Deluxe Mashed Potatoes

Believe me when I say this baked mashed potatoes recipe is decadent and delicious.  The dish is fully loaded with rich flavor and is ultra creamy, thanks to the cream cheese and sour cream. The best part about these baked mashed potatoes (besides eating them, of course) is that they’re so easy to make. All you need to do is cook, mash, add a few ingredients and bake. You know what to do next.

Baked Mashed Potatoes Ingredients

• Potatoes: This dish wouldn’t exist without them! The potatoes will cook more evenly if you make sure the pieces are about the same size.
• Cream cheese: It adds a creamy richness that takes mashed potatoes to a whole new level.
• Sour cream: It makes this dish even creamier and adds a hint of tang.
• Chives: You can’t beat the boost of fresh flavor chives provide.
• Onion salt: It provides a subtle taste of onion along with the salt most dishes need. Garlic salt is an easy substitute.
• Butter: You just need a few dabs of butter to top off the flavor.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the potatoes

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Peel and cube the potatoes, then place them in a saucepan and cover with water. Gently cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender and drain. Mash the potatoes until smooth (do not add the milk or butter yet).

Step 2: Combine and bake

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Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Stir the cream cheese, sour cream, chives, onion salt and pepper into the mashed potatoes. Spoon the potato mixture into a greased 1-1/2 qt. baking dish. Top with dots of butter. If desired, sprinkle with paprika. Cover and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until potatoes are heated throughly.

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Baked Mashed Potatoes Variations

• Load them up:  You can’t go wrong with the usual culprits for gussying up mashed potatoes: shredded cheese, crispy bits of cooked bacon and chopped green onion. But, what about piling on pulled pork? Or use mashed potatoes instead of pasta as the base for saucy meatballs. I’ve been known to spoon thick, cream of broccoli soup over mashed potatoes, too.
• Add garlic: Because I’m a garlic lover, I always add two to three cloves of peeled garlic to the water when cooking the potatoes. Mash them right along with the potatoes after draining.
• Make it dairy-free: Most markets carry non-dairy cream cheese, sour cream and butter. If you can’t find dairy-free sour cream, replace it with full-fat coconut milk.

How to Store Baked Mashed Potatoes

After cooling, cover leftovers tightly and store them in the refrigerator for three days. It’s important to cool the potatoes completely before covering them to ensure condensation doesn’t form. The best way to reheat the potatoes is to bake them again as directed in the recipe. You may have to add 5 or 10 minutes more of baking time.

The mashed potatoes also can be frozen for up to six months if stored in a tightly sealed, freezer-safe container. To reheat, thaw overnight in the freezer before baking as directed.

Baked Mashed Potatoes Tips

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What type of potatoes should I use in this baked mashed potatoes recipe?

I’m a big fan of Yukon gold potatoes. They taste a little buttery and, when mashed, have a nice, creamy texture. Russets work, too, but I tend to go for the gold (Yukon gold) when I’m making a mash.

Do I have to peel the potatoes?

You can certainly skip the step of peeling your potatoes. The peels add a little more fiber and vitamins. Leaving the skins on gives you a more rustic version of this baked mashed potato recipe. Peel them if you want a smooth, creamy texture.