweet Potato Cornbread, or Old Fashioned Mac and Cheese.
Ingredient List
- Potatoes: Russet potatoes make the best mashed potatoes due to their high starch content. Yukon gold is the best alternative to Russet.
- Bacon: classic American-style bacon is best. You can use alternatives such as turkey bacon or lardons as well.
- Cheese: we like to use a sharp old cheddar cheese for the flavor it gives the potatoes. American cheddar, Colby, or Monterey Jack are also good options.
- Chicken Stock: chicken stock adds a savory umami flavor to the potatoes.
- Green Onions: a classic baked potato topping that adds a subtle onion flavor and depth.
- Sour Cream: full-fat sour cream adds richness and creaminess to the potatoes.
- Goat Cheese: we love the tang that soft goat cheese brings to the potatoes without overpowering the other elements.
- Butter: we use salted butter in all our recipes.
- Paprika: sweet or smoked are both acceptable. They both provide the flavor you need, but the smoke enhances and complements the smokiness you get from the bacon.
- Salt: we use sea salt in our recipes.
- Pepper: freshly ground black pepper.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe Substitutions and Modifications
- Go vegetarian: skip the bacon and chicken stock to make this recipe vegetarian.
- Add Garlic or Herbs: To elevate the flavor, mix in roasted garlic, chives, or fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary.
- Mix up the cheese: if you prefer different cheeses, feel free to mix it up. Replace the cheddar with your favorite melty cheese, and the goat cheese can be replaced with cream cheese.
Recipe Steps: How to Make Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes
1. Boil the potatoes.
Peel the potatoes and cut them in half crosswise. Place in a saucepan and fill with water to cover the potatoes by at least 1 inch and season generously with salt. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to maintain a soft boil, until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Cook the bacon.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon until brown and crisp. Set aside on a towel-lined plate to drain excess grease. Reserve the bacon fat.
3. Rice the potatoes
Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, use a ricer to rice the potatoes into a large bowl. If you don’t have a ricer, use a box grater to grate the potatoes into the bowl.
4. Mix the potatoes.
Add the chicken stock, goat cheese, butter, paprika, salt, pepper, and three-quarters of the cheese, bacon, and green onions. Mix it until just combined using a spatula.
5. Top the potatoes.
Transfer the potatoes to a large casserole and spread into an even layer. Use a spatula to form peaks and divots in the potatoes and top with remaining cheese bacon, and green onions.
6. Bake the potatoes.
Bake the potatoes in a 400°F oven for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted, the top is golden, and the edges are bubbling.
Chef's Tips
- Boil in Salted Water: Start the potatoes in cold, salted water to ensure even cooking and to season the potatoes from the inside out.
- Drain Well: After boiling, ensure to fully drain the potatoes to avoid runny mashed potatoes.
- Mash While Hot: Mash the potatoes while they are still hot to ensure they are creamy and not gummy.
- Warm your ingredients: For a creamy consistency, warm your butter and liquids, and allow the cheese to come to room temperature before adding them to the mashed potatoes. This prevents the mixture from cooling down too much and keeps the mash fluffy.
- Avoid Overmixing: Avoid overmixing the potatoes to prevent the potatoes from becoming gluey.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing
Make ahead: Twice-baked mashed potatoes are perfect for preparing ahead. You can make the mashed potatoes a day in advance, refrigerate them, and then bake them when needed.
Storage: allow the potatoes to cool to room temperature before storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F.
Freezing: Mashed potato casseroles can be prepared ahead and frozen. Make the potatoes and transfer to a freezer and oven-safe container. Freeze up to 3 months and when ready to bake, cook from frozen in a 350°F oven until hot and golden.
Recipe FAQs
The best potatoes for mashed potatoes are starchy varieties like Russet or Yukon Gold, as they result in a fluffier, creamier texture when mashed.
To avoid gluey mashed potatoes, make sure to drain them well after boiling and avoid overmixing. Use a potato masher or ricer to break them up.
You can boil the potatoes without peeling them if you are using a ricer. The ricer will leave the skins behind. You can also leave the skin on if not using a ricer, if you prefer the texture and nutrients that skin offers mashed potatoes.
To prevent mashed potato casserole from drying out, cover it with foil while baking or add butter on top to lock in moisture.
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Recipe Card
Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 lbs russet potatoes peeled and cut in half crosswise
- 1 lb bacon chopped
- 3 cups cheddar cheese grated
- ⅓ cup chicken stock
- 6 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 cup sour cream full fat
- ½ cup goat cheese
- 1 cup butter melted
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- sea salt 1 tablespoon for boiling, 1 ½ teaspoon + to taste for mashed potatoes
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them in half crosswise. Place in a saucepan and fill with water to cover the potatoes by at least 1 inch and season generously with salt. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to maintain a soft boil, until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon until brown and crisp. Set aside on a towel-lined plate to drain excess grease. Reserve the bacon fat.
- Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, use a ricer to rice the potatoes into a large bowl. If you don’t have a ricer, use a box grater to grate the potatoes into the bowl.
- Add the chicken stock, goat cheese, butter, paprika, salt, pepper, and three-quarters of the cheese, bacon, and green onions. Mix it until just combined using a spatula.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large casserole and spread into an even layer. Top with remaining cheese, bacon, and green onions.
- Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and the top is golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
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